Pastor's Perspective - Slow Down!

Dear FCC Family & Cherished Friends,

I have been greatly alarmed this summer by a disturbing and reoccuring news story happening across America - parents leaving their children in vehicles. Recently a man in Benecia forgot his small child was in the car and left him all day in the sweltering vehicle. The result was tragic and fatal. Last week in Arcade, New York a 5-month-old baby died after his mother forgot to drop him off at day care and left him in her hot car all day while she worked. This poor child was the 19th child to die in a hot car this summer according to Fox News.

Please join me in praying for these families. The guilt, associated with the grief of losing a child, must be an unimagineable nightmare.

Clearly the underlying culprits of this tragic trend are stress, fastlane living, lack of priority focus, and the distractions of modern technology - namely mobile phones. With so much to do and little time to do it, people have learned to accept and even embrace 'survival mode' as the societal norm. How many people do you see in any given day in Solano County trying to do too many things at once, all while talking to somebody on a phone? Perhaps I'm describing you. And guess who suffers? The kids do. Pathetically, the children of America have been reshuffled, misprioritized and forgotten - laid on the altar of ambition. Friends, we are so distracted by life, we're forgetting our greatest treasures from God - our kids!

These shocking headlines are evidential - we need to slow down. We need to trust God more. We must get still and get transparent and confess - "Lord, I'm overwhelmed. My priorities are doing a headstand, and as a result my family is suffering. Help!" Recently I challenged the church to stop being so dignified (ie. religious) and cry out. Get honest and real! He sees what you're doing and the warp speed in which you're doing it. Talk to Him! His promise is that if you'll make your relationship with Him the ultimate bend of your life, He'll take care of the stuff and details you're stressing over (Matthew 6:33). Friends, it's time to get back to basics - God and family.

In the midst of your daily stress, ask yourself, "Will this even matter in five years? Will I even remember it?" What we will remember is time we toiled needlessly, missing out on God and our family. Long forgotten are met deadlines; but never forgotten are missed-out times with our spouses and young ones.

I love you enough to challenge you to slow down. In all of your chasing, God is your answer. In this hot, high-speed vehicle we call 'life', your Father knows where you are, remembers you, and will never leave you behind.

This Sunday I'll be sharing practical real-life advice from 1 Kings 19 from the ministry of Elijah. Come hear about God's prescription for depression. Interested? I hope to see you there!

In the Fight

Steve