Pastor's Note - January 21 
This Saturday we will host a gathering/livestream of the “Ironmen Summit,” an annual conference put together by Flint Hills Bible Church. You can find info about that in our newsletter, and at this website: https://www.flinthillsbc.org/ironmen-summit-main. I am particularly enthused about the theme – endurance. What a timely encouragement. The various trials of life will test our endurance in the faith. I am increasingly aware of this as I see people fall away from the faith over the course of life in this world. There is a reason Scripture repeatedly calls us to endurance (see Hebrews 10:24-25; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:1; Romans 5:3-4; and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). So I am thankful for this conference, this theme, and I hope many men will be able to come and be encouraged to run with endurance! I also won’t be there on Saturday! The simple reason for that is actually for the sake of my own endurance, particularly with my own family. My days and schedule are such that my weekdays and Sunday tend to be very busy, and Saturday is the day that is carved out to devote to my family. I am finding out how much discipline it takes to maintain that sacred time. Sometimes, it may actually cost me ministry opportunities. At times, my work may actually suffer because of my choice to be at home. I wrestled with whether or not to attend Saturday, knowing that this would only be an annual conference, and knowing that my presence there may be an encouragement to our men, and beneficial to ministry/work. But I am also cognizant of how precious that time is with my family, and how easy it is for good things, even ministry before the Lord, to crowd out the necessary things, such as being available to my family. I am trying to openly share this little struggle and tension with you all for several reasons. One, to explain why you men won’t see mon Saturday. Two, to encourage many of you to go, as I think this will be profitable! There is a reason this is a tension for me. Three, to give freedom to some of you not to attend, if you need to invest in your own families in a different manner. Four, to encourage us all to endurance in the Lord! And five, to help reflect with you on the tension of balancing multiple priorities. I know many of you wrestle with obligations of family, work, and ministry. It is not easy to bear all these burdens! I want you to know that you’re not alone in that tension. And the Lord gives help. I hope our mutual fellowship in the church and in the Lord will be a help as we encourage one another along to endurance. And as for this Saturday, I know those of you who attend will be spiritually benefitted, and I am thankful for the work Adam Johns and others have done in making this opportunity available to our men. May the Lord be praised in it all.