Milestone is a life-giving, Bible-centered, Spirit-filled church located in Haslet, TX. Reaching People. Building Lives.

WHEN YOU SAY YES TO GOD

We have all been afraid at some point—unsure of what the future holds. Maybe you’re living there right now. If so—you’re not alone.

Lauren faced a situation where she felt God calling her to do something she didn’t understand—something that would test her faith. By saying ‘yes’ to God and His plans, she was encouraged by His faithfulness. Check out her story:

“About 6 months ago, God started pushing me to go back to work at the hospital as a nurse. I had no idea why, and in all honesty, I fought it—I was scared.

One day I decided to say ‘yes’. There was obstacle after obstacle, and most days I questioned if I was really hearing God. With four young kids and a husband who travels, so much still didn’t make sense. But, how often does God call us to do things that don’t make sense?

After a long journey, I accepted a job at Baylor Medical Center. I couldn’t have been more thrilled about the job, but I still wondered why God wanted me to go back. My family and I were going into this sacrificing a lot for something we trusted was right. However, little did I know, God would reveal to me why He had placed me there.

The day I started working at the hospital was the same day that quarantine went into effect, and COVID-19 became a reality. It was at that moment that I heard God answer my question ‘why?’. He said to me, ‘for such a time as this’.

God knows my heart better than anyone. He knew that I couldn’t have been at home watching this unfold without helping as a nurse. He knew I needed to be there. And beyond that, I’ve seen Him give me so many opportunities to help people both physically and spiritually during this time.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT, HAS GOD FORGOTTEN ME

What do you do when you feel like God has forgotten about you? It’s a feeling Marci was no stranger to, but in recent years, she has seen the truth, and she’s here today to share it with us.

“While growing up, one thing became very clear to me when it came to God: I was extremely confused.

I was raised in church, but my relationship with God was all about following a set of rules and trying to be good. That wasn’t working, and by my early twenties, I felt like God had forgotten about me.

At 25 years old, I met my husband. We were married on October 7, 2000, and waited for the 2.2 children to arrive.

We didn’t get pregnant right away so we sought help from a specialist, but nothing worked.

I just felt shame, guilt, and forgotten by God again…especially as my husband and I went through two miscarriages. We were barely hanging onto our relationship when we met a couple of people who went to Milestone Church. They always talked about what it would look like to have a relationship with God and spiritual family – a conversation that would take years for me to actually understand.

And then it happened: I had my third, and final, miscarriage on October 2, 2014.

I was so angry with God. I thought life couldn’t get any worse…until it did. On April 9, 2015, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We were so shocked, hurt, and confused.

I called up the friend who had been telling me about Jesus for years, and she asked me, ‘Do you want a relationship with Jesus Christ?’ And I muttered, ‘Yes.’

So, on April 28, 2015, I devoted my life to Jesus.

When I walked into Milestone Church, I found the spiritual family I had always needed. And, while my circumstances haven’t been easy, God has placed some amazing people in my life through spiritual family. These people have surrounded me, helped me, and lived life with me.

And now I know for sure, God never forgot about me, but through everything, He had a plan for my life.

Over time, I’ve come to the realization that I might not have children in my physical family, but God has provided me with a spiritual family in that place. And, with my husband being cancer-free now, I know that God has blessed me with all that I need.”

-Marci

GROCERIES FOR SENIORS

We say it over and over again, you are a generous church, and your generosity hasn’t stopped during this time of uncertainty – it’s been amplified. We’re seeing you step up, step out, and help others in ways that are so valuable, needed, and life-giving.

Each month, a group of Milestone Missions volunteers goes to the Evergreen at Keller Senior Living center to have a meal with the residents. After hearing that we had to temporarily stop for the safety of the seniors, Dianne and Bonnie realized we could do something as a church! Here is their story.

“We’ve been serving meals at Evergreen through Milestone Missions for the past eight years, so we already have relationships there.

We know some of the hardships and struggles, the health concerns, family needs, and everything in between for our senior friends at Evergreen.

With what’s going on all around us, we all know how vulnerable this population is. Questions kept popping up in our minds: How are they going to get groceries? How are they going to get prescriptions? We wanted to find a way to keep the seniors out of the stores as much as possible, so the next question that came to our minds was, How can we help?

We started reaching out to the residents, one by one. We got to talk with a lot of them, check up on them, get their grocery lists, and pray for them.

We knew that with a group of Milestone Missions volunteers, our church could meet their needs. Approximately 20% of the seniors at Evergreen don’t have any way to get groceries and other essential items. These are the people we’re reaching as a church.

The two of us have taken loads upon loads of groceries that Milestone Missions volunteers have shopped and paid for to the people who’ve needed it most at Evergreen.

Our church has such a heart to serve; we’re always trying to do something for someone, and it doesn’t always have to be something really big or time-consuming. Sometimes it’s something as simple as picking up and dropping off groceries that really brings joy, peace, and comfort to someone else.

4 KEYS TO FINDING PEACE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Any time some sort of crisis happens, why is our first instinct to head to the grocery store? It’s because we want to be prepared—to be equipped. However, many times we may be physically equipped to handle the challenges life throws at us but spiritually we aren’t sure what to do.

So how do we find peace in moments like these?

Respond to God.

Peace comes from a relationship with a perfect God. In order to reach Him, we have to be perfect. That’s why we need Jesus—He brings us close to God and gives us His peace. That is our hope.

Recognize your source.

Challenges and uncertain times reveal where we put our trust. Just like when you squeeze a bottle of toothpaste, toothpaste comes out. It’s the same way with us. When pressure comes, whatever we have filled ourselves with will come out. We have to ask ourselves—where are we looking to meet our needs? If it is anywhere other than Jesus, ultimately it can’t fulfill us. So, we have to remind ourselves God is the source of our peace.

Remember the faithfulness of God.

Philippians 4:8-9 tells us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Our thinking affects us more than we realize. We have to remember to dwell on God’s promises when we feel anxious or afraid. We trust His character more than our circumstances.

Reveal where your hope comes from.

In moments of crisis, the church has the greatest opportunity in the backdrop of darkness to be what Jesus said we are—a light on a hill. When we get outside of ourselves and serve those around us instead of being consumed with our own needs, things start to change. That is the power of spiritual family.

The Bible says Jesus is acquainted with every single fear, sorrow, or hurt we will ever experience. Peace in uncertain times is a gift from Jesus, and He wants to give it to us—all we have to do is receive it.

Here are three practical ways we can receive His peace:

Tune out negative voices.

Discipline our thoughts to think about His thoughts.

Ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with His peace.

FINANCIAL PEACE IS POSSIBLE

Have you lived through the stress and anxiety that comes with debt racking up? Are you living there right now? It’s safe to say, most of us have been there. Ryan and Lauren were in that place, but after Financial Peace University (FPU), they have a radically different view of their finances. And today, they are here to share how they’ve found financial peace.

“We took FPU in the fall of 2017 while engaged, and got married half-way through the class. I wanted us to be on the same page. We were becoming one in marriage, and so, one in our finances as well.

I was aware we had debt, and I knew it was bad – but I pretended it wasn’t there.

But, during FPU, my mind was really opened to the process of properly handling money and how to live and give in a way that’s honoring to God.

It made us look our debt in the face and learn how to bravely tackle the mountain, and that changed everything.

We did the budget and followed the structure, and we were finally ready to make it work. Money ebbs and flows, but making the budget and working through the challenge of paying off our debt has influenced mine and Ryan’s relationships with God.

It’s obvious that God is moving in our finances.

The truth is, what we’ve paid off so far is mathematically impossible compared to our income. Time and time again, God has helped us get to exactly where we needed to be each month, even when it was impossible for us to do so.

Now, we finally have the peace we’ve been needing – and we have paid off $140,000 in a year and a half! We still have a ways to go, but we’ve made a lot of progress.

I’ve learned that God is faithful, He really helps us in our time of need, and most of all, Ryan and I have seen, together, that God will provide.”

-Lauren

“Lauren and I have experienced a miracle in our finances; actually, we’ve experienced multiple miracles. God has provided, and we’re believing that he will provide for us exactly what we need.

We don’t have any stress – we don’t worry about money, and that’s all because of God.“

-Ryan