Maybe you've experienced a bad diagnosis, a lawsuit, an unexpected loss of a loved one, a large bill, a deal that fell through when you needed the work, a divorce, or something else on the endless list of disasters that can happen in this world.

I've personally experienced every one of these things. When unplanned, unexpected trouble happens, there's nothing that can describe the knot in your stomach, the overwhelming urge to give up or become angry, and the ache in your heart.

When I attended Harvard Business School, we had a speaker who shared how he overcame the disappointment of experiencing the four D's: Death of a loved one, Divorce, Disease, and Disaster.

I don't remember what his how-to formula was, but he never gave up and, through his decision to move forward, he was able to help and encourage others.

Whether you've experienced all four D's or just one, if you've gotten past it or you are going through it or are about to go through it, take comfort in knowing that, as believers, we have a blueprint for how to walk through challenging seasons in life.

That blueprint is scripted through an accounting in Matthew 14 of the day that Jesus got the bad news about the beheading of John the Baptist.

Jesus shows us that we must first turn to God then keep going, serve others, give thanks, and encourage others even through the most difficult seasons in our lives.

When we follow Jesus' example through our trials, we are being a living example of Christ. Through that example, we have one of the greatest opportunities to demonstrate what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ in this dark world. By doing this even in our darkest hour, we are reaching out our hands to help and inspire others to want to know more about Jesus.

Take heart, family. Our Savior has overcome the world!

This week's new thing to try is to register for an event on our events calendar. Once you register, you will have the option to save that event to your calendar. If you're like me, this is a HUGE convenience!

Speaking of events, we have three events this week and our first ever Christian Chamber en Español. So excited about all that God is doing! Keep scrolling to check out all of the exciting events happening around the chamber.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:

Mac Powell will open the expo with a worship experience we will be talking about for years!

Sponsorship and exhibitor options are available. Our exhibit floor is over halfway sold out! Click here for more information.

Christian Chamber member Emmy Zumwalt breaks down the Chamber news in a few minutes or less.