All Things New with Jeff Ackenback

Treat others like you want to be treated...but still make Purdue jokes. :)

Struggling with depression is a daily battle, and there will be times you feel like you're losing. However, as long as there is life, there is hope, and as long as you are fighting, you're winning. You are enough, keep fighting.

Just a quick convo about several different things with no discernible theme running through it! How can you pass this up, now?

Often, when something traumatic happens to us, we sweep it under the rug or (because it doesn't match up to what others may be facing) we don't seek help. However, if something matters to you, it matters. And you are worth the time it takes to get help, to deal with things, and to move forward.

A few words about disappointment.

One of the hardest things to deal with is your own image of yourself. No matter what others see, we always see all the flaws. No matter what, though, you are enough. You are worth it, and you are worth getting help. Don't give up. Always keep fighting.

Most people feel nervous at some point, but anxiety is a completely different issue. There are times that something small brings more anxiety than you've ever felt, and that can be a defeating feeling. However, it's important to remember that you are not alone, that people do care, and that there is nothing wrong with you...just something you struggle with...but it is not the end. Always keep fighting.

Sometimes Christians throw around the phrase "relationship with Jesus" without explanation or even understanding occasionally. However, having a relationship with Jesus means talking to him, listening to him, spending time with him...doing everything you can to be like him. Christianity is not about "things not to do," but about having that relationship and treating others as you would want them to treat you. Love God, Love others.

Family relationships can be the best and most challenging of all. When you're with someone 24/7, you see each other at your best and worst. The most important thing, though, is to communicate, stay as calm as possible, and be just as willing to forgive as you are to seek forgiveness.

When it comes to dating, it feels like we always have to be with "someone." However, there's nothing wrong with being single. In fact, it helps you to prepare yourself and what you want in a partner, to be sure you're both looking for the same things and have the same values. You are enough, no matter when or if you date.

Always be friendly, loving, and understanding...but also make sure your closest friendships are trustworthy, loyal, and built on the same faith you have.

Often, both with people and the news, the temptation is to build the facts around the story, instead of building a story around the facts. It's hard to know anyone or anything's full story, but it's up to us to do our best to try to understand, to try to look for more, to show Jesus in how we live, in how we treat others, and in what we do.

It's easy to assume that people fall on hard times by their own actions and decisions, but sometimes it's because of circumstances beyond their control. Even if those are the reasons, though, it is vital to remember that everyone has worth....to treat others as we'd want to be treated in situations where we truly need help.

No Christian would say "I hate...(insert name here)," yet with politics, with social media, even with personal interactions, so many cross the line into anger and hatred without realizing it. It is a very thin line between stereotypes, anger, dislike....and actual hatred. Always try to see the perspective of others, always ask, "is it right that I'm angry about this?"

The Prodigal Son is one of the more well-known parables in the Bible, but if you were to stop it at various points...the meaning would change dramatically from the endpoint. Our life is the same. Everyone has periods of good, of bad...of joy, of sadness...but to be defined by just one "paragraph" is not how we would want to be treated, so it can't be how we treat others.

This is a standalone recorded from the 9:00 Christmas Eve service. I'll be posting a non-sermon episode between now and the New Year.

When it comes to the Christmas Story, Jesus is (rightfully so) the first person thought of, followed by Mary, then maybe the wise men, shepherds...a few donkeys, and a cow. Joseph is often completely lost in the shuffle, yet he still did his best for God, which is all any of us can do. Regardless of whether or not people notice, we are here to do our best, to serve, and to be like Him.

Mary was a young girl, between the ages of 12-14, so when she was visited by an angel and told what her life would be, it is incredibly amazing that she continued to stand there and listen. She faced her fears, her worries, the things people would and did say about her, and she said simply, "I am a servant of the Lord." It didn't mean she wasn't scared, quite the opposite actually, but through her amazing faith, she was able to stand bravely, to show courage, and to be the type of person we all should hope to be like.

Sometimes it can be hard to feel like you can make a difference or even help someone. However, you may be in just the right place and be just the right person to have the greatest impact. Be kind, be helpful, be compassionate, not just when it's easy....but always, no matter what everyone else around you is doing and saying.

One of the most famous parables in the Bible is that of the good Samaritan. It's not just about the fact that he stopped to help someone in need, though, but the more important part is that he stopped to help someone who probably hated him. Instead of defining who you're neighbor isn't, we should all do our best to treat everyone as a neighbor.

Thanksgiving is about more than food, more than family...even more than Black Friday. Regardless of your feelings on the holiday itself, it's important for us to do our best to seek to understand others, where they come from...to think about their stories. All year, we should do our best to show compassion, empathy...to treat others like we want to be treated.

When it comes to giving, things can get tricky. There's so much that goes into it, but the most important thing is to have a generous heart, whether it's with your money, your time, your talents...anything you can give to help others.

A big part of being a disciple is setting the right priorities. Most things in life will fall away, but a life with God at the center will always have at least a strong foundation.

Often, when we see a need for help, we want to go and do things in the way we want, to make others exactly like us...but that's not the example Jesus set for us. When he washed the disciples' feet, Judas, who would betray him, was there, and Jesus treated him in the exact same way. He helped others, teaching us to treat others as we'd want to be treated, and also to be willing to accept help ourselves.

When it comes to being a witness, the best way is to always live your life as an example. The way you treat others, the way you live your life, the way you act daily...are all far more powerful than your words, which will come in time.

Everything in life has a beginning, and for our faith, everything starts with prayer. We pray when things are good, when things are bad...we pray for forgiveness, for help. We pray for those we love, for those we don't even like...and for those who hate us. Because through prayer, we grow closer to Jesus, closer to being his disciple.

Often, we don't feel like we have much to offer. It's easy to feel like you don't have enough talent, enough money, enough fame...enough anything...but through Him we have unlimited potential, and even the smallest of gifts can be multiplied in amazing, miraculous...supernatural ways.

There are times that the best option for you and for those in your life, those you may not even know, is for you to stand up for what you believe in, for what you think is right. In those times, you may be applauded, you may be hated...but the mos important thing is to do it because of what's right, not because you want to tear someone down or judge them. Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego had strong beliefs about only praying to God, not the king, but when they stood before him, they were respectful, yet also honest. Often, people use negativity towards others to "prove" their point, which in effect does the opposite. Be courageous, be respectful, be true to your faith.

After being freed from slavery in Egypt, it didn't take long for the Israelites to forget that God was there. It's something we all tend to do when faced with troubles all around. However, God didn't fail them, as he literally parted the Red Sea to provide them a way out. When we run into something difficult, we often want to just charge through with no thought. However, if we just stop and patiently wait, pray, and think about it, it can help a lot not only us but those observing.

Being smart has nothing to do with being wise, and without good judgment, wisdom doesn't matter a great deal either. There are times in our lives where everything is awful, sometimes almost beyond the ability to handle. In those times, it's important to reach out for and accept help, to remember that as long as there is life...there is hope.

Many of you have heard of David (as in David vs. Goliath) and know a little about his life. Something that is sometimes overlooked, though, is that once he was king, David messed up royally. He stole the wife of another man...who was fighting a war in David's army...then conspired to kill that man, in order to cover up his crime and keep the wife for himself. Doesn't match up too well with the David from the "and Goliath" story, right? Well, even though he did awful things and covered them up, once he was confronted, he admitted his wrongdoing and did what he could to make amends.I get it...he should have admitted it before he was confronted, but the point is...eventually he stopped hiding. It's easy to mess up, to hurt someone...to do something bad, and then just push it down and run away. Eventually, though, the truth comes out, so it's best to just be straight up at all times. Learn from your mistakes, as well as the mistakes of others, and do what you can to always be better the today than you were yesterday.

One of the most well known passages in the entire Bible is Psalm 23. Many, even those who have never been to church, can quote parts of it...or at least recognize it when they hear it. It's about more than recognition, though, it's about looking within and learning from what you're going through, especially when it's scary. No matter what you face, there's still a path through it...and no matter how it feels, you are never alone.

Whenever I go somewhere, I have two goals: 1. To get there the quickest and shortest way possible. 2. To beat the projected time on the GPS. One of the worst things on a trip is when I see that dreaded "recalculating" pop up, especially if I'm in unfamiliar territory. Sometimes it's important to change course, though. Whether it's road construction, bad traffic, or a realization that the life you're living can be better, more impactful, there are certain times where "recalculating" our destination is a great thing.

Being stuck where you are is one of the worst feelings, but it's something that all of us have at one point or another. It's easy to allow that feeling, whether it's literal...like not having enough money or time to get away...or figurative, in the sense that we feel like we're in a rut, to break us down into despair. However, even stuck, there are always ways to make a difference, to help...to do good. Sometimes the situation we are in isn't about what we can learn from it, but rather how we can teach others from it.

The temptation to run away from life, especially when something has gone horribly wrong, is something that can be difficult to overcome. Most people know the name Moses and associate it with the Bible, with the ten commandments...even with being a hero. Before all of that, though, Moses murdered someone and, rather than dealing with it, ran away. In his case, he was able to overcome that terrible act and renew his faith and come back home a changed, better man. We don't always have the option to run away physically, even when we want to, but we do sometimes run away from who we are, from who we care about, even from our responsibilities. No matter how far we run, though, we can't get away from ourselves...and while that is an obvious cliche, it's still true.

Everyone loves to take vacations. As I write this, I'm actually on vacation in Chicago, my favorite city. Our reasons vary, but usually it has something to do with trying new things, getting away from old things like stress (or people), and just trying to relax. There are times, though, that on those trips, something happens that brings about a self-defining choice. It's easy to pretend to be someone else when no one around you knows who you are...easier than it is to read that sentence. No matter where we are or who we are with, though, it's important to still be yourself...to still maintain your values, your ideals...your identity.

There are a lot of people in the world who call themselves Christian and then go on to treat people like garbage in hateful, judging, horrible ways. That's always going to be a hurdle for the rest of us to jump over, but it's also something which reminds of of the importance of being genuine, of being loving...of treating others with respect, regardless of who they are or what they believe.

Regardless of what you believe, everyone is aware of the crucifixion of Jesus. In this episode, I'll be talking about why he did it...spoiler alert - check the title...and how he handled something so horrifying with grace and forgiveness. All of us face tough times, people hating or mocking us...and it hurts. It's how we respond to that, who we are at the worst points of our lives, that shows everyone else who we truly are.

Everyone feels like an outcast at some point. Many of us, myself included, feel like one almost all the time. It's easy to go from feeling like that to feeling useless, but everyone has a purpose...especially the outcasts.In this series, we will be looking at the beginnings of faith, of a relationship with Jesus, and of a life lived doing good. For the first 3 series, I'll be uploading each series in its entirety one day each week. In the future, everything will be more of an episode or two per week.

There will be no more introductions after this. This is the final introduction. I promise.

Basically, this is the same sort of deal as the first introduction. Don't worry, I only have one more of these, and then we will get to the actual episodes on Tuesday!

Welcome to All Things New with Jeff Ackenback. This is the first of 3 bonus introductions I'm uploading before episode 1. I could absolutely get by with just one or even zero introductions...but I want to give you a brief glimpse into who I am before we get started. I stood in a room alone recording an introduction, and honestly, I couldn't pick between the three. That doesn't mean they're amazing, just that I couldn't pick. Enjoy!