Today we will take some time for ourselves, something we're often not very good at doing.

The reality is God cares deeply for you before you can do anything for him

And he wants that truth to settle deeply into our hearts today

We'll be exploring what it means to have vision for ourselves holistically.

How do we set ourselves up for success emotionally, physically, and spiritually?

The truth is that you matter, and it's my prayer that you're strengthened and encouraged today.

Welcome to the First of Team Podcast. Our verse today comes from John 10 verse 10.

Scripture says, I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

For a long time I believed that all God wanted from me was more. I figured he would lead me to more work, more giving, more sacrifice, and less fun.

I viewed fun in God as mutually exclusive, as if he was the great cosmic kill joy who only wanted me to sing, fast, pray, and evangelize.

Wrapped up in all my misconceptions was a very me-centric point of view. I thought that if I didn't

work my fingers to the bone day in and day out for the kingdom, that God's will wasn't going

to be accomplished.

It's as if I believed that I was a savior, the sole hope of the world.

And all these misconceptions led to a constant weight I couldn't seem to shake.

But Isaiah 55, 10 through 11 says,

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth.

It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

The truth is that God absolutely has good works laid out before me every single day. He has a plan for me that will impact

eternity. But his chief desire in everything he asks of me is that we would do it together. He doesn't mean me, he wants me. He is not a taskmaster and I am not his slave.

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