SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. If you had to survive on Mars like Mark Watney, what's one skill you have (or wish you had) that would be surprisingly useful for survival? (e.g., "I'm really good at budgeting my snacks" or "I wish I knew how to fix anything with duct tape.")

2. The sermon uses the movie The Martian as a metaphor for difficult situations. What's a "poo-tato" moment you've experienced in your life recently – a challenging, unappealing, or unexpected obstacle you've had to navigate?

3. The speaker shared about a conversation with a friend where their experiences of grief were very different. Can you think of a time when you realized you and someone else were having vastly different experiences of the same event or situation? How did that realization impact you?

4. The sermon states, "The odds are against us: We are alone, we are broken, we are going to die." Which of these statements resonates most deeply with you, and why?

5. In the context of life inevitably flowing towards entropy and attending more funerals, the speaker's grandpa offered a sobering insight: "You're thankful if you have anyone left in your life whose funeral you still have to go to." How does this perspective challenge or affirm your own thoughts on mortality and relationships?

6. The sermon highlights Exodus 13:21-22, emphasizing "God is with us" through the pillar of cloud and fire. In what ways have you experienced God's tangible presence, guiding or illuminating your path, even during difficult times?

7. Exodus 15:23-25a describes God making bitter water sweet. Can you recall a "bitter" situation in your life that God has renewed or transformed into something sweet, or at least bearable?

8. Isaiah 40:31 says, "they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles." What does "waiting for the Lord" look like for you in practice, especially when you feel weary or faint?

9. The sermon reminds us, "God Saves Us" (Exodus 14:13-14 and Romans 10:9-10). How has understanding God's salvation, both from immediate danger and eternally through Jesus, changed the way you face life's challenges?

10. The sermon challenges us to see "poop potatoes as a blessing" and embrace a reality where we are "not alone," "not beyond God's repair," and "going to live." What's one practical way you can shift your perspective to embrace this truth in your daily life?

11. The "Next Steps" include CONNECT: Find Your Crew. Who is one person you can intentionally connect with this week to remind yourself you're not alone?

12. Another "Next Step" is COMMIT: Cultivate Your Garden (digging into the Word, prayer, confession). What's one small step you can take this week to "cultivate your garden" and nurture your spiritual life?