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“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-16
References: Joshua 24:14-16, John 21:18-19
In Joshua's last moments of life, we get to see the fruit of his maturity throughout the years. Joshua's life was made up of decisions. Even though his heart didn't always desire to do the things the Lord had called him to, the older he got, the more willing he became to walk into those places. When following God begins to be undesirable, we have to reflect on our desires and why they are not pointing to Him. Desires are fleeting, but decisions last. Joshua made his decision to embrace the call upon his life, which led him to finish strong.
The mature me doesn’t just start, the mature me finishes
When we step out in faith to serve the Lord, we may face challenges and setbacks. While it’s normal to falter and occasionally fall, it’s the speed at which you return to confidence after a setback that is a clear sign of maturity. This ability to ‘bounce back’ is a key aspect of building a strong character - the person you are when no one is watching. Joshua didn’t choose popularity with people as his guide. He chose obedience to God. Instead of looking to please people, make a decision to serve God.
The book of Joshua reminds us if we don’t love God, we will not serve Him. But it is usually not a lack of love that stops us from serving Him; rather, our desires for things of this world. Maturity in Christ is being willing to be led to places where we don’t want to go and having faith that God always goes first. As we saw Joshua portray, the Bible calls us to seek to please God more than we seek to please man.
Joshua’s famous words are much more than a mantra. They define the faith which makes us into who God has called us to be. Daily, we’re faced with having to choose to be challenged over our comfort. Making difficult decisions forces us to grow and become more like Christ. If we stumble and experience setbacks, God is still good; He never leaves us to walk alone. Rather, He works in us to cultivate strong character and holiness. But it is always our choice to take the first step of surrendering our desires to Him. Then, even when serving God becomes less than desirable, the ‘Mature Me’ lets unshakable faith stand in the gap.
Sometimes becoming a ‘Mature Me’ requires reflection. Take time this week to reflect on one area you feel God is calling you to mature in. Write down your areas of growth and your commitment to surrender. Be ready to share next Crew week!
Need a midweek reset? Join us every Wednesday at VOUS Miami Gardens and VOUS Design District in the Prayer Room for an incredible hour of prayer starting at 12PM. Make it part of your weekly rhythm!
Where: VOUS Miami Gardens and VOUS Design District
When: Every Wednesday
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Join us for Vision Sunday! Pastor Rich & DawnCheré Wilkerson will be sharing vision and marching orders for the year ahead. Be sure to invite your friends & family and get in the room!
For more information on Vision Sunday, click here
Team Night is happening on Wednesday, November 12th across all four VOUS locations starting at 7:00 PM!
Whether you’ve been serving for years or are just getting started, your presence matters. Team Night isn’t just for a specific team or department, it’s for our locations to come together as one cohesive team and move forward as one.
Sign up for your location below:
SoMi | City | Miami Gardens | Design District
Are you interested in leading a crew? Click here to fill out an application to become a crew leader in SZN 1 2026!
You don't want to miss the chance to hang with us at VOUS High Nite on Wednesday, November 5th @ 7PM, a night for the middle and high school community of VOUS Church.
We'll be hosting a Parent Hangout during VHN – an opportunity to get to know other parents in our community. Dinner provided.
To RSVP for VOUS High Nite, click here
To RSVP for the Parent Hang, click here
Where:
VOUS SoMi @ One City Church | 6750 Sunset Drive
VOUS Miami Gardens | 17801 NW Second Ave
Make Thanksgiving special for a family in need by serving at our annual Thanksgiving Bash, a morning of distributing hundreds of meals to families in our community and watching teams compete for the VOUS Bowl Title in our spirited 7-on-7 flag football tournament.
To donate a meal kit online, click here
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 22nd
Time: 11:00AM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Start your Thanksgiving with fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! We’ll see you at the starting line!
Sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 27th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
VOUS SoMi
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:00AM / 12:00PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
VOUS Design District
8:30AM / 10:00AM / 12:00PM
Church Online
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack
