We all make exchanges — all the time, in fact! But the exchanges that stick with us are the exchanges we have with people who impact our lives for the better. Maybe you've exchanged meaningful advice, wisdom, or encouragement with your friends, family members, heroes, coaches, pastors, or younger people you've invested in. Those exchanges are what this series is all about. In this four-week series from 2 Timothy, we'll explore some advice the apostle Paul gave to Timothy, a guy he was mentoring, because we can learn from Paul's wisdom too. Through it, we'll see how we can all exchange wisdom with each other (no
matter our age) by helping each other discover our gifts, develop discernment, get equipped, and find strength.

Some things are hard to understand. When we face a problem, situation, or idea we’re struggling to understand, it always helps to know someone we trust can explain it to us. When Jesus was here on earth, he spent a lot of time helping his followers understand some pretty hard-to-understand ideas about God. One of the ways Jesus often made complicated ideas simpler was by explaining them through stories and metaphors, which we call parables. These parables help us see that God's words are a firm foundation, in God’s kingdom, everyone belongs, God’s words invite a response, and that God’s kingdom is always growing.

Have  you  ever  heard  someone  say  something that seemed  unreasonable?  Maybe they told a  story or made  a  statement that was hard for you to believe. It’s not always easy to ask questions or express doubt when other people seem so certain, and that’s especially true when it comes to faith. If you ask hard questions about God or are honest about the things you’re not sure about, what will people think? Will they judge you? Will they laugh at you? But in this four-week series from the Gospels, we’ll see it really is possible to have questions and doubts while still having faith. Through Scripture, we’ll discover that when we have doubts and questions, we don’t need to ignore them or sweep them under the rug. Instead, we can look to Jesus, look to the Holy Spirit, look to God’s words, and look for God in unexpected places.