For those of us who are married, it can be tough to know what to do to strengthen our relationship with our spouse. Don't put your marriage on hold while you're raising kids or else you'll end up with an empty nest AND an empty marriage! Wherever your marriage is at, you can experience redemption and reconciliation! But it's going to take WORK to make things WORK! It's going to take WORK to have a healthy, thriving marriage!
Here's a list of 25 simple ways to improve your marriage: 1. Pray together, out loud, on a regular basis! 2. Don’t keep secrets from each other. Communicate about everything. Secrecy is the enemy of intimacy. 3. Argue less. Cuddle more. Hug for 30 seconds every day. 4. Make Date Night a priority! Budget for a consistent date night. Time alone together is vital for your continued growth and health. 5. Have more sex, but make sure you’re only having it with each other! 6. Turn off your phones. Talking with each other is better than texting with someone else or being on Instagram or Facebook. 7. Pull the car over and make out. 8. Leave love notes for each other. 9. Give your spouse flowers on unexpected days, not just holidays. 10. When you’ve made a mistake, admit it and humbly seek forgiveness. You should be quick to say, “I was wrong. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” 11. Should your spouse break your trust, when they repent, give them your forgiveness instantly. This promotes healing and creates the opportunity for them to rebuild your trust. Be quick to say, “I love you. I forgive you. Let’s move forward.” 12. Don’t hold grudges. Forgive and seek forgiveness when you’ve wronged each other. 13. Don’t waste time or energy comparing your lives to anyone else’s. God’s plan for you is masterfully unique. 14. Go on long walks and hold hands. 15. Don’t get deep in debt and if you’re already there, work together to get out of it! 16. Give compliments constantly, and never give insults. 17. When you have to choose between saying nothing or saying something mean, choose saying nothing every time! 18. Surround yourself with friends who will strengthen your marriage, and steer clear of those who may tempt you to compromise your character. 19. Keep dreaming new dreams and making big plans together. Don’t get stuck in a predictable rut. 20. Encourage one another. Build each other up so much that nothing in the world can tear you down. 21. Always try to answer your phone when your spouse calls and try to reply to texts quickly. 22. Never talk badly about your spouse to other people or vent about them online. Protect your spouse at all times and in all places. 23. Say “Thank you” and “I love you” as often as you can. 24. Make sure you’re communicating your love by your words and your actions. 25. Connect as a couple to a community of faith. A good church can make a world of difference in your marriage and family. Hope those tips help you build a stronger marriage! A lot of these ideas came from http://strongermarriages.com/ so check that website out for more great content! Hey Mosaic Friends! If you missed this past Sunday or were serving back in Mosaic Kids, here's the link to the sermon podcast: Love, Sex, and Marriage We'd love to have join us this Sunday as we continue our series "Meant to Be." This Sunday, April 10, we'll be talking about how to improve our communication and how to pray for and with our spouses. Know someone who could use some help improving their communication in their marriage? Invite them to come with you this Sunday! Upcoming Womens Event: "Ladies, it is time for us to get together! Join us on Monday, April 11th at 6:30 PM for our Mosaic Ladies Fiesta! Expect an evening full of talking, laughing, and Mexican food as we meet and get to know each other. Casual atmosphere, lots of food, perfect time to bring a friend! We hope to see you there!" Email Ann Harms for more details. Thanks friends! Have a great week! Pastor Erik Hey Mosaic Friends- Mosaic is a new church only 6 months old! That means that EVERYONE is new at Mosaic and we're all looking for ways to connect with others! Here are four ways you can get to know other people at Mosaic: #1 - Linger in the lobby. When the service is over, don’t rush to the parking lot. Take your time. Grab a cup of coffee or a cookie in the lobby and introduce yourself to someone. If you have children in Mosaic Kids, talk to the other parents and the volunteers. Our volunteers aren’t too busy to talk with you and would love to get to know you! #2 - Join a Small Group. One of the best ways to “do life” with people is to join a small group. It’s tough to talk about what is going on in our lives on a Sunday morning. So Small Groups meet in homes throughout the week. You can give one a try, and if it’s not right, you can try another one! For a full list of community groups, click HERE. #3 - Join a Volunteer Team. This is one of the best ways to get to know people. No matter your stage in life, there’s a certain camaraderie from working together. We try to make serving at Mosaic as simple as possible. Just email me (erik@mymosaicchurch.com) to learn about each of the teams and how you can serve. #4 - Attend a Men's or Women's Community Building Event Last month, the men of Mosaic Church met at Whirly Ball for some fun games and a chance to get to know other guys. And now it's time for the Ladies to get together! The women of Mosaic will be gathering on Monday, April 11 at 6:30 PM for a Ladies Fiesta! Expect an evening full of talking, laughing, and Mexican food as ladies meet and get to know each other. Casual atmosphere, lots of good, and a perfect chance to bring a friend and make some new friends! Email Ann Harms for more details. Those are just four ways you can meet people and make church feel a whole lot smaller! See you on Sunday as we kick off our new series "Meant to Be"! Pastor Erik Happy Friday! Mosaic exists to help you take your next step spiritually. To help you take then next step, I wanted to send you some links and resources to help you grow spiritually. Here you go! Bible • YouVersion is a great website (and they have a fantastic app, too!) for reading the Bible. You can choose a reading plan, share notes and questions with others, and keep track of your progress. • The ESV Study Bible is a great Bible to keep at home. There are lots of footnotes and articles to help you understand context and meaning. I use this Bible for my own personal Bible reading time. • BlueLetterBible.org is a great website where you can dive into the meaning of the words in the Bible in their original languages. Books Here are a few of the books I’ve read that have helped me grow in my faith: • Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis • The Reason for God by Tim Keller • Christian Atheist by Craig Groeschel • Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller Podcasts There are lots of great podcast out there. Here's a few I listen to: • Andy Stanley's leadership podcast • Craig Groeschel's leadership podcast • This Good Word with Steve Wiens • Elevation Church Podcast • The Village Church Podcast I hope this list helps you grow in your faith. Pick one of the resources and try it out for a week or two. And be sure to let me know what you find helpful! Pastor Erik Corned beef and cabbage. Three-leaf clovers. We recognize the Irish-themed decorations every March, but what is St. Patrick’s Day really about?
Most St. Patrick’s Day traditions are less about the person and more about celebrations of Irish-American immigrants in the late 1700s (via National Geographic). St. Patrick was a real man who lived around AD 400, but the folklore we hear doesn’t tell the whole story. His life wasn’t about green beer or driving snakes from Ireland, but radical love and faith. Moving past the modern traditions, we can see what really happened in St. Patrick’s life and why it matters to us today. 4 Unexpected Lessons From The Real St. Patrick 1. We can make it through hard times. Even when we face the most difficult times, we can survive because we’re never separated from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). When St. Patrick was 16, he was kidnapped by pirates and became a slave to Druids, a violent tribal cult in Ireland. Rather than fighting back, he learned to pray and his faith grew, even while tending sheep in the rugged cold. Records of St. Patrick’s life show that he chose to trust God every day instead of seeking revenge against his captors. 2. God invites us to do risky, uncomfortable things. One day, after six years of captivity in Ireland, God told St. Patrick about a way off the island. St. Patrick boarded a ship and returned home. Years later, after learning more about the Bible and becoming a leader in the church, St. Patrick heard God tell him to return to Ireland and tell people about Jesus. Just like Patrick listened to God leading him to different places and different tasks, we can listen to God and do what He says (James 1:22). When God calls us to something He walks alongside us, no matter how uncomfortable or impossible it seems (Micah 6:8). Jesus’ love is so radical that it forgives offenders and welcomes enemies. 3. Grace changes enemies into opportunities for radical love. St. Patrick escaped the oppressive slavery of the Druids, but he chose to return to Ireland to share the message of Jesus with them. When God brings us through a difficult experience, we learn to accept His incredible love and extend that same love to everyone. We were all enemies of God because of our sins, but Jesus loves us even when we rebel against Him (Romans 5:10). Jesus’ love is so radical that it forgives offenders and welcomes enemies. 4. God can use anyone—even you. St. Patrick wasn’t born a Christian superhero who rose to fame and changed his country. He wasn’t even Irish. He grew up in a wealthy British family and had no interest in Christianity until he was older. No matter where you’re from or what you have or haven’t done, God can work through you to do something amazing (Philippians 2:13). God changes unlikely people into unexpected leaders. Who needs the luck of the Irish when we have a God who can use anybody to continue a movement that affects everybody? Article reposted from Newspring Church: https://newspring.cc/articles/4-unexpected-lessons-from-the-real-st.-patrick Lunch at the Lindeens: New to Mosaic? Your next step is attending our newcomer lunch at our house right after service this Sunday. It's a great chance to connect with other people new to Mosaic, get to know Kristin and me a little bit, and hear about Mosaic's mission, vision, and values. PLUS- there will be tacos! Need we say more?? RSVP by letting my wife Kristin know. Kristin@mymosaicchurch.com
Good Friday Service: With all the busyness of spring break and the Easter Holiday, we want to give you a chance to slow down, breathe, and reflect on God's great love for you. Please join us for a 7 PM communion service at Weaver Lake Elementary on March 25. We'll have childcare for infants-5 years old. Easter: We are so excited to celebrate our very first Easter together as a new church! We will be offering FREE PROFESSIONAL family portraits for every family that attends! PLUS- to celebrate this big day, we will be giving away some great gifts! Every elementary age student who comes will get a FREE T-SHIRT and every adult will receive a FREE TRAVEL COFFEE MUG. Who can you invite to come celebrate Easter with us? Pastor Erik Helping people Serve Others is one of our "Big 3" at Mosaic Church!
Susan Carroll and Nate Erickson have set up a great serving opportunity for our church. We have signed up Mosaic to serve at the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Food Pack in Champlin on Saturday, February 27th. We have reserved 38 serving spots from 8:00 to 10:00 am. We have filled 8 spots and still need to fill 30 more. This is a great event to do with your kids!! (Kids need to be at least 5 years old to participate). If you have a Mosaic T-Shirt or hoodie, wear it to the serving event! You can use the link below to sign up. Please email Susan Carroll at suzlynncarroll95@gmail.com if you have any questions. Also, 10% of the proceeds for this event go to our local food shelf (CROSS). CROSS serves Maple Grove, Champlin, Dayton, Corcoran and Rogers. Link: http://volunteer.fmsc.org/Register/Group/JoinGroup.aspx?gid=851091 Join Code: 851091 We’ve been blessed to be a blessing so let’s Serve Others through this great event! Thanks! Pastor Erik erik@mymosaicchurch.com Hey Friends-
This Sunday we continue our series "Christmas Lights: Shining a Light on Why Jesus Came." We'll also be singing a whole bunch of Christmas carols in our worship service so don't miss this Sunday! Couple other important dates: Christmas Eve Service! 4 PM at Weaver Lake Elementary School. We've planned an extra special service for December 24th. I am SUPER excited for our FIRST EVER Christmas Eve service! Don't miss it! It's also a great opportunity to invite your neighbors and family who wouldn't normally visit a church service! December 27. At Mosaic, we value rest and healthy rhythms. To model that, we will NOT have a worship service on Sunday, December 27th. (At Mosaic, we'll always plan to cancel worship services the week between Christmas and New Years) Take that day to rest and be with your family. We'll email some resources out next week if you would like to do a worship service with your family at home. Then, join us on Sunday, January 3rd, rested up and ready to dive into our new series called "Faith like Abraham"! Check out a sneak peak of our new series HERE! Spiritual Basics Class. Starting on Tuesday, January 5, Mosaic will offer our first 4 week Theology Class! Most of our Small Groups will be taking a break during the month of January as we get ready to launch our winter groups, but if you are looking for a midweek opportunity to connect with others and if you are looking for a way to grow deeper in your faith and learn some basic theology, we'd love to have you sign up for our first Mosaic Theology Class! I'll be teaching this class and it is open to ANYONE! Whether you are new to church and exploring this whole "Jesus thing" or if you have been a Christ follower for decades, I think you will be able to get something out of this class! This first class will answer these questions: "What does it meant that God is both ONE and THREE at the same time?!", "How can we Trust that the Bible is both true and actually comes from God?", "What does it mean that Jesus is God?", and "How does this whole Salvation thing work?" (Diving into Justification, Sanctification, Glorification! Fun stuff!!) There will be no childcare, but feel free to come to the class with your child if they are 10 years or older. I think they'll be able to learn and grow in this class too! If you would like to sign up for this class, email me at erik@mymosaicchurch.com. Thanks friends! Have a great week and know that Jesus is your Emmanuel: GOD. WITH. US. Pastor Erik Hey Friends! This Sunday we kick off a new series called "Christmas Lights: Shining a Light on Why Jesus Came." You can check out the promo video HERE. As a bonus, every family that comes this Sunday will get a free copy of a Christmas CD that Kristin and I recorded a couple of years ago! Merry Christmas ya'll! If you missed last Sunday, you missed a great service! We had a special guest share with us. Kelly Little, the Founder and Executive Director of Light Up Hope, shared how she changed her story and decided to partner with God to bring hope and healing to orphans in Kenya. Check out the podcast HERE. Thanks friends! See you this Sunday! Pastor Erik erik@mymosaichurch.com 763-318-4281 Hey Friends! One of our "Big Three" at Mosaic is helping people SERVE OTHERS. We have a couple very tangible ways you can do that: Jim Razmus, who went public with this faith and got baptized on Nov 8, was in a motorcycle accident this past Saturday. He had to be in the hospital for a few days but now he's home recovering. We'd like to take care of Jim and his wife Lynn and their two teenage boys by bringing them some meals. If you would like to sign up to bring them a meal, you can do that HERE. Another way you can SERVE OTHERS: we are looking for 2 people who can teach in our Elementary Program once a month. I'd love for Beth, our Director of Mosaic Kids, to be able to attend the adult worship service at least twice a month, but we need a few more teachers to make that happen. Beth does a fantastic job with our elementary students, but it's so important that we make is possible for her to worship with other believers and hear a sermon live (not always later in a podcast!) a couple times a month. If you are even a little bit interested in serving in this way once a month, please email Beth. Thanks friends! I can't wait for this Sunday! It's going to be a really great day! Pastor Erik |