God calls us to travel light by keeping our destination in sight.

Spend some time today asking yourself, What am I currently doing that will have an eternal impact? What do I need to spend less time doing in order to focus more on the eternally significant goals to which God calls me?

WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEMS

We can choose to focus on our problems even as we try to reach some imaginary place of trouble-free living. Or we can focus on eternal things and enjoy the fresh breeze of joyful purpose.
Live for eternity, and you’ll never live another day unfulfilled.
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

The secret to living life with wind in your sails is to focus on more than your own problems and pain. Regardless of what’s going on around you, look beyond yourself.
Fix your eyes on the eternal—in every area of your life.
What are you looking at when you think about where you are in your life right now?
Could it be that your problems are not your real problem?
Maybe you just have the wrong focus.
Maybe you’re expecting from this life what can only come from God.
Maybe you’re expecting to receive from other people what only God can give.
Maybe you’re expecting possessions and experiences to fulfill you in deep ways that only God can touch.
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

That leads me to the conclusion of my theory: if we want to enjoy life in the vibrant, fully alive way that we all crave, then we must have something to focus on that is bigger than our problems.
When we have a larger perspective, we realize our problems are really not significant in the long run.

Ten years from now, are we going to remember why we’re mad at our best friend or how much it cost to pay the late fee on this month’s mortgage payment?
And if our problems are bigger and more life-consuming than those examples, we have all the more reason to recognize that God and his purposes are bigger.
When we have cancer or lose our job or get divorced or have sick kids, we wonder how we’ll get through it. The only way is to fix our eyes on something beyond our pain.
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

Paul was focusing on what was happening in him, not to him.
Likewise, we can be sure that when something is happening to us, God is doing something in us—something that will shape us for eternity. He was able to look beyond his troubles.

He continued:

ETERNAL FOCUS

Finally, the most significant thing we can do, the thing with the most eternal impact, is to share the Good News of Jesus with someone.
We can be a part of altering another person’s eternal destiny.
Knowing that heaven and hell are real, and knowing the scope of God’s love and forgiveness, we should be sharing this ultimate breath of fresh air every opportunity we get.
We should do it naturally and honestly, not in a way that feels contrived or pushy or artificial.
But we should share our faith with a sense of urgency.
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

You and I need to get our focus off this life, off what we receive from other people, beyond what we own or see in front of us.
We must constantly remind ourselves that the only things that matter are eternal things.
The secret of life is to keep our focus there.
This truth then leads to the question, how do we live so that our focus remains on eternity?
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

Paul never lost heart and neither should we. Why?
Because what we see and experience around us is not all there is.
Solomon grasped at all the pleasures the world offered and ended up in despair.
Paul tossed aside everything he possessed in favor of loving Christ and ended up with eternal riches—and an appreciation for God’s master plan.
Excerpt From Chris Hodges' "Fresh Air"

SALVATION OPPORTUNITY
Facebook Live Community

Dear Lord Jesus,
I know I am a sinner,
and I ask for your forgiveness.
I believe you died for my sins
and rose from the dead.
I trust and follow you
as my Lord and Savior.
Guide my life
and help me to do your will.
In your name, amen.”

WHAT DO WE DO

1. GRAB [Friendship]

Engage our communities that we work and live in.

Eliminate the distractions of the day. Being fully present.

Make it a priority to be with people. Not afraid to go into their culture.

Slow to judge and correct. Accept people for who they are and where they're at in life. Don't discriminate.

Invite and Involve people to develop new friendships. Connecting on a deeper level.

2. GATHER [Discipleship]

Be intentional in investing your time, talent and treasure into people for growth.

Model the lifestyle you want them to live. Be consistent and have integrity.

Hanging out with a purpose. Experience transformation. Long term process.

Participate in one of our weekly Growth Groups.

3. GROW [Partnership]

Unconditional Commitment. Beyond companionship.

Compliment the vision and strategy that God has for Innovative Concepts.

Collaborate all of our resources to complete our vision and strategy.

Cultivate our life-giving and life changing culture.

The relationships at this level have deep meaning and significance.

Genuine love for one another. Oneness.

4. GIVE [Stewardship]

Faithful in managing our Time, Talent, and Treasure.

Me to WE. Giving of ourselves to others.

Developing others to be successful. Servant Leadership

Gratitude and Generosity

Contributing to our values: The Unchurched, Marriage & Family, Education, Leadership Development.

STEPS TO CREATING AND CULTIVATING A LIFE-GIVING; LIFE-CHANGING CULTURE
(Use these steps as an ongoing checklist for all of your Growth Group members)

1. Accept Jesus into your heart and commit to follow Him. SALVATION OPPORTUNITY

2. Attend one of our monthly Gatherings and church on Sunday.

3. Participate in one of our Growth Groups. Invite your unchurched loved ones.

4. Be Water Baptized and Baptized in the Holy Spirit.

5. Discover your spiritual gifts by taking our spiritual gift assessment.

6. Serve in an area of our church and the community.

7. Contribute financially on a regular basis. (Tithing)

8. Develop your leadership. (Discipleship)

9. Commit to collaborating together to cultivate a Life-Giving and Life-Changing Culture.
{"Fresh Air" "The X Factor" "Seven Qualities That Produce Health"}

10. Lead others through the STEPS consistently and persistently. (Equip and Empower)

These steps can be taken slowly as you grow in your relationship with Jesus and develop others.