Struggling During The Holidays?

The holidays are such a happy time of year. Families and friends celebrate together. Everything is merry and bright. Some places even have that white fluffy stuff that falls from the sky.

But the reality is that for some it’s also a really tough season for some. Maybe you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one. Or maybe you’re still dealing with the tragedy of walking through a divorce. You or a family member might be dealing with a serious illness.

These, and other things, can lead to the holiday season being a very lonely and stressful time.

We’ve complied a few resources that might be helpful in this season:

For Those In Recovery

For Those With Cancer

For Those Dealing With Grief

For Those Dealing With Divorce

For Those Dealing With Altheimer’s

MaKensie's Story

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Growing up, I was brought into the church every Sunday but never really paid attention or absorbed any of the information that was being taught. I just did the little activity sheets that they offered for kids and that was it. 

December 2011, my parents got a divorce and we just slowly stopped going to church. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think my mom got her hands full when she became a single mom. I went throughout middle school and high school with no belief in mind, and I honestly didn't even know if I believed God existed at all. 

When I started college June 2018, my mental health had declined to the point where I didn't even want to go through my simple day-to-day routine. I was about to move back home when one of my friends from the equestrian team invited me to a college ministry and introduced me to other college students in the Chets College LifeGroup. That is when I started going to church twice a week and hung out with those people outside of the LifeGroup as well. 

I wanted to believe in God but I didn't truly have a solid faith until last year when my stepdad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. What we thought was a simple and successful surgery, turned life-threatening just days after the initial surgery. Complication after complication seemed to push us even further and further from hope. But turning to God and having countless prayers turned his way did more than we could've imagined. 

On the day we thought was going to be it, I wasn't supposed to be able to say goodbye. He wasn't supposed to make it through the night so the doctors just started trying to make him comfortable and started having him make up plans while he was still coherent. 2 hours turned into 4. 4 hours turned into the next morning. The next morning turned into the next week, which turned into the next month. The doctors didn't change their treatment plan, and we all got to witness the power of God at work. I got the pleasure to witness one of His miracles. That is what made me sit back and think, "Wow. He's real." 

That day is when I realized just how amazing He is and not only did He introduce me to some of the most amazing people here at Chets Creek, He also saved my stepdad's life and didn't just give us a few more hours, but hopefully a few more decades. I am eternally grateful for His miracles. 

I tried to get baptized last year, but things just kept getting in the way until Chris Litton went out of his way to make sure that I was getting baptized this year. I will forever be thankful for Chris for making sure that my biggest hope came true this year. October 2020 will be known for the rest of my life as the day that my life truly began. I thank God every day for all that He has brought into my life since I started attending Chets Creek. I can't wait to see what else He has in store for me.


 

 

How We Are Responding to the Coronavirus

As you know, the news and reports about the coronavirus have caused many questions and concerns. There are currently no confirmed cases in our area and although we are still considered to be at low risk for impact, the health and safety of our kids, students, and adults is always our top priority. To be proactive we wanted to share with you some of the things our ChetsKids and Chets Students teams are doing to help keep our Chets family and guests safe.

Connecting With God

“I stopped going to church because I didn’t feel connected to God, but when I went to Chets things began to change.” Juan Rios said he grew up hearing about God, but it never really made sense. “I didn’t know who God was or what he was trying to get through to me.” So, for the past few years he just stopped going at all.

Parks and Rec

There’s something freeing about being at the park. The sun on your skin, the breeze in the air. Go to any park in the Nocatee community and you’ll likely find a group of moms enjoying the outdoors with their preschoolers. Beth Chin said it only made sense to start a ministry to reach out to those moms.

Desiree's Story

“My world was chaotic and confusing and constantly in transition. I came from a broken home. I was trying to figure out who I was as a person and what my life would look like down the road.” At the Florida Baptist Children’s Home Desiree found stability and able to thrive. Here’s her story…