Travis Kelce faced a decision after the Super Bowl this year, was he going to retire or come back for another season. Kelce decided to return to the Kansas City Chiefs for another year of competition vowing to get into the best shape of his life this off season. In spring training M.J. Melendez of the Kansas City Royals unveiled a new swing and batting stance hoping to transform himself as a player.

Athletes will often make an adjustment to their diets, workouts, or fundamentals in hopes of making a difference on the court, pitch or playing field. Have you ever thought, “I would like to transform or change my spiritual life? I want to make a difference!”

Recently, in Wallula’s Easter Reading Plan we studied Jesus’ call to His first disciples. These disciples were two sets of brothers; Peter and Andrew and James and John. All four of these men were fishermen by trade. They were “ordinary and unschooled.” As they were busy in the middle of their lives, Jesus called them to follow Him, saying, “I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus offered them a mission like no other and wrapped up in that offer was a call to transform and change each of those four men so that they could transform and change others!

I’ve been contemplating this quote lately, “Will you be a fisher of men or a keeper of the aquarium?” Are you going to be a difference maker or settle for the status quo? This Easter I want to be a difference maker and I think this little story about Jesus calling His first disciples gives us some direction in how we can make a difference.

1. Get as close as you can to Jesus. It seems like this encounter with the four brothers is the first time Jesus has met His future disciples, but I doubt that is true. I think Jesus has met and had conversations with these men before. This Easter season we want to do everything we can to get as close to Jesus as possible. Join with me in having a consistent time meeting Jesus in His word and prayer. Jump on board with Wallula’s Easter Reading Plan and meet with Jesus this Easter Season! 2. Be willing to drop your nets and serve others. We are all busy. We have lots to do, so did these men, but they dropped their nets, their livelihood and followed Jesus. Be willing to carve out time to serve Him. Maybe you can make some time to help us serve breakfast to teachers at Lansing High School on April 3^rd or maybe you will finally give into serving on that Ministry Team you’ve felt called to at Wallula. Go ahead and drop your nets! 3. Be a fisher of men. There is real power in an invitation. Be praying right now for who you will invite to worship with you this Easter. Wallula will have three opportunities to worship this Easter weekend. We will host an Easter worship service on Saturday, April 19 at 5:00 pm & worship services on Easter Sunday, April 20 at 9:00 and 10:30 am. Be fishers of men and invites those important people in your life to worship with this Easter.

- Lance

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow me , and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

              - Matthew 4:18-20

I must have been moaning, not quite as under my breath as I thought, as I walked through the door last night because Cherie asked, “are you hurt or cold?” My reply… “Yes!” How many of you have moved an arm or leg these past couple of days and sort of sighed as the muscles ached from shoveling a little snow? We live on a corner lot and the snow plows have pushed mountains of snow all around our yard, it looks like we live in a snow fort now - kinda cool, if I’m being honest with you! You maybe didn’t think those snow plows were so cool when they dumped snow in front of your drive way, over and over again…

Nehemiah’s story is recorded for us in scripture in the book that bears his name (along with the book of Ezra) and he maybe doesn’t get the credit he deserves. This fact, by the way, is exactly how Nehemiah would have wanted it! He makes very clear in his journal that nothing he accomplished would have been possible without God. Nehemiah oversaw the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem after the exile, but more than that he oversaw the rebuilding of God’s people.

And so it is with our own relationship with Jesus. It is constantly under construction and in constant need of rebuilding. If this rebuilding is a constant need individually in Christ, it is a constant need of His church corporately as well. As a body of believers we must continue to refocus ourselves so that we may keep the main thing, the main thing.

January 12 we will kick off a new series, “The Main Thing,” as we learn from the leadership of Nehemiah. I’m excited for this series and the chance it provides for each of us to center our attention on Jesus and the ministry He has in store for us.  Pleas join me this Sunday at 9:00 or 10:30 am as we begin to learn with Nehemiah how to keep the main thing, the main thing!

- Lance

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

              - Nehemiah 6:15-16