Archive for the 'fear' Category

You Asked…

Sunday @ C3 we talked about “Great Sex.”  I’ve gotten a ton of questions/emails/facebook messages about issues people are wrestling with.  Here are a few questions you asked:

1.  How do I tell my spouse I have an STD?  You know you have to tell them.  Without knowing more (how long this has been an issue, if it’s the result of an affair, the mindset/emotional state of your spouse, etc.) this isn’t a simple answer.  If you asked this question please email or contact our office and we’ll do all we can to help you.  The bottom line is they deserve to know now, but how you tell them depends on many factors.

2.  How do you save your marriage after infidelity?  This is challenging for many reasons.  You’ve experienced such a deep level of betrayal, but there is hope.  Forgiveness is both a choice and a process.  To restore trust and intimacy takes time and effort from both.  For restoration to take place will not only take time, but a deep commitment from both - saving the marriage becomes a real priority.  There is no set formula, I would encourage you to get some help - seek Christian counseling.  If you don’t know anyone, contact us and well put you in touch with someone who can help.

3.  As an unmarried woman, I was not given the choice when I lost my virginity.  I want to know, does God blame me and does he expect me to save myself still for my future husband, even though now it means nothing to me? As you’ve found out, feeling violated steals something from you but that’s not why God wants you to save yourself.  Often women think there suppose to save themselves for their husbands because it’s best for the husband.  It’s also best for you.  While the first experience was not your choice, this one is.  God doesn’t blame you for something that wasn’t your choice, and God can help you heal from that.  It does mean something to you, perhaps more than you even know.  Your no less special, I believe God not only loves you, but has a great plan for your future.

This series has reminded me how so many have been so hurt in life.  Often we wrestle with deep issues that we’re afraid to voice.  You don’t have to spend your life wondering… God does love you and wants to be close to you.

If you have a middle school or high school student make sure they’re at Crave this week (Wed pm) - I’ll be speaking about an issue all of our teens deal with.  Students - I’m pumped about being with you this week!

This Sunday we’ll wrap up “Google” - don’t miss this week, it will be awesome!  Invest and Invite…

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Byron Bledsoe
on November 18, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Friends, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, Vision, fear, love, marriage, questions and women
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You Asked…

In our “Google” series @ C3, people have been writing in questions about the topics we’re covering.  I’ll try to address a few each week that I didn’t have time to deal with in the messages.  You asked… so here we go:

  1. I tithe 20% but don’t save.  What should I do, reduce and save, or continue the same?  First you need to follow what you feel God is leading you to do.  Having said that, the Biblical standard for the faith gift is 10% - anything over that is a generous gift or sacrificial gift.  Also, the principle of bringing (what’s God’s) and giving (what he allows us to manage) is consistency.  So, if you’re not saving, then if you hit a tough spot financially it will be difficult to be consistent.  I would say to consider a 10% faith gift and putting 10% in savings.  Again, you have to pray through this… these are just my thoughts.
  2. What do you do when your spouse doesn’t “trust” God in the financial department but you do? That’s an incredibly difficult question without knowing more details.  The issue may be a struggle to trust God, or it may be a struggle to trust you or themselves, or the church.  I would suggest a discussion with your spouse to get to the heart of the issue.  It would also be important to know are you earning this income or is your spouse, or both of you.  Also, whether your spouse is a Christ-follower or not is a factor.  The bottom line is I would try to come to some harmony on the issue.  Begin with a give/take solution - something like, “I understand this is a struggle, could we just begin with this percentage and see what happens?”.

The financial climate right now is incredibly challenging.  Just today we’ve read that Circuit City is filing bankruptcy and DHL is laying off 9,500 employees, while the government is now buying into AIG at a price of 40 billion dollars.

In these challenging times and markets, if stability is our desire, our foundation must be stable.  God has never lied and lays out a clear plan.  If we all followed the simple wisdom of bringing 10% to the local church, saving 10% and living on 80% we wouldn’t be here.  While we can’t go back in time, we can begin today to understand that everything I have is God’s and I’m just a manager of his stuff.  While I enjoy it, I need to be wise with it and he will bless me so I can bless others.

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Byron Bledsoe
on November 10, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Family, Future, Life, Past, Random, Thoughts, fear, finances, money, questions and timeless
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Tomorrow…

Tomorrow:

  • I have more to communicate than I can possibly cover.  God help me communicate what you desire.
  • I’ll be pumped to be with the people of C3 and their guests.
  • We’ll look at a question that is being asked from every corner of our society, “Is this another great depression?“
  • I will trust God, the one who is stable and able in any season of life.
  • God will change lives and bring hope.
  • Is one of the greatest opportunities you and I have to get people to C3.
  • I will have rested an extra hour (don’t forget the time change!).
  • God will do for people what government cannot…
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Byron Bledsoe
on November 1, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, Vision, fear, finances, money and questions
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A Few Thoughts

  • I loved the “Phobia” series.  We wrapped it up today.  We are now in the summer schedule at the theaters which is something to manage.
  • Tonight we had baptism at our house.  I always love connecting with people and hearing their stories.
  • Next weekend - C3 will not be having services at the theaters… enjoy family and friends then get ready for June 1!
  • Benefit concert July 6… more details coming soon.
  • This week’s going to be crazy - my oldest daughter is graduating from High School!  WHAT?!
Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on May 18, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Family, Friends, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thankful, Thoughts, fear and phobia
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God Won’t …

This Sunday at C3 we wrap up “Phobia” - I really believe this message will be extremely helpful.  We’re going to look at the one fear we all wrestle with sometimes, but never talk about.  There are those moments in life we desperately need God to move - to do something - we have a need, we know he can meet and we need him to do so.  However, deep inside there’s often that question… that wondering - the fear of what if God won’t …

Its real and its huge.  How do we process those times in life.  What if there’s a major truth that Scripture reveals that we’ve not considered.  Don’t miss this Sunday - invite someone to come with you.

(Remember, no services on May 25)

Published
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Byron Bledsoe
on May 16, 2008
in C3 Church, Church, Faith, Friends, Future, Life, Past, Random, Sunday, Thoughts, fear, phobia and transitioning church
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