Hope your summer hasn't passed you by too quickly! Life Answers ABF will be starting up again very soon... Sunday, September 12, to be specific. We hope to see you there and reconnect after being away for a few months.

We'll be sharing details of our ABF vision for the year over the coming weeks (we don't want to give away too much right now!), but suffice it to say that we as Life Answers ABF leaders, as well as the area of HCC leadership that oversees Adult Bible Fellowships in general, are very, very excited about what the LORD has in store for Life Answers in 2010-2011:

• We will be challenged as individuals to take on greater Biblical roles within our homes and among our friends and associates.
• We will be encouraged by those who have walked the paths of marriage and of life that we'll soon walk ourselves.
• And above all, we'll be prompted to get into the Word, the greatest of all How-To books.

Neat things are in store for the Life Answers community... what part will you play?

When you see Courtney, ask her to tell you about her June mission trip to Guatemala.

The Life Answers 2010 Men's Retreat in mid-June was nothing short of an amazing time. The LORD undoubtedly had been preparing each of the guys prior to their time at Leesville Lake because as soon as we gathered around for our first lesson and discussion, there wasn't a single wasted minute. Ask any of the guys who attended, and they'll tell you that they grew closer to God as their spiritual Father and closer to each other as spiritual brothers on this weekend trip.

We arrived at the cabin (a four-bedroom, 3 bathroom... not exactly back-woods)

(from Ron Lewis)Four Principles of Manhood Real Men Reject Passivity Real Men Accept Responsibility Real Men Lead Courageously Real Men Expect the Greater Reward A Man's Three Responsibilities a Will to obey a Work to do a Woman to love

around 8:00pm on Friday evening and Ryan Gates led the first of three lessons. The topic was "Focus on Manhood." With material adapted from Ron Lewis' Raising a Modern Day Knight, the Four Principles of Manhood and the Three Responsibilities of Men were covered. Vegas Rules were in effect ("What is said at Leesville Lake, stays at Leesville Lake."), and powerful, meaningful and encouraging conversation can be had when there is great trust among men. The guys came ready, and the LORD was there.

It's easy, as men, to feel isolated, to believe that what's going on in one's own life is unique and that other men don't struggle with the same things. What our time together impressed upon each of us is that these Principles are universal and that they're challenges for us all. Further, we all share the same responsibilities, and we can draw upon each other for wisdom and strength as the LORD teaches us to enact them. He teaches us through our everyday experiences, but He also taught us how to live out these Principles and Responsibilities through the life of Jesus (and how not to live them through the life of Adam).

Saturday morning's lesson was entitled "Focus on Worship," and Joel Lutz used Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well

The guys settle in for Saturday morning worship on the back deck.

to talk about what it means to worship in "spirit and truth." He wove a wonderful story of how we worship God, that God is spirit (the Holy Spirit) and that Jesus is truth (Jesus said, "I am the... truth."). We don't simply worship at a specific time or a particular place, but with our lives (with the Three Responsibilities that we covered the evening before!).

Emmanuel Agbovi encouraged us to "Focus on Jesus" during our Saturday afternoon, and final, lesson. When life gets hard and difficulties come our way, we must look to Him, our Savior who meets our deepest needs.

Joel, Emmanuel and Ryan did not coordinate their lessons. In fact, they spoke very little with each other about their topics beforehand. So it was a total "God thing" when all of us came together and heard lessons and participated in conversations with each other that seemed to be scripted to flow from one to the next. The food was fantastic, the company was encouraging and affirming. Praise God for a wonderful weekend of spiritual re-charging!

l to r: Ryan Gates, Kevin Keller, Emmanuel Agbovi, Joel Lutz, Andy Ucker, Michael King not pictured: Josh Tollefson, Tony Galieti

Mark it down now: September 12, 10:00am... Life Answers will be back in the swing!

Do you know a married couple that is looking for friendship and community? Let them know about Life Answers ABF!

Have a great week. Send an encouraging e-mail (or Facebook message) to a friend.

RG