Compassion Sunday 2015 is coming up at Hoboken Grace on Sunday, May 3\. This is an incredible opportunity to learn about the work of an amazing Christ-centered organization called Compassion. Through their child sponsorship program, Compassion enables people just like you to help provide for the physical and spiritual needs of children around the world living in poverty. Compassion provides supplementary school programs, Bible education and church planting, medical resources, and much more to any sponsored child. The letters that are written between the child and sponsor are a blessing and an encouragement to both sides.

I have sponsored Cila, a girl from Indonesia, for the past 5 years, and it has been incredible to hear about how Compassion is investing in her life. She is doing great in school and is able to share what she is being given with her family. Her faith is growing strong, and in her letters she often quotes the Bible and tells me about her favorite worship songs. It is really amazing to hear how Compassion is able to transform an entire village by setting up a center and caring for the children of the community. I can’t think of a better way to have such a large impact.

We hope you will join us on May 3 to hear more about how Compassion is impacting children all over the world and how you can sign up to sponsor a child. If you don’t want to wait, you can sponsor a child at any time by going to compassion.com.

_Written By Rob Williams_


Compassion In Action

As of this writing, I only have a few days left in my twenties. While other decades of my life had more formal education from teacher to student, in my twenties, life itself has taught me a lot. Here is what I would love to share with you:

### 1. You are already perfect.

There is always going to be next step in your life, but because of God’s grace we are already perfect. Grace should give us the freedom to take that next step. God loves you more than you could ever imagine and nothing you have done or will do can ever change that. Jesus has paid the cost; it is finished.

> *God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are RIGHTEOUS. He did this though Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. – Romans 3:24 (NLT)*

### 2. It’s not about you.

Okay, I took this one from Rick Warren’s [The Purpose Driven Life](http://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Driven-Life-Earth-Expanded/dp/031032906X/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?ie=UTF8\&qid=1429198594\&sr=8-1\&keywords=the+purpose+driven+life), but it is true! The sooner you learn this the more you will succeed.

> *If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. – Galatians 6:3 (NLT)*

### 3. Internships/Co-Ops are the most valuable thing you can do while in college.

Doing will always be more valuable than knowing. Everyone who graduates from college walks away with a degree, but if you want to differentiate yourself from the other candidates it will always come down to your experience over what you know. My internships with a consumer product company in Princeton and a reinsurance firm in Chicago while completing my degree opened the door for me to work at my dream job (at the time) at an investment bank. Quality internships will send you light-years ahead of the other candidates when it comes to getting a full-time job.

> *Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! – James 1:22 (MSG)*

### 4. Never stop learning.

You can learn from anyone. Everybody can teach you something because we all have had different life experiences. One of the best questions you can ask someone is, “What are you learning?” I learned this from my friend Steve Gladen. Steve is the Small Groups Pastor of Saddleback, a church with 8,400 groups! He is humble enough to ask me, a leader with 40 groups, what I am learning.

> *I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. -Phillipians 3:12 (NLT)*

### 5. Get out of debt as soon as you can.

In my early twenties, I built up quite a bit of debt. School loans by themselves accounted for $30K of that. Debt will make you a slave. I know people who are in jobs and careers they hate because they have no other choice but to stay because of the debt they have. This past month my wife and I had a major dental emergency and a plumbing mishap. These events would have crippled us when we were in debt and did not have an emergency fund established. Now when life throws us a financial curve ball, we are pretty much able to brush it off.

> The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (NLT)

### 6. If it’s not essential, it’s a luxury.

If you want to tackle your debt this is a big lesson you will have to learn. When we first started out, my wife and I moved to a neighboring town with a cheaper cost of living to save $850 a month in rent. We eventually sold our car to save $250 a month. We got rid of cable and saved $50 a month. Even that smartphone you have with the expensive data plan is not a necessity. When you realize that it is just a luxury it is a lot easier to let it go. Also, it will help you appreciate the luxuries you do have.

> *For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 1 John 2:16 (NLT)*

### 7. It’s better to give than receive.

You typically only hear this around Christmas, but did you know that it was Jesus who originally said this ([Acts 20:35](https://bible.com/116/act.20.35.nlt))? I experience this throughout the year, but one area that I see it most is with baptism. My own baptism was an important milestone, but watching others take the step elevates it to a whole other level. Maybe you have mastered something new. Go share it with someone else! You will find it far more rewarding.

### 8. Facebook debates are worthless.

I have been learning this the hard way. We all have that uncle who posts a really insensitive article or an old friend who posts a status that just makes you angry. It is not worth giving them real estate in your mind. Just hide or unfollow their updates. Your reply to them, however intelligent, is not going to change their mind.

> *Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. -Proverbs 26:4 (NLT)*

### 9. Find a healthy church in your community.

When I first moved to Hoboken, I went on a search to find the perfect church. Let me save you some time. A perfect church does not exist. Why? Because they are all run by humans. If you find one that is not in your existing community then it is worth moving to be a part of their community. You need a place where you can worship together on Sunday and grow with and care for each other during the week.

> *They worshiped together at the Temple (church) each day, met in homes (small groups) for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – Acts 2:46 (NLT)*

### 10. Find authentic community.

Judah Smith once said, “You are the pastor you listen to most, which can be a dangerous thing.” This is why having an authentic community is so important because there are going to be times in your life where you want to say, “I give up”, and you will need people in your life who will say, “we will not!” You need others who have you seen how you have grown and who will be truthful and gracious enough to call you out when you are taking steps backward.

> *Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. – Phillipians 2:4 (NLT)*

### 11. Don’t wait to fix issues you know exist now.

If there is an issue in your life where you think, “Well this will not be an issue when I… have a job/relationship/get married/etc.” That is a lie you are telling yourself. The issue you are facing will only grow bigger the more you avoid dealing with it. If you find yourself trying to stop but keep failing, seek professional help.

> *Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 (NLT)*

### 12. Counseling is a good thing.

I am not sure what it is about going to a professional counselor that makes people think it is a bad thing. Maybe it is because it forces them to acknowledge there is an issue in their life. My wife and I have received so much because of seeing a counselor. Our counselor has helped us through some difficult areas of struggle in our relationship and has given us the tools to greatly improve how we communicate with each other.

> *The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5 (NLT)*

### 13. People can’t help you if you can’t be honest.

When people ask you how you are doing do not hide behind the responses “good” or “busy.” When you are in dinner group and people ask how they can pray for you, be honest with them. You have to be willing to be transparent with your struggles and not just put up a front that you have it all together.

> *Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. -James 5:16 (NLT)*

### 14. Don’t go at it alone.

We are better together. There is nothing in life that you have learned to do 100% on your own. Someone had to come alongside you to teach you how to walk. When you accomplish tasks with others, you have the benefit of sharing in the celebration of success. We foolishly believe we can do it on our own. Most of the time, it is not even possible and if it is, it is not worth earning the credit of doing it by yourself.

> *Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. -Proverbs 18:1 (NLT)*

### 15. Go on a Mission Trip.

I went on two mission trips in my twenties and the opportunity to experience God on those trips was overwhelming. The people you meet and serve with on trips like these will be ingrained on your heart forever. My trip to Uganda taught me everyone has something to give – that poverty is not just restricted to finances. While the people there may not have much, they were spiritually wealthy and able to expose my spiritual poverty.

> *God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs -Matthew 5:3 (NLT)*

### 16. There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story.

This is actually a quote from Fred Rogers, but it is so true. Take the time to listen to those around you. There is always a reason people do the things they do. People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Caring must start with listening first.

> *Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. -James 1:19 (NLT)*

### 17. If you want to make an impact, consistency and proximity are your best friends.

We all desire to live lives of significance and leave an impact on our communities, but we tend to underestimate the time it takes to make a difference. Continued investment is the most effective way to make an impact. That means more than just giving money – it is going to take time and energy. It is also hard to make a lasting impact when living in a state of constant transition.

> *Be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. -1 Corithians 15:58 (NLT)*

### 18. Set your priorities straight and build your schedule from there. (God, Spouse, Work)

I learned this from Pastor Chris. Make a list of the priorities in your life. It should hopefully look like this: God, Spouse, Kids, Friends, Work. Then take a blank schedule and fill it out based on your priorities. When will your time with God be this week? When will your date night be? Then with what is left, fill in your work. What you give priority to ultimately shows what you care about most.

> *Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:33 (ESV)*

### 19. Honor those who came before you.

You think that you are being revolutionary, but more often than not, your contemporary is just the new traditional. Things can always be better. More often than not the reason things could be better are because someone before you put in the hard work to give you the platform to make it better.

> *Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. -1 Timothy 5:1 (NLT)*

### 20. The best is yet to come.

Do not get me wrong, I love a good #tbt post, but do not live a life where you alway feel like your best days are behind you. Enjoy the now and look forward to the future. Find the people that love and care about you and celebrate with them.

> *Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philipians 3:13-14 (NLT)*



20 Things I’ve Learned in My Twenties

Continue to join us as we explore how to live like it is finished. This past Easter we looked at the beautiful reality that the pressure is off. But knowing it and living it are two totally different things. How do you let go of the pressure you’ve experienced your whole life? Is it really possible to live free of expectations? Join us for week 3 of Release as we explore everything that has kept us from a life of freedom in Christ.


Release


Stacey is a nurse and is passionate about helping others.

In March, she and 12 others from Hoboken Grace spent a week in Guatemala City, constructing a house for a family of four. She recently shared her experience and explained why building relationships was just as important as building a house.

Q. Why did you want to go to Guatemala?  
A. I previously went on a medical mission trip, and that was an experience that really changed my life – my spiritual life and my relationship with God. That was a really impactful experience that I wanted to have again. It happened when I was just at church one day. They were talking about the Guatemala trip, and I just had a good feeling about it. It felt right. I wanted to go. I love people, and I love helping people. I’m a nurse, and that’s what I do for a living. So it’s nice to be able to do that abroad.

Q. Is there one memory from the trip that sticks out to you?  
A. All of it. I don’t think it’s necessarily one memory – more the people. The family that we built the house for there – I’ll always remember them. It was a family of four people. The husband, Oscar, the wife, Jessica, and two little boys: a 3-year-old named Lenny and a 10-year-old named Oscar. The interaction and all the memories that we shared – how we got to know them, that will be what I remember.

Q. What was it like to build a house in one week?  
A. Our team worked together so well. Going into it, a lot of people didn’t know whether they’d be able to really help much, but everyone surprised themselves. I think at the end of the week we were all surprised by how quickly it had gone and that we had built a house, but more importantly, we had built relationship with the people around it.

Q. How has this changed your life, now that you’re back?  
A. I think for all of us, we’re still processing everything. And it’ll be an experience that we’ll always carry with us in our hearts. We all felt like we wanted to do more going forward. But we can only do so much. We had one task to focus on. So we can take the experience with us and share it with others. I think it’s important to remember not just the people that we helped there, but also to remember that there’s a lot of people around us here who need help as well.

Q. What advice would you give people who are thinking about going on a missions trip?  
A. Pray about it, and if it feels right, go for it! It can change your life. You’ll really be happy you did.

To learn more about Hoboken Grace’s other missions trips this year, [click here](http://hobokengrace.com/mission-trips/).


Building Love — and a House — in Guatemala City

In today’s reading we encounter a powerful passage about faith. A passage that teaches us something crucial about how God works in our lives. The story is a story of healing.

_**Luke 17:11-19** As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria.As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance,crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”_  
_He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy._

Did you catch that? When were they healed? They weren’t actually healed the moment Christ spoke to them. They weren’t healed as they encountered Christ. They were healed “as they went”. This is a powerful picture of how God works. Christ offers healing, but the healing required faith. It required that they act on what they believe. When Jesus sends them they are still covered in leprosy, but that didn’t stop them. They obeyed even though they hadn’t seen the healing. It’s their obedience that was faith, and because of that faith they are healed.

So often we hear Jesus speaking to us about the life we were created to live. He calls us to take action believing him about that life. Unfortunately rather than acting we wait. We want to experience the healing before we act, before we obey. We lack faith even though we tell ourselves that we believe. We stand before Jesus professing our belief waiting for him to heal while ignoring the action he’s called us to. In the process we miss the healing.

What has Christ asked you to do that you are hesitating in? What promises are you missing out on because you’re waiting instead of obeying. You may even be mad at God because you haven’t experienced the promise. You’re not going to obey until you’re healed! Faith is not when we act as a result of healing. Faith is when we act believing he will heal even when we haven’t experienced it yet. Don’t live your life waiting. Act. Obey. You can trust him that along the way he will be faithful to what he’s promised.

I hope that today’s reading will encourage you to take that next step. I hope it will encourage you in the step your taking. I hope it will remind you of his faithfulness in the past!


Waiting or Obeying


The biggest Easter Egg Hunt in Hudson County is here, and we are bringing more bunnies, bounce houses, games and Easter eggs to Hoboken then ever before! More than 3,000 people attended the free event last year, and this year is sure to be just as big a hit.

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, March 28th from 10 a.m. to noon at Mama Johnson Field (4th and Jackson). The 15,000-egg hunt starts at 11 a.m. sharp. There will be games, arts and crafts, face-painting and pictures with the Easter Bunny beforehand.

Don’t miss this amazing event. Invite your friends and family and we’ll see you on there!

[Preregister and/or sign up to volunteer.](http://hobokengrace.com/egghunt/)


It’s Here!

This week we’re celebrating a little victory that’s making a big difference in the way one of our families is experiencing God.

For over a month now, Julia has been bringing her daughter, Kimberly, to our Handprints class. But it has been a challenge. No matter how welcoming the teachers and other kids were, Kimberly just didn’t want to stay. Every Sunday morning started with tears and ended with Kimberly going downstairs with her mom for the service. Julia wasn’t able to feel completely immersed in worship or give her full attention to the message, and Kimberly wasn’t in an environment where God’s love was being expressed at her level.

Then finally, after weeks of the same Sunday morning routine it all just clicked for Kimberly and she was perfectly content to stay upstairs with the other kids. Last Sunday, Kimberly even wanted to come to class. Julia is thrilled that she can fully participate in the service and that Kimberly is making friends at church.

“Thank you so much for what you do in Kids’ Ministry. I’m so happy that I can be a part of the service and experience God,” said Julia.

We’re excited to see how Julia and Kimberly will grow in their understanding of God’s love in the coming months. Let’s celebrate Julia’s perseverance, and a God who patiently pursues us at every age.

If you are interested in impacting children, [sign up here](http://hobokengrace.com/kids/) to shadow in Grace Kids!


Celebrating Kimberly!


This past Sunday we concluded our series “Chemistry” and challenged ourselves to not simply learn how to love, but to practice it. In order to facilitate this we laid out a process for us to walk through as we move forward. The process calls us to create a plan.

It begins with understanding where we are in our love for those around us. This doesn’t require a romantic relationship. You can identify any relationship. From there you begin.

When you look at what we’ve talked about, these four fundamental elements of love, how are you doing? On the worksheet rate your relationship as it pertains to these four areas.

Rate the four in order of strength (1 to 4 with 1 being the weakest):

Character  
Commitment  
Chemistry  
Intimacy

Next, write out a dream for the lowest two (Write it as if it is true of you from the perspective of the other person).

Example: My wife truly knows me. She’s aware of my flaws, my passions, my fears and my love. We have a deep and intimate connection.

When you have the dream written. Write out three action steps for each of the two areas.

Example:  
I’m going to share my heart in one way every day when I get home.  
I’m going to express my passion for her with one action every week.  
I’m going to be honest about how us not being able to have kids is impacting me.

Finally, ask someone besides your spouse to hold you accountable.

Now put this plan somewhere for you to review this on a weekly basis personally.

Example: I review it every Thursday before I leave work.

The more we can keep this fresh on our mind the better we will become at truly loving those around us the way Christ has loved us. Enjoy!

[Relationship Worksheet](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/03/Relationship-Worksheet.pdf)


Chemistry in Action

Let’s face it, we all probably have over 500 contacts in our phones if not more. Of those 500 we probably have about 5 people that we contact every day. Those people know us inside and out. They know our dreams our struggles, our favorite times and our worst times and our good qualities and not so good qualities. These people are our best friends but more importantly they are our advisors. It’s great to have this core group of people we can go to for support, but what about our kids? Do they have at least five other adults in their life that can provide guidance and give input as they grow up?

When your kids need to talk, who do they talk too? Beyond their friends and beyond you as a parent, will they have other adults they can talk too about important stuff like school, girls, boys, parents, the future, God, faith and other issues that may arise?

This person could be a teacher, a neighbor, a coach, grandparents, an aunt or uncle…anyone that you know personally that wants to invest in your child. Ask them if they’ll spend some time getting to know your child, and even pray for them regularly. And then watch what happens!


Top 4

This past fall we spoke about the [World Hope Organization](http://www.worldhope.org) and their efforts to bring aid and keep people safe during the devastating Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. We also provided our community a chance to support these efforts and collected over $27,000 which was then matched by a matching donor.

We recently received an email of thanks from World Hope informing us that our support assisted in making it possible to “ship 9 containers, full of medical supplies and water equipment, to Sierra Leone, from the UK and Michigan. While each container costs approximately $10,000 to ship and be released through customs, the containers hold more than $2.5M worth of supplies!”

World Hope has been documenting their efforts in the fight against ebola and you can check out a video about the containers [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPI1SjnxcX0). We are excited grateful that our community has been able to be a part of these incredible efforts. We want to thank everyone for their support and prayers.


Progress in the fight against Ebola


But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what is says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (James 1:22, NLT)

We fool ourselves all the time. Who reading this has made a plan in the past to spend time with God, read the bible, pray more and prioritized work, friends, tv, sleep? We are fooling ourselves to think that we need these things more than we need God.

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in the mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. (James 1: 23-24, NLT)

When we choose other things over God, we forget what He looks like, we forget why it matters to know Him. The things we choose over God, become more important and dictate our time and attention. That is how we get caught up in the things of this world.

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free (God’s word), and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (James 1:25, NLT)

By choosing to focus on God as a regular practice, you will begin to experience the blessing that James is talking about. We want that for you. That is why we’ve highlighted several ways you can begin to focus on God more in your life with the [Experience Growth worksheet](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/02/Experience-Plan.pdf). We encourage everyone to choose 1 – 3 way(s) to practice focusing on God in your life and share your experience with us.


Experience Growth

2019 Dinner Groups resume the week of January 7th and new groups launch January 21st. You can sign up for a Dinner Group now! Dinner Groups are a great way to find a place to belong, start building community by engaging with God, all while having fun.

Here are 5 reasons we think you should join us for dinner in 2019:

**1\. Dinner is planned**

It is nice to know that you have one less dinner to plan each week. In 2019, we ate over 2,400 meals together. Dinner groups meet weekly, share a meal together and open conversations that lead to spiritual growth. Each group does dinner in their own way. Some groups order in, some take turns cooking, others do potlucks or go out. When you sign up, the leader will let you know how they organize dinner.

**2\. Consistent encouragement**

Whether it’s spending daily time with God, serving the community, being baptized, or another milestone, Dinner Group members encourage each other to take that next step. We are all at different points in our journey. Taking a step of faith can be intimidating, but you don’t have to take that step alone. You will have people rooting for you as you move forward and people who have your back when you fear you might fail. Dinner Group gives you a front row seat to watch the faith of others in action. Your faith will grow as you see Him at work in the group.

**3\. No long-term commitment needed**

The majority of our Dinner Groups run all year long. You are welcome to join any group. All of our new groups start on a 10-week trial. Brand new groups created for those engaging dinner group for the first time. These groups are a perfect way to form new relationships with others who are also trying this out for the first time. Be assured, you are not the only one who is new.

**4\. It is a chance to be real for once**

We are always going through life trying to fit in. A lot of the time that means we have to “fake it ’til we make it.” Dinner Groups are a place where you can let your guard down and be authentic. Often we hear Sunday’s conversation and think, “This is just for me!” Then we go to group to find out that we are all dealing with similar struggles. It helps to know that others are facing the same difficulties, or have already walked through them.

**5\. Find family in Hoboken**

The strongest families are forged by sharing a meal around a table. People have traveled from all over to call Hoboken home. As a result, Hoboken Grace is made up of people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life. It’s around these tables that you will establish and deepen relationships with people God has uniquely made and placed in your life. Your Dinner Group will grow together — enduring trials and making memories, just like a family.

We saved you a seat. Will you join us?

_To find a Dinner Group that is right for you,[ visit here.](http://hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups/dinnergroups/#join)_


5 Reasons To Sign Up for a Dinner Group

Inside Scoop Email

### Join Us Next Sunday

Hoboken Grace meets three times each Sunday. We would love to have you join us in person. You can find more information about what to expect on Sunday by clicking the button below.


Next Sunday

Blog

A Diverse, Growing, Contemporary, Community Church in Hoboken

Everything we do revolves around our mission of helping people find their way back to God. Our goal is to demonstrate who God really is and to let others know that God wants a relationship with each and every one of us.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/b_rgb:ffffff,c_lpad,h_720,w_1280/v1709609543/Web-Icon-01-favicon_da4fdo.png