This Is My First Time Flying

This past week the National Team for CR spent a good chunk of time planning out the 2013 year. I am so excited!! Do you want to know what we talked about the most? If you guessed the newcomer, you are exactly right! I was traveling home yesterday from the meeting with my wife and one of the flight attendants on the plane was having what seemed to be a bad day. She was barking at people with "turn that phone off" or, "your seat needs to be upright sir", or "put your tray table up sir". Did she forget that these were her customers? She was doing her job, but was she doing it with compassion and grace? This got me to thinking about how I have gotten consumed with small group guidelines and checking off the list of the do's and don'ts. The truth is, just like the flight attendant in her role to keep her area safe, so is it mine as a leader in small groups. However, it hit me that it doesn't mean I shouldn't do it in love and show grace as I am doing it. People coming into our ministry are fragile, heartbroken, and hurting. I need to make sure I am mindful that God has sent them to us in Celebrate Recovery and as a small group leader, I must show love & grace as Christ did me in my brokenness. His Word reminds me this morning: "Be kindly affectionate to one another." Romans 12:10 "Love one another" Romans 13:8 "Pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another." Romans 14:19 As we look to keep our groups 'safe' this week, let's remember, there will be people walking thru our doors saying, "this is my first time flying". Let's make sure their first flight is an attractive one so that they come back to continue their journey in CR. 2013: The Decade of the Newcomer. Signed, Another satisfied customer, Rodney Holmstrom

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