If you really believed that taking twenty steps across a room, the street, the office or the hallway could change a person's eternal future, would you do it?  That's the question we all need to ask ourselves as we consider Christ's call in our lives to share what He has done for us with those around us.  After all, the single greatest gift a follower of Christ can give to someone is an introduction to the God who created them, loves them, and has a purpose and plan for their lives. 

The family of Grace is going to be celebrating the resurrection of Christ on April 8^th with an Easter Celebration at Lovejoy High School.  In the weeks before this celebration, I have been encouraging the body of Grace to Walk Across the Room - connecting with people who have no relationship with Jesus Christ.  Our goal is to invite each one of them to come and experience the love of Christ through the community of Grace Church.

God has given us an opportunity to share His love with the people of our community.  We have 936 seats waiting to be filled at Lovejoy.  Please be praying for the Holy Spirit to work in our church community that we would see the vision before us.  Would you be willing to walk across the room and change a person's life for eternity?

          As a local body of believers at Grace Church, we are a community. As a community we desire to worship our Lord by caring for one another, growing in the grace and knowledge of Him, and impacting our world for Christ. To this end we gather corporately as a large group as well as gathering in smaller groups we call Life Groups.

         Life Groups at Grace Church each consist of 8 - 12 families meeting in homes at least twice per month who desire to "Live Life Together" through Care, Growth, and Impact... To live life together,

Living life together

Including everyone - everyone has a place to belong

Fun!

Encouraging one another by studying God's Word and praying

It's simple to get connected to a Life Group- just contact Kevin DeStefano (214-695-3322) or any one of our Life Group Leaders and we'll take it from there.        

The following interview was conducted with Wes Tarbox.  Wes serves the Lord at Grace as Elder and Life Group Leader.  Wes is a committed believer who is married to Melissa and they have two children.  Wes and Melissa began attending Grace in 1992.

While this will seem rather simplistic, God has really been reminding me to seek out opportunities to be His minister everyday, at anytime and anywhere.  I think it is very easy to "compartmentalize" our walk with Him, even if that's not our intention.  For me in my adult life, its been less about ignoring God in different areas of my life, but rather just not seizing every opportunity I have to show the world I'm different...different because of Him.  In the daily grind, it is really refreshing when God gives me an opportunity to be a witness for Him and I not only recognize it, but act on it and then reflect back and see the opportunity itself as a gift from Him.  It makes doing the mundane things much more important and worthwhile.

What is the most important thing you've learned about walking with God?

That I can trust Him in anything and everything, no matter the circumstances.  He is faithful and sovereign, and I don't have to understand or have an answer for the "why's" and "how's" of this world.  I have witnessed His sovereignty in my own life as a teenager as well as in my adult life, and through my walk with Him He has allowed me to continue to gain perspective;  perspective that He is ultimately and always in control; that He has a plan for me as His child, and that He wants me to use the talents He has given me for His glory.

How do you keep your time with God fresh?

I pray, pray and pray some more.  Whether its a prayer of thanksgiving, a prayer of sheer awe that I can talk to the Creator, or a prayer on my knees when I'm in need... this renews my walk with Him.   He convicts me and keeps me humble through prayer.  He pushes me to seek opportunities to do things I would never consider without Him.  He renews my spirit when I am tired.  What an awesome God we worship!

Who was influential in your spiritual growth?

God has blessed me throughout my entire life by surrounding me by authority figures who put Him (and subsequently, me) first in their lives, so this is a no-brainer to answer.  My parents;  all 3 of them (yes 3, keep reading).  My mom is the one who was with me when I accepted Christ as a young boy.  I cannot remember even one time when she did not show the love of Christ by putting me (and others) first.  She is an incredibly unselfish person.  She is also a very strong person spiritually, who went through a lot with the death of her husband (my birth father) in her late-30s.  Her amazing, God-given, ability to see His sovereignty in the direst of circumstances and know that He would always provide for her and a family of 3 children was just incredible to me...and she remains a great example to me to this day.  My birth father was a man who accepted Christ as an adult, and had a real fire for the Lord thereafter.  He passed away when I was 15, but he was a great example of how a dad should care for his wife and family, by putting them first above himself, just as Christ did for His church.  I remember he was strict, but in a good way.  He took the time to explain the answers to a young boy's questions of "why".  He helped create a strong sense of Biblical, moral right/wrong in me, and I look forward to the time in eternity when I will see him again.  And finally, my step-father who is, quite honestly, my best friend today.  He and my mom married before I turned 17.   I have never met a more gracious and caring person in my life, who always displayed compassion and patience in our household.  In a situation of bringing two completely separate families together (both with older teenage kids involved), I cannot imagine God providing a more stable influence in my life.  It's this stability and his strong Christ-like character that continues to have a great influence on my life today.  I guess God knew I'd need 3 examples of how to be a parent... and I'm thankful to Him for blessing me with these people in my life.

If you could experience an event in the Bible, which one would you choose?

To see the tiny army of Gideon do battle and win victories through the power of God.  This is an incredible account of God's strength, power, faithfulness, justice, and wrath (against the enemy).  The battles were not won due to man's strength, intellect, or superior weaponry.  God gave the enemy to Gideon, and Gideon only needed to do one thing... obey and follow Him.  It's both humbling and awesome at the same time.

How has being in a small group at Grace impacted your life and the life of your family?

Over the years, I've gotten to know a lot of people on a real personal level which I could not have done through just attending church services.  The small group has given me opportunities to use my gifts to help and serve others in many ways, and it has also provided a sanctuary where I can "be real" with fellow believers.  I could write a book on this citing specific examples, but I'm afraid we'd run out of space. Small groups have also been there to care for my family and I when we have been in need.  It's been a great encouragement to me!

What is something the people of Grace would be surprised to know about you?

Well, I've been at Grace for almost 15 years, so I'm not sure there are a lot of surprises left, certainly not for those who know me well at all.  I'm not the quiet, shy type.  I would say two things:  one, I was an all-conference shortstop in high school and college, and two, I really enjoy tinkering on cars...meaning I have a "need for speed".  I used to drag race in an amateur circuit for about a decade when I got out of college.  Now I just don't have time for this any longer, but it's in my blood I guess.