What if the thing you're holding onto most tightly is actually the thing holding you back? What if the key to gaining everything you've ever wanted is to give up control of everything you have? That sounds like a paradox or maybe even a bad deal. But that's exactly what Jesus offers us, and it's the most important invitation any of us will ever receive.

What if the key to the most transformed, purposeful life you could ever live wasn't about working harder or figuring out the right formula, but simply about saying "yes" to an invitation? When Jesus gets ahold of your life, everything will change. Your priorities will be transformed, and the things you once thought were the most important things in the world will suddenly seem not so important.

What if the key to understanding your purpose in the church was hidden in an obscure list of eleven warriors from the Old Testament? These ancient soldiers have something powerful to say about who you are, what you bring, and why it matters. As we think about our roles in God's future, there's probably no better metaphor we could use than team sports.

Have you ever heard of arachibutyrophobia? It's the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Or how about fearaphobia, the fear of developing fears? Believe it or not, psychologists have identified, documented, and named over 650 very specific phobias. While some of these might make you smile, the reality is that every one of us has our fears. And some of those fears are anything but funny.