"uncommon" Pt.2

Hi, this is John Ozanting, lead pastor of Evolved Church, and this is the Evolved Church Podcast.

Thanks so much for tuning in.

We hope that you find today's message encouraging and full of hope for wherever you're at.

Well, why don't we uh start with uh a pause and a moment of prayer?

Let's let's pray together.

Amazing God, we just acknowledge your voice, your presence, your leadership in the room today.

And we just invite your Holy Spirit to touch our hearts, um, to soften uh what needs to be softened, to open what needs to be opened, to change what needs to be changed.

Ultimately, Jesus, uh, we want to get in tune with your heart and your leadership in every area of our life.

And so we just invite you into today's talk as we look at uncommon self-care.

Uh, would you be real?

Would you be known?

Would you see us, but not just leave us there?

Would you help us to be transformed, to change, to grow today?

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Well, we are on part two of our uncommon series, and I want to start by saying over the past 20 years, I've struggled hard with taking good care of myself.

It hasn't been a priority.

Um, I've I've had a hard time justifying self-care as a human being because self-care for me personally always made me feel selfish.

Self-care for me always put me into a place of feeling guilty.

And in 2019, Nicole and I went through the Enneagram together.

Um, a few weeks back on December 13th, you heard Pastor Nicole talk about the Enneagram in her Bring Hope message.

She talked a little bit about it then.

Um I chart as a two on the Enneagram.

I'm what's called a helper.

And the Enneagram is is really helped us kind of get in tune with becoming more self-aware, which has helped us to grow spiritually.

But in studying my my inner DNA as a helper, I had a big aha moment that the reason I've struggled with self-care is because I love helping other people.

And if I have if I have margin, if I have free time, I would rather use that time to help somebody else than to care for myself.

And so that's something in the last two and a half, three years that I've spent just a lot of time uh wrestling through with God and praying about as a follower of Jesus.

I'm growing stronger, I'm walking free from the guilt.

Why?

Because I'm learning the purpose for self-care.

I have a new love in my life.

True confession.

Her name is Stella.

Yes, a new love.

She's tender and she's pillowy and she's fragrant, she's reliable, she's attentive.

Stella is available and always up for an adventure with me.

I love Stella deeply.

And there's a good chance I am tuned in to this live experience uh with my wife and kids right now, and this running joke in our home that Stella is my new love.

Um you you gotta know, Stella is my sourdough starter, okay?

So Stella is my sourdough starter.

Don't get don't get worried.

I I'm not having an extramarital affair or anything like that with a woman named Stella.

Hang in there, people.

Uh Stella is my sourdough starter.

Um before you get carried away, all right?

So um, and this past week on Tuesday evening, I I measured out 50 grams of Stella with 350 grams of warm filtered pure water, nine grams of sea salt, and 500 grams of organic bread flour.

And I did what I do with with Stella, and I I made uh this dough, this sour dough dough.

Sour dough dough?

Is that what people say?

And then on Wednesday morning, Wednesday morning, I got up at 5 a.m.

I fashioned Stella into a beautiful round loaf for another rest and rise, spent some quiet time with Jesus and my Bible.

At 6:15, I did some intense cardio for 30 minutes.

At 7 a.m., I tuned into Evolve's Live Devotion Time, 21 Days of Prayer, uh, with uh Rebecca Mike Denbeko was doing this amazing devo on excuses.

Uh keep your windows clean, right?

If you were in the room and you know what I'm talking about, just give me a uh some kind of emoji.

Keep your windows clean on excuses.

It was so, so good.

At 7:30, I put the loaf into the oven.

Um, I soaked and stretched in the hot tub for 20 minutes.

I kissed my kids goodbye as they left for school at 8 o'clock.

I began writing this message, and then at 8:30 a.m., I pulled a beautiful, airy, and warm loaf of sourdough bread out of the oven.

I placed it on a metal rack to cool for an hour.

At 9:30, I jumped in the shower and got dressed, and then avocado toast, right?

A thick piece of this fresh sourdough bread with uh some smashed fresh avocado, a little bit of lime juice, salt and pepper, two perfectly poached eggs.

And I was in heaven, right?

So that kind of morning routine of getting up early, baking bread, spending time with Jesus, soaking in the hot tub, loving on my kids.

Um, I gotta tell you, all that took place before 10:30 a.m.

And here's the beautiful thing zero guilt.

Zero guilt.

None.

That was the best part.

How do you self-care?

What is bringing you rest, fulfillment, peace, and joy right now?

Because that's isn't that why we self-care?

How do you self-care?

Is it a tall glass of Merlot after you put the kids to bed?

Is it a vacation where you can let loose and avoid routine?

Is it a walk through the river valley with your fur babies?

Is it a leisurely soak in the bath with Enya's storms in Africa playing quietly in the background?

Some millennial right now is like, did he say Enya?

Who's Enya?

This is Enya.

Don't rush it.

Yeah, just enjoy the moment.

This past week, uh, I did a little poll on social media and I asked our Evolved community, how do you self-care?

And this was the list: cuddles with my pet, power naps, quiet time with Jesus, reading a good book, being out in nature, taking a real Sabbath rest, crocheting, my Peloton bike, hiking, reading a book that isn't for my education in school, getting fresh air, exercise, listening to music, moving my body with dancing, cuddling and reading with my kids, going out for my favorite treat, listening to podcasts, seeing my therapist, counselor, all beautiful things, all good things.

According to Google Trends, the number of searches for the words self-care has more than doubled since 2015.

My guess is in conversation, you've heard it, you've read about it, you've listened, and we're gonna just take some time to talk about it today.

Self-care through the lens of surrendering our lives to Jesus.

Common self-care versus an uncommon self-care.

Dictionary defined, you know, because we're hearing more and more about self-care now more than ever.

Here's what it says: the noun.

Um, number one, self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health.

So the practice of taking action to preserve or improve your health.

And number two, the second definition is the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

So protecting our own well-being and happiness, especially when things are stressful.

In September of 2020, I practiced the first definition: this taking action to preserve or improve my health by booking an appointment with my family doctor and getting a checkup in a physical.

And this round of uh self-care, medically speaking, uh, at 44 years old saw me peeing in cups and giving blood, uh, surrendering my body and time to a stress test.

And I even got to experience something beautiful called a transesophageal echocardiogram with a cardiologist.

All just these all these tests.

Good news.

Great news.

That round of self-care in the fall helped me learn that I am actually good and healthy, but perhaps got a little bit too fat in 2020.

Uh don't worry, I'm doing something about that in 2021 and beyond.

Um, point number two: the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during times that feel stressful.

This is what I would say is most common when we think about self-care.

When we talk about or hear about or read about or observe people or chat with friends about self-care, it's this practice of protecting my well-being, protecting my wellness, my happiness, especially when uh periods of my life are stressful.

It is common to process self-care through the lens of protecting my well-being and my happiness, particularly during periods of stress.

Anyone find themselves in a period of stress right now?

Anyone come through a year that maybe felt a little bit stressful?

Let's see those fist bump emojis in the online chat right now.

If you've had some periods of stress in your life, it's become common in our world for self-care nowadays to actually look more like self-indulgence.

And I want to say that carefully without poking anybody's heart today, outside looking in, when I talk to people about their self-care regimens, oftentimes does it have a clear purpose?

And I believe, and and we can disagree on this.

I would, and if we do, let's have a conversation.

But I have witnessed more and more in recent years that for a lot of people, self-care looks a lot more like self-indulgence.

Some examples that I've seen over the years.

I love my walks outside, but really they're just avoiding being present in their home.

A marriage or a committed relationship or a family dynamic is hard, and so they're masking something and avoiding something by prioritizing walks outside.

Track with me, hang with me.

Uh, my alcohol consumption is my me time, even though they lack self-control.

Maybe they're out of balance.

It's good for my soul to eat a donut.

Every day of the week is fine, right?

Multiple times a day, I don't know, but this self-care practice has it slid off the ledge into the ditch of self-indulgence.

It's become common in our world for self-care to look more and more like self-indulgent.

I believe that the reason we run head-on into self-indulgent self-care is because we don't want to face the pain in our lives.

The reason we run into a habit of self-indulgent self-care is because we don't want to face the pain in our hearts.

Are you open enough today to assess your self-care, to see if you're too over the pendulum swing into that self-indulgent realm, and maybe invite God's presence to help you take a good look at that?

And that's what I'm inviting us all into today in an uncommon self-care journey.

So here's a a common self-care self-assessment test.

Let's take a little test together.

Um, maybe I should play a little Enya Storms in Africa to set the mood while we look at these questions.

Number one, does my practice of self-care leave me feeling renewed and refreshed?

Or leave me feeling numb and tired?

This discipline, this habit, this practice of self-care, do I come away from it actually feeling renewed and refreshed, or do I come away feeling more numb and more tired?

Number two, how am I being transformed into the image of Jesus through this practice of self-care?

Whatever that practice is for you, how are you being transformed into the image of Jesus through the practice of self-care?

What character is it cultivating in you?

Self-assessment, question number three.

Is this practice of self-care helping me steward the temple that God has entrusted to me, the physical body that carries my soul and my spirit?

Is this practice of self-care helping me be a good steward of the temple, the body that God's entrusted to me?

And the fourth one, is this self-care practice refueling me in a way that I feel closer to God?

Or is it leaving me empty?

Is this practice refueling me in a way that's drawing me deeper and more intimately into closeness with the Father?

Or is it leaving me empty?

How are you doing with your self-care right now?

Sit in that thought for a moment.

Let this awkward silence be a little bit uncomfortable.

Even if the pain and the hurt that we try to avoid is beginning to poke its head through the surface, just sit there for a second.

Today's big question.

Did you know that following in the way of Jesus invites us to regularly craft moments that refresh and renew us, spirit, soul, and body?

Did you know that?

Did you know that surrendering your life entirely to the way of Jesus, following after him, invites us into regularly crafting moments that refresh and renew us, spirit, soul, and body.

If the common formula that we see in the world today is that self-care equals bordering on self-indulgence, then I want to say this the uncommon formula is that self-care in a Jesus lens is actually self-denial.

And I want to talk about it in the time we have remaining.

Listen to what Jesus in Matthew 16, verse 24 to 26.

Matthew 16:24–26

Then Jesus went to work on his disciples.

He says, Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.

You're not in the driver's seat.

I am.

Don't run from suffering.

Embrace it.

Follow me, and I'll show you how.

Self-help is no help at all.

Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.

What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself?

What could you ever trade your soul for?

Is self-help your motive for self-care?

Or is self-sacrifice your motive for self-care?

What's your motive for the self-care practices that you've established in your life?

Is it just in the vein of a self-help kind of thing?

Or is it in the vein of a surrender to Jesus, a self-sacrificial way of living?

Jesus was and is incredibly invested in making sure that people around him are taken care of, spirit, soul, and body.

And we see that through the story of Scripture, through the historical eyewitness accounts of people that did life with Jesus.

While Jesus lived and served on earth, we have many and diverse witness accounts of how Jesus brought freedom to people's past, brought physical healing to people's sick bodies, brought emotional healing to people's identities, brought spiritual healing to people's souls, brought examples and teachings on how to prioritize moments of refreshing and renewal.

And he went one step further.

He modeled that, but then he also instructed his disciples, his followers, on how to do that and be that for others.

The uncommon practice is that self-care comes through self-sacrifice, through self-denial.

Matthew 16, 24, Jesus went to work on his disciples.

Anyone, here's what he says: anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.

You're not in the driver's seat, Jesus says, I am.

And so this includes allowing Jesus to lead our self-care.

This includes a surrender to allowing Jesus to be in the driver's seat of our self-care.

If we intend on following Jesus into this uncommon adventure, this uncommon life, we have to let him lead, and we have to let him lead in every sphere, not just some.

He goes on to say, don't run from suffering.

Embrace it.

Follow me, I'll show you how.

Self-help is no help at all.

Self-sacrifice is the way.

Are we using some kind of self-care as an excuse to hide from the mask and the pain and the suffering that we're shouldering?

Are we using it as an escape to not deal with our hearts, not deal with the things that we're wrestling out in when our brains really get quiet, those thoughts that are there?

Is self-care becoming more a self-indulgent escape to hide from what we're really feeling in real time?

We're under the gun.

We're feeling the stress of it all, thinking that some kind of self-help, self-care is going to protect our happiness or protect our well-being, but then we still find ourselves wanting.

Matthew 11 goes on to say, um, Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 11, verse 28 to 30.

Matthew 11:28–30

Are you weary?

Are you carrying a heavy burden?

Then come to me.

I will refresh your life, for I'm your oasis.

Simply join your life with mine, learn my ways, and you'll discover that I'm gentle, humble, easy to please.

You will find refreshment and rest in me, for all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.

Listen, our best moments of refreshing and rest are still found in Jesus.

Today's big question.

Did you know that following in the way of Jesus invites us to regularly craft moments that refresh and renew us, spirit, soul, and body?

So let's look at our physical body self-care in this uncommon way for a moment.

Romans 12, 1 to 2.

Beloved friends, what should our proper response to God's marvelous mercies be?

I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred living sacrifices.

Pause.

For us, those of us leaning in today, does this include a full living sacrifice surrender of our self-care?

A personal example, the the self-care assessment test I shared a few minutes ago.

Um, number three, is this practice of self-care helping me steward the temple that God has entrusted to me?

This discipline that I call self-care that I practice regularly.

Is it helping me be a good steward of this temple?

1 Corinthians 6, have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness who lives in you?

You don't belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside of your sanctuary.

You were God's expensive purchase, paid for with tears of blood.

So by all means, then use your body to bring glory to God.

Pastries and donuts used to be a regular habit of self care for me, because I believe.

I deserved them and they made me feel good.

And it was a treat.

However, that practice actually doesn't help me steward the body that God has given to me.

Can you see how my self-denial, self-sacrifice of the privilege and entitlement to eat donuts all the time?

How that self-denial equals a true and healthy and uncommon self-care in my life.

When we're in the ditch with a self-care practice, we have to center back to the uncommon self-sacrifice, self-denial.

Does that mean that I'll never eat a donut again?

No, of course I'm going to.

It's going to be a little while right now because of the season that I'm in.

Clearly, I'm eating fresh-baked sourdough bread at home.

Um, right?

So I'm not depriving myself, uh, but we're fighting for balance as we surrender our self-care practices.

Some of your self-care practices are gonna be solely for the purpose of stewarding your temple for the glory of God.

Never feel guilty, never feel guilty about making time to nurture and refresh and rest and care for your physical body.

That being said, remember that we never worship a temple.

We worship from a temple.

And so we we we have to find good boundaries.

Don't let fitness replace Jesus for your worship.

Big question Did you know that following in the way of Jesus invites us to regularly craft moments that refresh us, spirit, soul, and body?

Let's look at our soul for a moment.

Romans 12, beloved friends, what should our proper response to God's marvelous mercies be?

I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God, live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart, for this becomes your genuine expression of worship.

Then it goes on to say, verse 2 stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think.

This will empower you to discern God's will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in His eyes.

Is your current practice of self-care actually moving the ball forward for your inward spiritual transformation?

Is the practices of self-care, if you run them through those four self-assessment tests, is it helping you move the ball forward with being transformed on the inside?

Number two was how am I being transformed into the image of Jesus through this practice of self-care?

What character is it cultivating in me?

Renewing our minds is a deeply spiritual way of taking care of ourselves in a way that honors God, delights his heart.

And words like meditation and mindfulness are just so buzzy self-care words in our world right now.

They're all over the map.

But I just want to put it this way: being aware of your thoughts is one thing.

A lot of people go through a day without even pausing, resting long enough to be aware of their thought life.

But being aware of your thoughts is one thing.

Sitting in your thoughts long enough to realize what they are is another thing.

Taking wrong thoughts captive and surrendering to a total Holy Spirit reformation of how you think is the goal.

Self-care when it comes to stewarding our soul means inviting the Holy Spirit into a total reformation of how we think.

And it's actually self-denial, self-sacrifice.

You are denying yourself the right to just have thoughts swimming around in your brain through the practice of measuring your thoughts and renewing your thoughts.

Are you just going through a day, just allowing your thoughts to be rampant and get away on you and bring you down a path you never intended to go?

Or are you arresting them in a self-sacrifice, self-denial kind of way to measure them and weigh them through the gift of Holy Spirit, the reformation of your thoughts by the Spirit?

Renewing your mind is perhaps the most intentional and transformational self-care through self-denial practice that you can practice.

This past week, I've already met, I've referenced Becca's Devo in our live on Wednesday.

The Bible, God's word is like a car wash for the windows of our lives, the lens through which we see the world.

The Bible is actually what helps keep that clean and clear.

And in that devo, here's what the author said.

One day I was feeling sorry for myself, so I decided to get into a debate with God.

I made up a list of all the things that were wrong with my life and all the excuses I had for not serving him with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Funny thing is, the author says getting him into a debate with God is not such a great idea, because here's how it went.

I said, It's impossible for me to live for you.

And God said, all things are possible, Luke 18, 27.

I said, I'm too tired to follow you, God.

And God said, I'll give you rest, Matthew 11, 28.

I said, Nobody really loves me, and God said, I love you, John 3.16.

I said, I can't go on facing each day, and God said, My grace is sufficient for you today, 2 Corinthians 12.

I can't figure things out.

I'll direct your steps.

I can't do it.

You can do all things through Christ.

I'm not able, I am able, God says to us in 2 Corinthians 9.

It's not worth it.

It will be worth it, Romans 8.

I can't forgive myself, God says, I forgive you.

Right?

These arguments, this debate with God, I can't manage, I'll supply all your needs.

I'm afraid.

I haven't given you a spirit of fear.

I'm always worried and frustrated.

Cast your cares on me.

On and on and on and on.

This devo is so brilliant, right?

This is called taking wrong thoughts captive.

This is this is a beautiful example, this devo from Wednesday.

This is called taking wrong thoughts captive.

This is called renewing your mind.

You choose to believe what God says about you instead of your rampant rogue condemning and destructive thoughts.

Being aware of your thoughts is one thing.

Sitting in them long enough to realize what they are is another thing, but taking wrong thoughts captive and surrendering this total Holy Spirit reformation of how you think, that's the goal.

That's beautiful self-care.

And it actually is this self-sacrifice, self-denial.

Um, not just allowing yourself to wallow, but denying that wallowing in the pursuit of renewing your mind.

Renewing your mind is perhaps the most intentional and transformational self-care through self-denial practice that you can practice.

Big question.

Did you know that following in the way of Jesus invites us to regularly craft moments that refresh and renew us spirit, soul, and body.

We've talked about body, we've talked about soul.

Let's look at our spirit self-care.

And I want to look at a story from Mark chapter one about Jesus.

It's pertinent for us, and it jumped out at me as I was preparing for today.

Now, as soon as they left the meeting, they went straight to Simon and Andrew's house along with Jacob and John.

Simon's mother-in-law was bedridden, sick with a high fever, so the first thing they did was tell Jesus about her.

Jesus walked up to her bedside, gently took her hand, and raised her up.

Her fever disappeared, she began to serve them.

Later in the day, just after the Sabbath ended, the people kept bringing to Jesus all who were sick and tormented with demons.

But he would not permit the demons to speak because they knew who he really was.

Jesus prays, he's preaching, he's healing, he's casting out demonic influence.

And this is a big day, this is a big outpouring.

And the Bible says in verse 35, the next morning Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer.

I love how Jesus, after putting in a significant day of work and ministry and outflow, and then getting a great night's sleep, he rises, the Bible says long before daylight, and in Edmonton, it's actually easy to do right now considering that the sun doesn't rise till 8 45, but he makes his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer.

Do you see quiet time with God in prayer as self-care?

Do you see a quiet rest in a prayerful response, speaking to and listening from?

Do you see that as self-care?

Because verse 36, after this time of praying and giving himself to prayer, then Simon and his friends searched for Jesus, and when they finally tracked him down, they said, Everyone's looking for you, they want you.

Well, of course they want Jesus.

They've just seen him do all these beautiful, miraculous things.

And so Jesus is now being invited to come back and revisit and continue that.

But Jesus replied, Actually, we have to go on to the surrounding villages so that I can give my message to the people there, for that is my mission.

So then he went throughout the region of Galilee.

Listen, why did Jesus, of course, correct?

Why did Jesus say, I know we did this yesterday and it was good, and there's probably still more need there, but today we're going to go here.

Why the shift change?

Why the change in plans?

And the disciples, I mean, as I read this story, I'm feeling the angst of the disciples because they're like, they probably promised people, yeah, I know your son's sick, or I know your daughter needs a miracle, or I know your um, you know what I mean?

That they've met people, where's Jesus?

Where's Jesus?

And so we'll go find him, we'll bring him back.

And now Jesus is saying, we're not gonna go back, we're gonna go that way.

And the disciples are full of like angst and like disappointing people and letting them down.

This is Jesus we're talking about.

But in the pursuit of rising early before daybreak and giving himself to time in prayer with the Father as a self-care discipline and practice, Jesus hears from God, and then this is what's required of me today.

Quiet time with God in prayer as self-care will give you the confidence to live out the purpose that God has for your life and course correct where needed.

To hear from God, to not repeat patterns just because they're good, but pursue God's best for us today.

Spend time, quiet time with God in prayer.

Did you know that following in the way of Jesus invites us to regularly craft moments that refresh and renew?

How you do that?

Listen, there's no right or wrong way except to say why you do what you do.

And is it leaving you renewed and refreshed?

Is it transforming you into the image of Jesus?

Is it developing godly character in you?

Is it helping you steward the temple that God has given you?

Is it refueling you in a way that you feel closer to God?

And if not, maybe invite the presence of God in to examine and take a look.

Because the motive for why Jesus teaches is really important.

And in Mark 12, we read about what's called the Great Commandment in Christianity.

And I want to look at the Great Commandment through the lens of self-care for a moment.

Mark 12, 28, a religious scholar overheard the religious leaders debating, and when he saw how beautifully Jesus answered all their questions, he posed one of his own and he asked, Teacher, which commandment is the greatest of all?

And Jesus answered him, The most important of all the commandments is this the Lord Yahweh our God is one.

You are to love the Lord our God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.

We love God through stewarding spirit, soul, and body.

Love God with every passion of your heart, all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you, and with all your strength.

This is the great and supreme commandment.

Verse 30 one, the second is this you must love neighbor in the same way you love yourself.

Our love for God is indicative of how we love ourselves.

Our love for God comes through this lens of loving Him with the passion of our heart and the energy of our being and the thoughts that are within us and all of our strength.

We need to take care of those things.

We need good self-care practices to take good care of the passions of our heart, to steward the energy of our being, to look after every thought within us and to tend to our strength.

Okay?

And then it says, love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself.

So when we find deep grooves of spiritual, uncommon self-care, the motive is always so that it allows me to love God so that I can love others.

I take care of me, not just to take care of me.

I take care of me as a stewardship piece with how I'm showing love to the Father and allowing that to position me for a life of significant purpose, to love neighbor well.

We love God and love neighbor through how we love self, self-care.

And so these gauges for uncommon self-care I want to leave with you as homework to pray through and talk to God about in your quiet time this week as you look at how you care for yourself.

Do I leave my time of self-care feeling renewed and refreshed or numb and tired?

How am I being transformed into the image of Jesus through this practice?

What character am I cultivating?

Is this self-care helping me steward the temple that God has entrusted to me?

And number four, is this self-care practice refueling me in a way that I feel closer to God, or is it leaving me empty?

I want to leave that with you as we close out today's message.

This is not an exhaustive teaching.

This is all I could squeeze, and I've gone over time today because there was so much that was in my heart that I wanted to share.

But I want to pray.

I want to pray for those of you that have felt guilty like I used to about taking care of myself.

I want to pray with you that feel like maybe you're in that pendulum swing of self-indulgence and you need to center back to a clear heart motive for why you take care of yourself.

I want to pray for you as you steward these four questions this week and filter your self-care practices through this self-assessment test and invite Holy Spirit to open up your heart and your mind and your soul to the truth of what God wants to do through you as you steward you in this season and ones that are yet to come.

I believe this is gonna unlock some beautiful things in terms of your hearing from God and you're experiencing a renewed sense of vision and purpose for your life.

And if you're watching today and you've never made the decision to surrender your life to Jesus, you can start today.

You don't have to wait.

You don't have to wonder anymore.

You can begin this journey today.

And it just comes by opening up your heart to the finished work of Jesus.

If you missed last week, we talked about how Jesus paid for in full your relationship with God, unlocked, renewed, restored, set right for good, forgave, and put you into right standing with God.

Jesus did that work.

Jesus worked that out already.

All you have to do is believe and receive, and then choose to be a good steward of your life here and every day after.

And if you're watching today and you want to make the decision to follow after Jesus with all that you are, I want you to just pray a simple prayer with me.

Um, everybody watching can pray this prayer out loud.

It goes like this Dear God, I thank you for sending Jesus to take my place and to do my work of making things right between you and I.

I receive in full the gift of Jesus as my healer, restorer, redeemer, and forgiver in every part of my life.

Fill me with your spirit, with your grace, with your truth and love.

I'm yours today.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you so much for listening to today's message.

If you're ever in the Edmonton area, pop by for a visit.

And if you need any more information, visit EvolveChurch.com.

We hope to see you soon.