Having come from the religion of Islam in the past to the grace of Christ, I was buried under the law!! All I could think of to do as a Muslim was fulfill the 5 requirements of being a Muslim and to try to do as many "good works" as I could to get me closer to Allah. The funny part about it -- Allah was forever silent. My prayers went unanswered and my doubts and anxiety mounted. I was beaten, bruised and crushed in my pursuit of a God that DEMANDED fear of him and duty to him in every work that I could think to do. And what did it get me in the end ...??? ... nothing but loneliness and despair for my soul and my life.

Then, in February of 2007, my future wife brought me to Flatirons Church. I was blown a way mentally as I was not prepared for the experience. But more importantly, I felt God move in me and speak to me in a way that I have never experienced in my life ever. God SPOKE to my heart. Not Allah, but the one true and living God that sent His one and only Son, the living Christ, to be my savior and die for my sins. God asked me if I was ready to come home and be in relationship with him.

Yes it took some time, but eventually, the gentle nudging of God quietly led me to the foot of the cross where I was able to give my entire being to Christ and submit in love to the real, one, true God -- the Father of all. I was baptized and I stand as an ex-Muslim for Christ.

The saying that their are two deals on the table is true. The beauty of it is that God never makes us choose. But just like the story of the prodigal son, God is waiting with outstretched arms running to us when we simply turn to him.

Thanks be to God for a place like Flatirons that takes in the broken and disenfranchised that just need to be loved by God in the broken state that they are in. Thank you for reaching down to me in my lowly state and showing me that in the midst of my despair of living under law, that Gods grace through Jesus Christ, was with me in the valley to lift me up and help me to look up and see the mountain of God. It was this grace that has me on my journey with Christ and has - LITERALLY - saved my life.

With Love and Peace,
Stephen

My son was born May of 2006. Being a single mom, I couldn't imagine raising him in Los Angeles. When he was 2 and a half months old I went back to work and my job would take me all over the Southwest managing a portfolio of shopping centers. I was fortunate to spend a little more time in Colorado as many of the assets were located here. I knew in my heart, what a better place to raise a child and that somehow I had to get us here.

On one particular visit with my VP of Asset Management to meet with the City of Lafayette on a project, the "bi-polar" weather of Colorado made a change in its forecast forcing me to work up a new outfit from the Walmart on S. Boulder Road in Lafayette.

With a lot of prayer and networking with local brokers, I was referred to a company who was looking for a Director of Real Estate. I flew back and forth interviewing with the executives for several painful months before they made me the offer…. With a huge leap of faith I accepted.

As a new mom, I was going to leave my friends, family (support as I knew it) and a career for what I knew in my heart was, Gods country. Pretty scary but my faith was so strong.

I had a friend Karen who had moved here about a year earlier from Los Angeles. We had lost touch so to find out that I was staying at a hotel right next to her office was one more sign that my faith was pointing me in the right direction.

Karen was kind enough to drive me all around the Front Range to look at apartments that I had found on the internet. We looked at several but there was one more to look at before I headed to the airport. As time grew shorter, I just said "do a u-turn and go back to the last place." ew just felt that is where we were supposed to be. That was the end of looking any further. That's where we started our journey and introduction to Colorado. We arrived in July of 2007.

No more than two to three weeks of living there we met a wonderful couple: Isaac and Danielle. They invited us to Flatirons Community Church. They "warned" us that this was not your typical church experience but rather known as the "me too church", non-conventional type. Without hesitation, I accepted. My son now 5 and myself have considered this our home ever since. In addition, my friend Karen was a non-believer. By October she attended and has found Jesus to be her Lord and Savior. Many others have joined us on the Me Too mission including my family that moved here last year.

The full-circle moment is that now I've been saved twice by the same building where I am worshipping weekly and in the very place I bought the clothes that rescued me from the bi-polar weather of Colorado several years ago. Only God could have planned a perfect, full-circle moment. A building that saved me twice! Thank you Jesus!

Recently laid off from work, my biggest prayer is that God has a job planned here for me in Denver. My family and I cannot imagine being part of any other church family other than Flatirons. We feel so blessed!!! Thank you, thank you, and thank you.

To say you all have been a blessing is not enough. I have been burdened to pray for the husband of one of my closest friends for years to renew his faith. Seemingly the y had the perfect life, beautiful wife, beautiful sons. But his wife is in a very bad place right now and their marriage and our community will be horribly affected by this situation. God put such a burden on me that on a business flight home i read an entire Christian book, and highlighted it and dropped it with a letter on his front door (wondering what on earth i was doing), or if he'd ever read it.

As I sat with him and my husband at service this weekend and Jim started his sermon, I wasn't sure he could make it through. But he half smiled and said 'I need to hear what to do now that the bomb has been dropped'... Jim, how can we thank you (and Scott) and the church? As we walk through this mess with them, I know God was preparing the foundation that would be critical for us all to be Godly support. I know you hear this over and over, but what you all are doing goes beyond all borders. And God-breathed to those who need to hear your exact words.

As an aside, strangely our core group, going to flatirons, we're all catholics (some have left the church, others have not...and support both). Our base with that denomination has only strengthened most of us to combine what we know is true and reach out to others like us. I wanted you to know that becasue you hear so many tragic stories about former churches....ours is thankfully not.

Wow... ok. I was raised by a Christian Mother with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and manic depression. That was like hell on earth and continues to this day. It has been a rollercoaster ride that I have held onto God thru. Sometimes really close and tight, sometimes just by my fingernails. I am divorced and I have literally been forced out of church by the "Christians" that run them because I am a single mother and they were afraid I would cause the men of the church to stumble. (True story) Other churches just ignored us completely, which would have been ok if the message had been there and they weren't teaching the same old sermons I'd heard as a child. Now, I am all alone with my teenage daughters (Oh Lord have mercy). Im having trouble finding a job and I am trying not to get discouraged. Ok really? I am trying to breathe, everyday. Some days it's really hard! My sister, who used to be an athiest,(HOLY WOW),now attends your church (I was soooo excited) and she told me about your message. I started "Grow a Pair" and have been watching 2-3 messages a day from your website for weeks now. I really just wanted to let you know how encouraged I am to finally hear someone be REAL and teach REAL stuff about REAL life. You have blessed me and I needed to say THANK YOU!! We are currently in Indiana (funny right?) and would eventually like to come to Colorado to be near my sister and your church. I am so thankful she has you. Please, keep us in your thoughts and prayers, take care of my baby sister and keep God's good word coming!!

I just wanted to say how much I appreciated Jim's message this past weekend about community. Saturday night I went into Walmart and passed out at the checkout line. I hit my head twice on the way down and was taken to the emergency room. I was able to call the girls in my small group that I met through Flatirons, for help. One of the girls was able to come and pick me up to take me home. I don't have family locally so if it wasn't for her, I am not sure what I would have done.

I used to be one of those people who loved getting lost in the crowds of Flatirons. Jim's and Scott's talks on community helped changed my view on it. Now, I feel so blessed to have these wonderful people in my life. They are truly an extension of my family.

So, I just wanted to say thank you for the talks done on community. It really is important!

I am currently a junior at the university of colorado and have recently started going to flatirons church. I come from an unreligious family and have never before gone to church. However, in the last several years I have felt like something has been missing and I finally decided to start going to church to learn more about Christianity. I just wanted to tell you that I ended up at flatirons. The message of your church really resonates with me and the church as a whole has a welcoming feel to it. I especially enjoyed the cannonball series for two reasons. One, I am currently struggling to completely "jump in". I have not been brought up in a religious household so everything has been kind of a sensory overload for me. I also loved how the pastor went through the story so meticulously, for someone who is just starting to read the Bible it was real ly helpful to have someone help analyze the story. Once again I just wanted to reiterate how happy I am to have ended up at flatirons and I am looking forward to the next service.

My oldest son’s girlfriend was baptized last night at the Flatirons service (along with scores of others). It was my second time there. The message from Scott was UNBELIEVABLE! God spoke thru him to deliver the Gospel in arguably one of the most clear presentations I have ever heard.

The timing was PERFECT as the girlfriend’s mom, a strong Catholic, was there and I know she heard some things that made her think! I was praying throughout the entire service and it was obvious that God spoke to her thru Scott’s words!

My youngest son, who is 19, was with us and was blown away!!! He has been in church all his life and said, "Dad, I have never heard the Gospel presented that clearly and effectively." His girlfriend is also asking a lot of questions, but she could not attend last night.

He spoke to her after the service and I overheard him describing how awesome it was and how she missed a chance to hear a very clear defense/explanation of the Gospel. She will definitely be attending in the future.

Not my exact preferred style of worship, but it is not about me. God is using this to reach into a very lost culture and generation of people.

My name is Meredith and I have been attending your church via podcast after my friend introduced me to Flatirons last summer while I was visiting family in the Denver area. Currently I am serving our Father in a closed country in the Far East. Because of the nature of this place, please excuse the vague references used in this email. My work is not openly accepted here and most communication is closely monitored.

Recently the orphanage that I am involved with took in two newborn girls who had been abandoned. The death rate of infants brought to this particular orphanage in the past 12 months is 100% at the hands of neglect and malnourishment. I work and live with a family, and we took these two newborn girls in as foster children. Our small 4 room apartment is now bursting at the seams with 2 infants, 3 children and 3 adults. The recent series "In the Margin" really blessed and struck a chord in my heart. These girls have been rejected by their family and society. Not only were they born female, they also have birth defects. There is no greater disappointment in this culture then those two things in a baby. With those strikes against them, they were abandoned; one at the doorstep of the police stations the other at the edge of a rice patti, left to die. By HIS grace, love and care for these girls, though they were pushed to the margin by the culture they were born into, He brought to the middle of love, compassion and care of a family by the culture of Our Father.

Personally, this journey with Meadow and Kai has affected me more than words can say. I am a single woman working overseas for His Glory and the gift of making margin in my single lifestyle for these two precious lives has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. By the grip these girls have on my heart, and finger, Father has shown his love and compassion for the outcasts, rejected and broken. Each of us has experienced these things and that is what He came for, healing and acceptance in His Son's name. The least we can do is pass the gift of love forward.

Thank you for your words of Truth. You all are refreshment to my heart in the midst of a heavy place. I rejoice with you on the lives reached in local community and beyond by your faithfulness in pursuing His heart. It brings tears to my eyes and a longing in my heart to be there to help contribute to what HE is doing through Flatirons. If I may be so bold and if you feel led please be lifting us up as we continue to care for these girls. The family has tried to pursue adoption but the door is shut by human hands. Because of the strict laws on foreign adoption, the girls are currently considered unadoptable because of their defects. However we know Hands that can open any door no matter what man attempts.
Thank you again

Hello. God is always so good. Last night I (in an amazing way) was able to get in as a volunteer for Shine. I have to say that the devil did everything possible to ruin my day but God always manages to out do him and I mean in everything!

Yesterday morning, I lost my home, lender refused to work a loan modification even though I make more than enough to pay for my home so, courts signed the paperwork to evict me. This was yesterday morning...and last night was the prom. I cannot get the event out of my mind. God gave me the opportunity for that dance because he knew how devastated I was over my home. I have owned that home for 23 years now. But losing my home was totally covered up by the smiles of the guests last night. I love Flatirons so much, and I am so thankful that God gave me the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful event. It actually helped me 'clean house' in my heart and soul and to put in perspective what is really important.

Love you guys so much.

Martin Luther King said 24 hours before he was assassinated, "Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars". Somtimes the most amazing things occur in the darkness. That's where I feel I am right now. It's dark, it's painful, I'm lonely and terrified of my future. I want to be the women God intended for me to be. I feel I'm in a battle. I had given up on going to church. Sinse my husband left me and my baby three years ago, I had found this world and the church I was in to be unforgiving. There were days I would get my little girl ready for church, I would be so tired and heart broken. But, I would go to church anyway. Sometimes I wanted so much for someone to understand that there were days I was too tired to smile for lack of sleep. I wanted someone to put their arms around me and tell me "God loves you", and He will help you do this alone. But, instead I felt jugded. I can't begin to say how grateful I am for pastor Jim and pastor Scott. I did not think I would ever go back to a church. You both spoke of a God that I knew in my heart existed, that I read about in my Bible. You spoke of the woman at the well just days after I had meditated on it all night long. In some ways that is my story, it is many of our stories if we were honest. I use to sing for God. In front of people, I would sing and when I sang I longed for Him. But, when I was not singing, I felt alone. I feel at your church I am finally learning how to live. I mess up daily, but, I won't give up. Everyday I put myself together despite everything I've been through and at times I have a really good "poker-face". I am trying to let go of that face and show myself. Im tired of hiding my pain. The churches I've known before make you feel that you deserve it and it's your fault. I just want to come out and let God heal me. I want to let Him forgive me and I want to forgive myself. Thank you with all my heart for being a apart of that healing process.

Hello everybody at Flatirons! I just want to thank you for being such an accepting church, and being so real. One thing I have disliked in the past is when those stereotypical Bible thumping Christians come at you with this overly eager and somewhat worrysome smile that's just a little too happy and start to preach at you. When I first came to Flatirons I walked through the door and I heard blasting music. First thought- "Oh, one of these churches, must be aimed at young people". I went to a church like this once, a "cool" church.

It took some reassuance from my girlfriend to stay. But I am so glad I did! I have come to see Flatirons as a church. And not a church like a building where people come, but as a group of people living together in the glory of God. I see people helping each other and encouraging others. You didn't care that I may not have been a Christian, didn't even care if I believed in God, but you invited me to come and see for my self and decide. I'm so glad that what I saw was people trying to live as Christ wants us to and following the Bible as truth. All of it, not picking and choosing. It was also nice to see that I'm not the only one who is not perfect and there are others who can say, "Me too".

I recently wrote to Jim about a problem I am facing dealing with pornography. I would like to thank Flatirons for writing me back. It meant alot that someone cared. I would like to let you know that I have decided to stand strong in God as I know He will stand with me. The question came to me that what if God told me to stand strong in the face of a charging bear, that He would see no harm came to me, would I do it? My answer came, "Yes". It did not come, "I would have no fear," because lets face it, it's a bear.. adrenaline.., it's just going to shake you. So there I was standing like a wet noodle, shaking and sweating nervously, staring a screaming bear in the face. But Jesus was there next to me, strangely calm, reassuring me that I would be OK. And I trusted Him; and I was safe. I know that if I trust Him and lean into him when it gets tough, then I shall come under no harm.

I just want to thank you for being there so God could work through you to get to me! How amazing He is!

This is going to be a little long and perhaps a little crude but please bear with me.

I did not grow up in a religious home and have been coming to church all together for about 6 moths and flatirons for about 3 months. Since I was 13 I have been off and on suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction; I'm now 23 and have had legal, physical, and mental trouble because of this.

I decided to get sober 6 days ago when my parents told me not to come around for Christmas and my girlfriend broke up with me, and won't take my calls. My life the past three month have been a roller coaster where one week I'm attending church and community groups, then the next week I'm black-out-drinking or, excuses my honesty, have a needle in my arm.

This has been the hardest week of my life. I was so lonely on Christmas because no one wanted me around and I wasn't covering up the pain with chemicals. All I could think about was using, drinking, or killing myself. I decided to kill myself but needed to wait until the next day because nothing was open at 3:00 am the day after Christmas. Before I feel asleep I asked God to please give me some strength by the time I woke up to continue the battle.

When I woke up I got on the website to see if there were any services for the week, sadly I discovered that there were not. I thought I would check out the recorded services you have because I was searching for anything to help. I started with Jim's house of cards series and I'm so glad I did.

Hearing the leper's story and with the scripture, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." To Paul's thorn and God telling him "no" but that his grace is sufficient to get him through made so much since. After watching the series I know that I might not ever be free of these "thorns" but that if I ask and lean into God he will provide what I need to make it. I pray that he will make me clean, but I know either way if I stay close to him I will be ok.

Thanks for everything! I'm not putting all my information down because I would prefer to stay anonymous. Please pass this forward to Jim and tell him thanks, and I will find him after service soon to let him know who sent this email.

My boyfriend and I have been dating from the time we were freshman in high school. We graduated in 2008 from a small town, shortly after graduation six girls from my graduating class were pregnant. A few of them were friends of mine, but Maggie was my closest friend of all. She quickly eloped in KBPI's mass wedding at red rocks and gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy. She has a loving and supportive family. But her and her new husband wanted to live in their own place. So they moved out of his parents home and into a town home in the same small town we graduated in. My little brother works with her at a local pizza joint, and I have lost touch with her over the last year. My boyfriend and I had decided that this year for Christmas we would adopt a family from your Outrageous Love instead of getting each other something. And while we were trying to find a family to adopt my brother came home from work. Matt (Maggie's husband) had lost his first job, and his new job was only part time and he wasn't making enough money to pay the bills. They had their heat turned down so low that when Maggie went to get Miles (their baby) out of his crib his fingers were cold. Miles was going to start to eat some more solid food and they already didn't have enough money to buy enough food for just her and Matt. For this Christmas she is just going to wrap up boxes for Miles to rip up, he would have just as much fun with that. I was so upset, that my friend was having such a hard time as a new mom, newly married, being just 19 years old. She might not have been one of the Outrageous Love candidates, but she was one of my best friends that God put back into my life because she needed help. Thank you Flatirons for putting it in our hearts to have Outrageous Love and give what we can. I have a feeling this Outrageous Love is going to be a long standing tradition with Gavin and I.

This Sunday morning was cold and snowy, we had tired muscles from a beautiful Saturday on the ski slopes, and we just wanted to stay home. Our fifth grade son Caesar rallied the whole family, he was on fire to go to Remix. He said, "I have to go today to see what this week's wow is." "What's a wow?" we asked. "We are learning about Jesus' miracles and each week is a new one so we have to go to church."

So if you wonder, youth leaders, if what you do matters, I'm here to tell you that it does! As a result of you firing our son up about Remix and the wows of Jesus, our whole family was spiritually nourished at Flatirons Sunday. We bought music CD's for the single moms we adopted for Christmas and bought the Sozo ornament for one of the single moms too. So there were multiple blessings on down the line.

Just want to thank the fifth grade team for the awesome job they do making Remix a fun, Christ-centered ministry for our son Caesar. We started attending Flatirons this fall specifically because of your fifth grade ministry and God has been faithful to bless our whole family through Flatirons.

My name is Leah and my husband, son and I have been coming to your church for about two months now. My husband and I have been together for nine years and this is the first time we have EVER been to church together.

About 10 weeks ago we found our lives turned upside down. My husband over the last nine years built a business with a partner and best friend and was very successful. 10 weeks ago he was completly caught off guard and was forced out of his own company and a buy out that left him to choose a quarter of what his shares of the company were worth or a lawsuit. We have chosen the lawsuit.

My husband has been so completely devastated and betrayed by this and has finally started to move on with his life to start over.

I have been blessed to stay at home with our three year old son for the last two years and am finding myself having to find work becaues we have literally been cut off with absolutly NO income for the last 10 weeks.

The reason that I feel the need to contact you is that we have found such peace in coming to your church. I feel it has been very important for our son as well. Our lives have taken on a whole new meaning and direction.

I have been having such a hard time with so much hate for these people that have done this to us and really feel that we need some help getting over what has happend to us. I know that hate is not the way, and we need help getting over what has happened.

Everytime we come to church and listen it seems like it was tailor-made to our lives and what has happend to us. It has been a perfect example of how greed can take over so many poeples lives and that when God gave us the power and money, what did we REALLY do with it?

Currently I am a month and a half into a 6 month study/missions trip in India. I have not been able to find a church here and it has been such a blessing to be able to dowload the sermons every week. India is such a sea of relativism and it is so difficult not to have a community of believers to process life with, especially when things here get tough. So it is really life-giving to be able to hear the word of God and know that I'm not alone, and that others stand upon the same truth. Thanks so much for everything that you do!! Blessings.

I am from a small town in the middle of Kansas and have yet to find a home church where I am challenged, yet encouraged. Thank you for the messages online, I love listening to them and feel like I am part of something, even though I live hours away.

Just had to say thank you Flatiirons... After over twenty years of fighting, cursing God and basically having nothing to do with him.....I seem to be finding my way back. My story is not special many have been through a lot more than I have...but somewhere along the way I lost my faith. I have seen somethings, lost people....well lost better people than I am... and I decided that as a strong man...a good man I did not need God... I would stand on my own. If God allows these things to happen I needed nothing from him...this made me a bitter man....The years have not been easy...ending in divorce after many years and the destruction of just about everything/only things I truly cared about. Walking up to the front of the church to receive my wristband...I almost fell down sobbing...knees were knocking...I don't cry and I am not afraid of much...but doing that took everything I had to hold it together. Thank you for not judging, giving hope and telling it straight! Maybe there is something out there for me...I yield... no more fighting, I only ask for his love and direction... Last time...Thank you!!

i just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am currently deployed in Afghanistan with the United States Army and I noticed within my first few days here in country that we had a banner hanging from you all in our dining facility. it brought a huge smile to my face and filled my heart with happiness. You have no idea how much we appreciate your support and prayers here. I've only had the chance to attend your church once with my wife before I left, but be assured I will make the trip from Ft. Carson as soon as I come home, Lord willing. We loved the service and hope to get more involved :) It made us feel like we were back home in southern California. Thank you again.

I was in fifth grade when my dad decided my family wouldn't be going to church anymore. I was disappointed with his decision but realized there was nothing I could do to change his mind.

It was my sophomore year in highschool that a friend of mine invited me to go to church with her. I walked into Flatirons and instantly felt God's presence, something I had been missing and needing. I also felt a sense of belonging and freedom. I attended Flatirons for two years by myself. During these two years, my famliy was blown apart by so many secrets and heart breaking situations, I can honestly say Flatirons was the only thing holding me together. My mom decided to come to church with me on Mother's Day of my senior year. I can still remember her face when Jim had all the moms stand up, she was panicked, afraid of being judged for being there alone. I will also never forget what she said to me when she sat back down. She said "There are other women here alone, I'm not the only one." I was so happy she got to see what flatirons was all about..ME TOO! For the first time she didn't feel alone, and shamed for things that were not her fault. She still attended flatirons alone even after I left for college.

It is my sophomore year away from home and I was able to come home for Thanksgiving break. I woke up that Sunday ready for my mom and I's usual routine of her and I going to church together, but was surprised to find my whole family awake and ready to go. Including my dad. I sat in that green chair and remembered sitting in that very spot by myself. This time, I looked down and saw my dad, mom, grandma, brother, sister in law, sister, and many other friends. We practically took up the whole row. My family had not been in church together for nine years... something I honestly thought I would never experience again.

Needless to say, we have an incredible God who restores, and mends the broken. He has used flatirons to restore my family in a way I didn't think was possible! Thank you for providing a healing place for my family. I can't believe I am actually excited to come home and go to church with my family at Christmas time. "I will rejoice I will declare, God is my victory and He is here!!!"

I was sitting in my therapist's office or whatever you want to call him earlier this week and I started talking about Merge. I told him how I was volunteering and meeting great new people and how much I loved being able to go every Sunday night. My therapist kinda smiles and says to me, "I hear about Flatirons all the time in here, its ridiculous. I've never had so many people tell me about a place. From the things people tell me about and the changes I see in people it has to be amazing. That many people couldn't love it otherwise."

I thought this was awesome and hilarious because just last week Jim was talking about how Merge and Flatirons is a "home of misfit toys" and a place where it's okay to not be okay. Which is one of the reasons I love this place, and I think it's only a testament to what Jim said when a therapist says he hears about it all the time, in his offi ce, and can tell the amazing things it's doing for people without ever having been there.

Home of misfit toys? I think so, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

For my entire life (21 years) I was adamant about God not existing. I grew up with a distinct lack of religion- we didn't even attend church on Christmas or Easter. My parents went to church when they were growing up but didn't feel the need to follow God when they left home for college. When they started a family, God was completely out of the picture. Religion and faith were never bad-mouthed in our family; they were just absent. My younger brother and I were raised to be open-minded and accepting of all people and their faiths, beliefs, opinions, lifestyles, race, social status, etc. so I never got a bad taste in my mouth when friends and family would talk about God or Christianity or Jesus. I did think they were wrong, though. I was certain that God was not real and that while I agreed that Jesus did walk this earth at one point, I thought he was just a man who finally instilled a sense of morality in the human race. I believed in right and wrong- always feeling some force guiding me to do the right thing, whether or not it was easy. At the time, I was sure that it was just some mystery of the human body; an undiscovered part of the brain holding a miniature moral compass where North equals Good. I was more or less content in my non-belief in God; I am a happy person in general so I thought that this was life at its best. I received love and care and support from the people close to me and could usually rely on my own strength and resolve to get through tough times. But All My Life…

I always wanted more out of my life. I wanted purpose. I wanted something richer, more gratifying, more inspiring, more loving, more substantial from life than I had found thus far. I never came close to finding what I was looking for in my daily life- the closest I would ever get was when I would genuinely and selflessly help someone improve his/her life. But it still wasn't enough. I was pretty sure that I would just continue through life looking ahead to the next stage hoping I would find satisfaction. I had no idea that God was what I was looking for. I can quote myself saying, "I don't even know if I want a God," because I didn't know what life could be like when you acknowledge God and His love. A month and a half ago, the bottom dropped out of my life. I encountered the worst time in my life and I was no comfort to myself. I needed help. Badly. I got down to the bare bones of ME and realized I am no bigger than my body. I could not save myself, I was not strong enough. Friends and family were there for me, but could not provide the help I needed. I needed God. A friend of mine always attended Flatirons before he moved out of Colorado, and the church suddenly popped into my head on a particularly bad night. He loves Flatirons (he watches the services online now) and would rave about the services, the people, and the message that God LOVES you. In that instance, I just knew that I had to go to the next service because I would find the help I needed. That Sunday was the Habitat service about cleaning out your life- getting rid of the negative and filling it with the positive and letting God in, regardless of your mess. It was also the service saying goodbye to Brian, and during "You Shine" I actually felt God. He was there in the church, with all of us, with me. I felt this crazy rush of energy coursing through my body and was suddenly humbled and awestruck and loved. It was indescribable. I was shaking, but more like buzzing with this energy-- GOD. I knew that I was finally acknowledging God. That God is real. He is real and I was wrong to deny Him. And I am on my way to fully accepting that despite completely denying His existence, He still loves me and is here for me.

I have been going to Flatirons every weekend now, and words cannot describe the amazing life I am now living. I am still struggling, but I am learning to ask for God's help. I am still a bit shaky on how Jesus fits into the whole equation; it's very difficult to change 21 years of thought dedicated to the inexistence of God and Jesus! But I have an open heart, mind, body, and soul. I am ready to begin life with God!! My past does NOT define me. I hope to take part in the next baptism weekend; watching the latest baptismal service was beyond inspiring. The looks on all those faces! I am so incredibly grateful to everyone at Flatirons- Jim, Scott, the beautiful worship team, the people sitting next to me during every service- for helping me find my faith and helping me open my heart to God. All my life I was looking for God but didn't know it. I have found Him now, and I realize He was with me my entire life; He was that mysterious moral compass guiding me. Now that I have acknowledged God and am openly living my life with Him, I am a changed woman! I am free. Life is so much better!!! I could never, will never, go back to a life without Him. I am so excited to continue my journey with God and Jesus at Flatirons; I have so much to discover about myself and about God. I feel so safe to be me- doubts and insecurities and all- when I'm there.

Flatirons, thank you so much. God certainly is doing great things in this church and I am so proud and so grateful to be a part of it all!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! And of course: thank YOU, God!!!!!!!!!!

Just a quick note to thank you for listening to and following God's heart, in this series and especially with Shine. I know you said that you are scared by people with disabilities, which makes this whole thing even more amazing. I send this e-mail as a thank you from my family, and more closely, my niece, Lora, who has been marginalized her whole life by people who didn't understand disabilities. Lora was born with Williams syndrome, but was able to attend school and even attain a GED, against recommendations of school counselors. She is a lovely 35 year old woman who volunteers at the Butterfly Pavillion and has a part time job, but Lora will never have a bridal shower, wedding or baby shower - those wonderful occasions that allow most women to be celebrated or "shine". Thru this Jesus Prom, Lora will have her moment. She's so excited you can hardly understand her as she shares about her dress or her anticipation of the evening. My sister-in-law, Lora's mother said that she and my brother had never imagined something like this for their oldest and only daughter, and all of us share in the excitement of our "marginalized" niece. By the way, Lora was pictured in the article by the Boulder Daily Camera, so now she's a family celeb.

Thanks again, Jim, for listening to God. It's quite a ride!

I attend FCC and saw the "Shine" video last Sunday at the 10:30am service. Today I was volunteering at the Butterfly Pavilion as I do on Wednesdays and one of the other volunteers came up to me wearing a beautiful orchid wrist corsage. I commented on her lovely corsage and she produced a cardboard folder with a photo of her and a friend photo from the recent "Shine" Prom! There she was dressed up in her gown with her corsage and all. She was so proud of her picture and corsage that she brought them to show everyone. Then she pointed down to her feet. She was wearing her silver ballet slippers that she wore to the dance. She was so pleased to show off everything. It made me feel so proud to attend the church that made her so happy. And if it wasn't wonderful enough to see her happy face, in the photo I saw one of the gowns I had donated. God really boosted my morale today! What a wonderful example of how much this event meant to so many and how it keeps on giving long after the event!

My wife, Ann, and I discovered Flatirons two years ago when we moved to Broomfield. I am a 70 year old retiree. I have been a Christian all my life being raised in a Roman Catholic family and ethnic (Polish) community. In my late twenties I began to be disenchanted and unsatisfied with my religion and began to investigate other religions and non-denominational churches. The non-denominational churches seemed to be closer to what I had formed in my mind as a place where God is present. As I advanced in age I had questions about creation versus evolution and for several years I have hoped to find an answer. The recent series at Flatirons featuring the $1 in the plastic box is without question the most effective, innovative, genuine Christian teaching tool I have seen in my lifetime. I am blown away by it's apparent effectiveness. Anyone can feel the kindness in the vestibule after the service. I have never been closer to being convinced of God's presence because of it. I commend you on this great idea and it's presentation.

I had gone to church on Mother's Day and I left with a great big smile on my face. I came home and talked to Dawn (my partner) about all the things you had talked about. We just sat down and she ask to watch the message from last week. With a great big smile on my face we sat down together and listened to your word. We both wanted to say thank you so much for letting us and other gay couples know that we are more than welcome in the church!

That touched Dawn and I in a great way. Thank you so much and God bless!

The weekend before last, my daughter came with us to the Saturday 6:30 service. She normally goes to Remix but something got in the way. Anyway, you made an impression on our 10 year old. On the way home, she announced that she was going to sit on the corner of the street and sell something to earn some money for the poor. I have to admit, at first, I was going to shut her down. I thought of the normal "lemonade stand" profit margin and figured it wasn't worth it. But something told me that was why you don't see a lot of kids out selling stuff to raise money for the poor.

I held in my negative attitude and suggested some pencils that we had made years ago to raise money for something else and she thought of all of the stuffed animals in her closet. When we got home, we made a poster. Then, on Sunday morning (remember it was only about 25 degrees out) she set up all by herself. Card table, two chairs, a tub full of stuffed animals, a box of pencils and her poster. I walked down to the corner and sat there with her. We read a little and waited for customers. Our third customer was (thankfully for me) our neighbor with a friend that plays with our daughter. She took my place and I was able to go home and warm up. She sold 12 items that morning (each item was $1).

The next day, she was still out of school, so she came to work with me along with the box of pencils. That day she sold 9 items. I have a pretty small office.

On Tuesday, one of our neighbors that saw us on Sunday but did not stop, came by and gave her $2 for her fund and didn't want any pencils or stuffed animals. She was pretty pleased with that.

Thank you for all that you do and the difference that you make in our lives.

Our daughter, home for the holidays from Villanova University, was inspired by Sunday, Jan. 3rd's, message... how can a small thing that I do make an impact in a larger way? Heading back to college (as a whole the 'Nova student body very involved in campus-wide service projects), she had the idea to invite her sorority to create kits for women in homeless shelters. Not knowing how to begin the project, we went through our house (my husband travels a lot for his job; we always ask him to bring as many hotel-size toiletries home as he can ... generally we donate to Habitat who channel them further into the community). She assembled as many shampoos, conditioners, and soaps as she could find and generated a "be creative" list to a hundred girls, who, in turn, gathered (or bought) essential items of their choosing (toothbrushes, deodorant, cosmetics, etc. to bring together this week to assemble kits. One girl is even using a contact through an airline to collect complimentary first-class toiletries bags that passengers often leave behind so that the girls can use them to assemble the items they collect. The project has begun this week as girls come back to campus for Rush; they may even inspire a fraternity to do a similar assembly for men! Just a simple: I have shampoo -- what do you have that we can share? story...

First and foremost you all are an awesome bunch of people and I thank you for being there and doing what you do. My neighbors introduced me to Flatirons and it's just what I've needed and wanted for a long time.

I am just emailing to say thank you and not really get into my long, old story.

I didn't do anything worth talking about today but it made me feel great. My daughter came to work with me and I went to McDonalds to get her a Happy Meal. There is construction on Washington by my work on the way to McDonalds and on the way back I brought the construction guys lunch to say thanks for putting up with all of the crazy impatient drivers.

It wasn't much and they probably didn't need it but I felt bad for the looks and comments they deal with day to day.
To my suprise the men were very appreciative, which made that small small thing so worth it.
Thanks for teaching me that small things count when you don't have a lot to give.

I just wanted to write to thank you for what you have meant to me and my family for the past 5 years--and for the way you are still ministering to me even now through your web site.

I first started visiting your church in 2002 when my son first started attending CU and "discovered" Flatirons. It became the church to visit when my wife and I were in the area seeing kids [all 3 ended up going to schools on the front range]

About the same time, I fell in love with another woman. A good friend who sang with me in the praise and worship band that I was a leader in. Her husband was also a good friend of mine who was my co-leader in a men's fellowship group that met weekly at the same church.

I was living a "secret life" for nearly 3 years. I remained a church "leader" in my home and a church "attender" at Flatirons when visiting kids with my wife. I can tell you guys this because you know that there are guys like me in your services every week. And its clear that you love us anyway.

The secret life "came to light" in 2005 at the same time that my daughter discovered that her husband of less than a year had cheated on her; and my dad was dying of complications from surgery in Greeley. It "came to light" through my own confession because I had "woke up" while on a mission trip and was tired of living two lives. To say it succinctly, ALL HELL BROKE LOSE !

My wife told me to leave. My church felt it necessary to make a public announcement to the entire church including reading letters of confession from my "friend" and myself. It became the "scandal of the year" in our town and all my Christian friends pretty much abandoned me. [Christians are the only ones who shoot their wounded] I moved from a beautiful 4 bedroom home on the River into a small studio apartment where the only One I had to talk to was Jesus! And I found for the first time in my life just what an incredible Friend He is !

I continued to go to the front range to see my kids and do what I could to heal the wounds I delivered to them---and would find myself at Flatirons. It was at your church that I received so much healing because Jesus is so obviously THERE! [I was no longer allowed in "my" church, but I'm not sure Jesus is allowed there either] Your constant message of GRACE, FORGIVENESS, "ME TOO", RECONCILIATION, etc. played a huge role in my healing.

My wife and I divorced. She told me, "you are not who I thought you were, I release you" It has been the most difficult "season" of my life, but in many ways the most enlightening. She is right. I was not who she [or I ] thought I was. I was a worship leader, a "deacon", the Men's Fellowship Leader, I had all the "trappings" of "really together Man of God" but I didn't really know Grace until "ALL HELL BROKE LOSE" I discovered a Jesus I never knew, a GRACE I never knew and, thanks to your Church, discovered what a Christian REALLY looks like. "Me Too" means, "we are all sinners saved by Grace."

Incidentally, my former wife and daughter [and occasionally my 2 sons] still attend your church and have found much healing there as well. Thank you! I married my "friend" [whom I love very much] this past June at a wedding attended by our true friends and family [most of them Christian] who have not held our sin against us and want to see us move forward. My wife's kids have forgiven as well and accept us and spend time with us. Even my wife's husband has forgiven us and treats us graciously. AMAZING GRACE! I pray the same will eventually happen for my kids.

In closing, I want you to know what an incredible healing source you have been for me and my family and continue to be. My new wife and I have attended your church a few times when visiting. And we are doing an at-home study using your PB&J series on line. Keep up the awesome work!

I first off want to thank you SO much for making your sermons available via Podcast. I am in the Navy, stationed overseas (Guantanamo Bay, Cuba) and the church options are very limited. The base chapel offers many services, including a Protestant service, but my experiences with military churches have never been positive. Anyhow, I heard from my girlfriend (who lives in Boulder) that many of her friends subscribe to your "Godcast" and I might like it. She was correct. I love both Scott and Jim's sermons are so well put together and touch on subjects that I haven't ever heard at church. I love that about you guys. Well, there's my flattery portion of the email. Now, I have a home church back in Loveland, but I do feel that if I were to go to Flatirons in person I would feel home there too. Alright, well I don't really know what the overall theme of this message was supposed to be, but I guess I just felt that you guys should know how deeply I appreciate you all. Have a great day and God bless,

I want to thank you for the ministry you have had in our family's life. My son, in January of 2008, went to live at a place called Shelterwood in Denver. It was a Christian theraputic residential care facility for troubled teens (my son would call it a group home.) Shelterwood has since relocated to a new campus in MO. Anyway, Flatirons happened to be the church they took the teens to every week. We started hearing about you quite frequently from our son and how the ministry there impacted his life. We would go online and listen to your services every week so we could share in what Ryan was a part of every Sunday. When we went for a parents weekend, the main thing the kids wanted to do during the free evening was take their parents to Flatirons church. Blew me away!! All these teen boys, independent of one another, made plans to take their parents to church!

Fast forward a year and a few months. Ryan did come home in September of 2008 with a healing touch from the Lord. Your ministry, along with Shelterwood played a huge role in Ryan's life.

My husband has started some business development out in the Denver area. He is working with a specific group out there and has been able to share his testimony with the CEO of the group. Actually they have become friends. This gentleman to our knowlegde, is not a Christ-follower but God is drawing this man to Himself. In one of their meetings, Ted, my husband was sharing about the ministry of our church and this gentleman said that it sounds like the church he has been attending -- FLATIRONS. What a conversation they had! That was about a month ago. Last week, out of the blue, this man sent Ted the CD of your Waste Management series. Ted put it in one of our vehicles and listened to it on the way to work. The next day, Ryan took that same car to school. Before he left there was some pretty ugly moments. He was heading down a slippery slope. He got to school and gave me a call. "Hey, Mom, was that a message from Flatirons?" He proceeded to say that he had listened to the message and that message was just what he needed to hear. He then asked for forgiveness as he was very sorry for how he had treated me. But God, when we are all spent from parenting, God is at work in the hearts and lives of our kids. Again, your ministry continues to impact our family. I wanted you to know that.

I am often led to pray for your pastor.

Finally, please know that my husband and I are grateful for how all of you at FCC have been obedient to God's call upon your lives to serve the Father for such a time as this. I can't express it enough. You were one of the tools that God used to capture that heart of a teen in crisis: our son, Ryan. Because of that, Flatirons will hold a special place in our hearts and lives. Thanks for being part of the rescue.