Don't Box Me In

[gr82be 14,421]

I will make this as brief as I can but when I watched this message this morning I was so impressed by Michan Carter that I couldn't wait to post it. His message is timely and relevant to what we are seeing and living every day. You may ask why I posted here in the Football forum. Well, technically he does make a mention of football fans of both sides of the state of Alabama. But beyond that he has a touching message that I truly believe will have something for everyone no matter your faith or lack of. Like I said, what he says is real and I wanted to share because I'm very partial to this Church and if this can change someone's heart for their fellow man then great. If it can change someone's heart for God then I will be the happiest AUF member alive. Please give it 40 or so minutes of your time at some point in the next few days if you can't today. I promise it will not feel like 40 minutes. Micahn is captivating and I usually don't watch services twice, but I did this one. It's that good.

Mods, if you feel this needs to be moved I understand. Would love for it to stay here a few days at least. Thank you whichever you decide. 

Just click "Watch the message" if you don't want to watch the entire service. 

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/dont-box-me-in/

[AUsince72 11,084]

Wow, brother!

That brought me to tears.....  Lots of personal stuff for me in that 40 minutes!

I don't know really what to say other than I hope many watch and yes, it's a message that should be able to speak to anyone today....on both sides of the fence.

The Lord is working and using today's issues to teach some & warn others.  This dude gets it!

Beautiful message, thanks for sharing.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

7 hours ago, gr82be said:

I will make this as brief as I can but when I watched this message this morning I was so impressed by Michan Carter that I couldn't wait to post it. His message is timely and relevant to what we are seeing and living every day. You may ask why I posted here in the Football forum. Well, technically he does make a mention of football fans of both sides of the state of Alabama. But beyond that he has a touching message that I truly believe will have something for everyone no matter your faith or lack of. Like I said, what he says is real and I wanted to share because I'm very partial to this Church and if this can change someone's heart for their fellow man then great. If it can change someone's heart for God then I will be the happiest AUF member alive. Please give it 40 or so minutes of your time at some point in the next few days if you can't today. I promise it will not feel like 40 minutes. Micahn is captivating and I usually don't watch services twice, but I did this one. It's that good.

Mods, if you feel this needs to be moved I understand. Would love for it to stay here a few days at least. Thank you whichever you decide. 

Just click "Watch the message" if you don't want to watch the entire service. 

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/dont-box-me-in/

Thanks a lot. Very inspiring. I have been to the Church of The Highlands in both Opelika an Auburn.  Enjoyed both. Very positive ministry.

[abw0004 10,109]

Love this church.  Haven't missed an online service in 5 years.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

I’m gonna watch it, just not tonight.  Thanks for sharing gr82be.  😊

[TigerTale 357]

Great message.

I was especially struck by the part where he chastised(maybe that's  bit harsh) the church for getting wrapped up in and too focused on the current issue of the day(COVID, race relations, etc.) and allowing that to limit the Message for weeks and even months. God's message is the same everyday no matter what we humans are wrapped up in and that is what our focus as Christians should be on.

Thanks for posting.

[AUsince72 11,084]

3 hours ago, TigerTale said:

Great message.

I was especially struck by the part where he chastised(maybe that's  bit harsh) the church for getting wrapped up in and too focused on the current issue of the day(COVID, race relations, etc.) and allowing that to limit the Message for weeks and even months. God's message is the same everyday no matter what we humans are wrapped up in and that is what our focus as Christians should be on.

Thanks for posting.

Totally agree.  Excellent points all!

I have found myself VERY guilty of this at times recently.

I am praying often "Lord please grant me the strength to just trust You and know that You will guide me to lead my family the way we need to go."

Fortunately, we who trust God's Word know how it'll all end up, which is a blessing.  We just need to try and gain as many more to trust Him too as we can. 

I have recently grown very certain that political discussions are just the devil's domain now and I try to stay out.  I'm not always successful, as obviously I have beliefs, opinions and even real knowledge, but the evil veil is over so many eyes, and they are all smarter than me, that it's just more effective to spread the light and stay out of the dark.

So, I just try and pray for them and trust the Lord's plan at this point.

God bless!

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

@gr82be, I finally watched this after a very LONG and HARD week. It was so powerful!!! Thank you so much for sharing. He describes perfectly what society is doing to one another right now and how God is so much bigger than that. As an added bonus, I got to release some tears that have been building up all week.

[gr82be 14,421]

1 hour ago, 3rdgeneration said:

@gr82be, I finally watched this after a very LONG and HARD week. It was so powerful!!! Thank you so much for sharing. He describes perfectly what society is doing to one another right now and how God is so much bigger than that. As an added bonus, I got to release some tears that have been building up all week.

Happy to share it and so glad you liked it. I hope next week is much better for you. 

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

14 minutes ago, gr82be said:

Happy to share it and so glad you liked it. I hope next week is much better for you. 

Excuse the whining, but hobbling around on a knee that I just had surgery on, trying to get a classroom ready for kids when we don't even know what our school day/year is going to look like has been HARD. And painful. And thanks for letting me say that, even though it is whining when so many other people have so many worse things happening...God bless us all.

[AUsince72 11,084]

21 minutes ago, 3rdgeneration said:

Excuse the whining, but hobbling around on a knee that I just had surgery on, trying to get a classroom ready for kids when we don't even know what our school day/year is going to look like has been HARD. And painful. And thanks for letting me say that, even though it is whining when so many other people have so many worse things happening...God bless us all.

3rd Gen.  It ain't whining...it's venting to friends! 

Yes, we've all got issues, but each of our issues are each personal to us...if that makes sense.

We're here for you!

[WarTim 3,456]

58 minutes ago, AUsince72 said:

3rd Gen.  It ain't whining...it's venting to friends! 

Yes, we've all got issues, but each of our issues are each personal to us...if that makes sense.

We're here for you!

Amen. 3rd, I know for a fact that there are many great people here who consider it a blessing to be able to pray for others. I have suffered huge losses the past month. Great comfort to know others are and will pray for you. May God Bless.   PS. I went to orthopedic Doc yesterday for injections in both knees.Trying to delay surgery.  You certainly have my prayers 

[gr82be 14,421]

1 hour ago, AUsince72 said:

3rd Gen.  It ain't whining...it's venting to friends! 

Yes, we've all got issues, but each of our issues are each personal to us...if that makes sense.

We're here for you!

Exactly my thoughts @3rdgeneration. Don't forget I'm married to a K teacher. I can sympathize and empathize with how much work that is on two good knees. Bless you. 

[gr82be 14,421]

18 minutes ago, WarTim said:

Amen. 3rd, I know for a fact that there are many great people here who consider it a blessing to be able to pray for others. I have suffered huge losses the past month. Great comfort to know others are and will pray for you. May God Bless.   PS. I went to orthopedic Doc yesterday for injections in both knees.Trying to delay surgery.  You certainly have my prayers 

Will add you to my prayer list for sure. Hopefully you can do without the surgery. I'm sorry for your losses this past month. Praying for more of God's blessings to come your way.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

3 hours ago, WarTim said:

Amen. 3rd, I know for a fact that there are many great people here who consider it a blessing to be able to pray for others. I have suffered huge losses the past month. Great comfort to know others are and will pray for you. May God Bless.   PS. I went to orthopedic Doc yesterday for injections in both knees.Trying to delay surgery.  You certainly have my prayers 

Oh, no! I hate to hear that. I am sorry for your losses and prayers that you don't need surgery. I did get a cortisone shot in my knee and it did help for a couple of months. Then the pain came back and I decided I should just go ahead and do it! It wouldn't have been so bad, except for the fact that I did surgery on Friday and back to school on Monday! But given the current environment and all the uncertainty, I didn't have much choice. I was banking on not starting on time, but our district dug their heels in and said it's a go! I will keep you in my prayers, @WarTim. It surely is nice to have friends praying for you. 

[ToraGirl 5,498]

34 minutes ago, 3rdgeneration said:

Oh, no! I hate to hear that. I am sorry for your losses and prayers that you don't need surgery. I did get a cortisone shot in my knee and it did help for a couple of months. Then the pain came back and I decided I should just go ahead and do it! It wouldn't have been so bad, except for the fact that I did surgery on Friday and back to school on Monday! But given the current environment and all the uncertainty, I didn't have much choice. I was banking on not starting on time, but our district dug their heels in and said it's a go! I will keep you in my prayers, @WarTim. It surely is nice to have friends praying for you. 

3rd...I'm so sorry!  When we (both and countless others) went to virtual in the spring, it was after having 3/4 of the year built around family community. Many of us did online what we had naturally done in the classroom, rapport built and trying to embrace the "not-as-great-second-best."  It must be so hard starting this way...we'd hoped it would pass by now.  I will lift you up especially.  I am jumping from the regular classroom in an affluent system to Montgomery Public Schools--now 1/4 Hispanic--as an ESL teacher.  Our babies will be virtual, but I join you in having NO idea what I am doing...with some knee issues in March!  One day at a time, Lord Jesus!  Rest in Him as best as you are able.  He sees your heart and knows exactly which steps come next...physically and literally.

gr82be---watching it's on my docket, too.  This past week was the week when all joy broke loose...which led to a lot of muscle effort...

[ToraGirl 5,498]

4 hours ago, WarTim said:

Amen. 3rd, I know for a fact that there are many great people here who consider it a blessing to be able to pray for others. I have suffered huge losses the past month. Great comfort to know others are and will pray for you. May God Bless.   PS. I went to orthopedic Doc yesterday for injections in both knees.Trying to delay surgery.  You certainly have my prayers 

Tim!  BOTH!  Prayers for you.  Knees issues are real and rampant...I sing the praises of cortisone shots, though...just one in March thus far...and my prayer is that it will be long-lasting for you.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

32 minutes ago, ToraGirl said:

3rd...I'm so sorry!  When we (both and countless others) went to virtual in the spring, it was after having 3/4 of the year built around family community. Many of us did online what we had naturally done in the classroom, rapport built and trying to embrace the "not-as-great-second-best."  It must be so hard starting this way...we'd hoped it would pass by now.  I will lift you up especially.  I am jumping from the regular classroom in an affluent system to Montgomery Public Schools--now 1/4 Hispanic--as an ESL teacher.  Our babies will be virtual, but I join you in having NO idea what I am doing...with some knee issues in March!  One day at a time, Lord Jesus!  Rest in Him as best as you are able.  He sees your heart and knows exactly which steps come next...physically and literally.

gr82be---watching it's on my docket, too.  This past week was the week when all joy broke loose...which led to a lot of muscle effort...

We are starting face to face, primarily in the hopes that it won't be a problem, but also so we can develop relationships with our kiddos and assess where they are right now. Not a huge focus on the academics just yet, which I am thankful for. We got to have Open House for the Kindergarten kiddos, and seeing their precious faces let me know that I am where I need to be right now. Both they and their parents need a lot of reassurance at this time. Prayers for you to have a wonderful new experience with a new group of children that God picked out for you and you for them!!! With you being virtual, at least you don't have to figure out how to keep all their things separated and keep them from getting in each other's space. It's going to be interesting, for sure. 🙂 And good luck with your knees. I hope the shots keep you pain free.

I highly recommend watching the message linked. It was very, very powerful. I need a reset every now and then on how I view the world and how I should view the world. This message met a great need in me. Holy Spirit is speaking loudly in this message! 🙂

 

[WarTim 3,456]

47 minutes ago, ToraGirl said:

Tim!  BOTH!  Prayers for you.  Knees issues are real and rampant...I sing the praises of cortisone shots, though...just one in March thus far...and my prayer is that it will be long-lasting for you.

Thanks Tora. In the past five years I have had hip replacement-knee miniscus-eye surgery-rotator cuff both shoulders. At some point, enough is enough. 🤪🤪🤪

[ToraGirl 5,498]

29 minutes ago, WarTim said:

Thanks Tora. In the past five years I have had hip replacement-knee miniscus-eye surgery-rotator cuff both shoulders. At some point, enough is enough. 🤪🤪🤪

Meniscus stuff is real. Even with x-rays and an MRI, they really couldn't pinpoint what caused my right knee's collapse...but they did say that stretching before I walk plus "meniscal wear" need consideration. Bike riding hasn't aggravated it, praise God.  I think getting out of a second floor classroom should help...stairs multiple times a day with a herd are the devil. 😉👀

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

43 minutes ago, WarTim said:

Thanks Tora. In the past five years I have had hip replacement-knee miniscus-eye surgery-rotator cuff both shoulders. At some point, enough is enough. 🤪🤪🤪

They don't call you WarTim for nothin'!

[Grumps 3,704]

Great message! Thanks for posting!!!