Week 1: Small Group Emails

(Below is an email I sent out to my small group on January 12, 2009)

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you might be able to test and approve what God's will is; His good, pleasing and perfect will."

- Romans 12:2

To Everyone in Small Group:

We've made it through the first chapter of Do Hard Things. The chapter is called, Most People Don't. And it's true. Most people don't do anything with their lives. Most people don't think that they can. What we discovered last week is that all of us wish that we could, and we wish that other people believed that we could.

But in order to start doing hard things for God, we first have to experience a change in our hearts and in our minds. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what God wants for our lives--many people have asked, "What is my purpose? Do I even have one?" The answer to that second question is yes, you do. The first one is harder to answer. But as you pray, and as you seek an answer to that question, God will provide one. That's the nice thing about God. He never leaves us hanging. He might ask us to wait, if he sees that waiting would be good for us, but he always answers. So here's my challenge to you this week: Ask.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you."

- Matthew 7:7

Spend some time in prayer this week and ask God some hard questions. Ask him what he wants you to be doing, right now, with what he has given you. Ask him to unveil what he's got for you in the near future. Ask him what "hard things" he wants you to start working on. Ask him what his will for you in small groups is. Ask him to begin to change your thinking; to get out of the "I can't" rut and onto the road that says:

"With God all things are possible."

- Matthew 19:26

See you all next week. I'll be praying for you--be praying for your brothers and sisters as well! Pray for Tim, too, and for the other small groups and their leaders. We've got to be together in this. Remember--this is war.