I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone that made Alabama North TNT a success this year. It was a busy weekend- and we could not have done it without you.

The end of January means you should have received all of those fun tax statements in your mail box. These various statements report your wages, your giving, and your investments. When those statments show up in our mailbox, it always makes me reflect on how our home invests its finances. I would like to challenge you to think about another way you invest.

Helping out at a youth event is an opportunity to think about our investments as well. Financial investments are important, but eternal investments far outweigh any financial investment you might make. Yesterday morning I was struck by former ALN teens leading us in worship, a five-year-old little girl ministering to us through a beautiful dance, and a high school senior preaching. There was an investment made in the lives of these young people- and I saw Christ in each of them yesterday.

I would venture to say that someone made an eternal investment in you. It might have been your parents, a Sunday school teacher, a youth leader, a pastor, a family member, or a friend. Someone was willing to show you Christ. Now, we are all called to invest our lives in the lives of our children and youth.

These investments are not subject to the whims of a financial market. These investments are eternal- and I pray that we look at our priorities and make sure we are investing our time, energy, love, heart, and life in what really matters- proclaiming Christ!

Grace and peace,

Pastor John