It’s been a strange, troubling, and disrupted week. The President of the United States has declared a national state of emergency, and the Gwinnett County Health Department recommends that as a community faith-based organization we implement social distancing measures to limit the potential spread of COVID-19. In response and after prayerful discussion with our staff, elders, and the other leaders across the Grace Family of Churches, we decided to worship online-only (Sunday, March 15, 2020) at our usual times (9am and 10:45am). Together, we will worship, hear the Word, and pray. I’ll be taking a brief break from our Psalms series to teach from Acts 28, an amazing passage that not only shows us how we can respond personally but also how we might be a blessing to those who are alongside us through threat, sickness, and uncertainty.

Our prayer and hope is that as a community we will be the (clean) hands and (healthy) feet of Jesus, and that he will be glorified through these uncertain days.

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Title: The Power of Faith in Times of Crisis // Acts 27

Quick Review:
In Acts 27, Paul was on a ship with a bunch of soldiers, sailors, and passengers who got caught in a storm that disrupted their plans, drove them far off course, and was so frightening that they “abandoned all hope of being saved” (v. 20). But as the story of the storm keeps developing, we find an amazing picture of what happens when at least one person has faith in what God has promised–it transforms the expectations, relationships, and results of everyone on the ship.

How can we be like Paul? Well, we each have space in our minds where we think about what is yet to happen–next year, next week, or even tomorrow. We’re calling it our “Future Bucket.” Sometimes we fill that space with fear/worry about what might go wrong or what might not happen. But when we hear God’s word, it’s an opportunity to dump out the fear and fill it with faith.

As a family, take time to discuss these questions and possible action steps you can take.

What size is your Future Bucket?
Do you spend lots of time thinking about the future, hardly ever think about it, or somewhere in between?
How much time do you spend worrying about the future? Does it keep you up at night? Does it affect how you live?
Bonus activity: Each family member, quickly go grab a container to represent how big your own future bucket is!

What’s in your Future Bucket?
What do you spend the most time thinking about when it comes to the future?
Is it fear, worry, hope, optimism, or a mix? List specific fears or worries that tend to rattle around in that space.

What would you like to have in your Future Bucket?
Confess your fear. Take time to tell God about the things you want to dump out of that space, and fill it with
God’s promises.
For each source of anxiety, together, try to pinpoint the underlying fear, then find a promise in God’s word that
counters that fear. (We have a handy Dump and Fill page to get you started.)

How can you truly fill your Future Bucket (mind) with God’s promises?
As a person who trusts God’s promises, how can you bless people around you?
In our current situation, who can our family bless now?
Who might have some simple needs we can help with?
What can we do to help a neighbor? When are we gonna do it?