This Week at Cross Church | Don’t Miss July 1
Summer Freedom Celebration
On the morning of Sunday, July 1, each Cross Church campus will present our annual Summer Freedom Celebration. This year, our theme is Unity in America. We will celebrate our nation and call out to God to forward unity in our land. I know you will enjoy it, so do not miss it.
Baptism & Fireworks at the Crosses
In the evening following our Summer Freedom Celebration, we will gather as a church family at the Pinnacle Hills campus to fellowship together, observe baptism, and enjoy a premiere fireworks show. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets, and come spend the evening with your church family.
We will have a great time together, but most importantly, we will observe baptism under the crosses with many who have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I will have the privilege to baptize that evening, and if you are interested in being baptized, you can find out more information here.
Following baptisms, we will experience an incredible fireworks show. With all of these special things, this is one of my favorite days at Cross Church. I know you will not want to miss it. Join us!
Summer Camps and VBX
In just a few days, our high school students leave for Beach Camp. Will you be in prayer for them? Not only for their safety while they are away, but for lives to be changed either by meeting Jesus for the first time or experiencing life-changing growth in their relationship with Christ.
Middle School Camp is coming up in July, and there is still time to register your student. And do not miss VBX at all Cross Church campuses for your children who have completed grades K-5. You can find information and register for your campus here.
Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane
One of the highlights of our trip to the Holy Land on July 5-14 is the privilege we have to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jeana and I would be honored to pray over your specific requests. If you would like for us to pray for you, email a one-sentence request and your name to israel@crosschurch.com.
BY FAITH
Our Summer Program of Giving continues as we live our summer BY FAITH. If we all are faithful to weekly give the first tenth of all God entrusts to us, we will meet and even exceed our $6 million need for the summer. This ensures we will be able to continue reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the world during the busy summer months. Thank you, Cross Church for rising to this challenge each year.
See you Sunday,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
4 Actions to Take When Disappointment Comes
It is never easy to deal with disappointment. It is not easy to live through. It is real and will visit you from time to time. Learning to live and work through disappointment will save you from a life of resentment and bitterness.
How Disappointment Comes
Disappointment comes in several ways. Identifying disappointment will help us know what to expect and perhaps give us some insight on how to live through it.
1. People will disappoint you.
All kinds of people will disappoint you in life. At times, even people you love and admire may disappoint you. No one is perfect. Each of us has disappointed others. Hopefully, it has never been intentional, but it does happen.
2. Organizations will disappoint you.
When you are involved in organizations, there is potential for them to really disappoint you. Perhaps they will not live up to what they state or they fail to respond in the way you assumed they would. This could be a school, church, business, government, or civic organization.
3. Circumstances will disappoint you.
There are times we work hard to shape the future or something we love. Then suddenly, something changes, someone leaves, someone fumbles the vision, or resources are not provided. Transition and change can challenge your attitude and lead to disappointment.
4. Unrealistic expectations will lead to disappointment.
Each of us can have unrealistic expectations. We can have unrealistic expectations of the people we love the most, and even of our nation. As a person who has high expectations of myself and others, I have had to moderate some of my expectations.
4 Actions to Take When Disappointment Comes
Living through disappointment will require us to take four actions on a regular basis.
Action #1: Realize no one is perfect.
Our unrealistic expectations lead us to assume that people are perfect and operate their lives and leadership perfectly. This is completely unfair and unwise. Personally, I must always remind myself that I am not perfect and I should not expect other people to be perfect.
Action #2: Forgive and let it go.
Forgiving other people who have disappointed us is the key to living with peace and contentment. We cannot hold something against someone else. We have to forgive and let it go.
Action #3: Forget it and drive on.
When we truly forgive and let something go, we also forget about it and drive on. My friend Clebe McClary, who fought courageously in the Vietnam War, taught me this principle years ago. He called it FIDO: Forget it and drive on. This is outstanding counsel for each of us when we are disappointed.
Action #4: Give it to God.
God knows everything. He knows where you are. He knows what happened. He knows the people, situation, organization, or experience that has disappointed you. Therefore, give it to God. He will take care of you.
Your Response is the Key
When disappointment comes with people, circumstances, organizations, or with life itself, the only thing you can control is your response to the situation. Your response is the key! You cannot control others or their actions.
There is one thing you can control: Your response to the situation.
Choose to accept all people.
Choose to forgive and let it go.
Choose to forget it and drive on.
Choose to give all your disappointments to God.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.