What should the church look like?

The way I want the church to look - Grace Ouellette (7)

  At Winchester Wesleyan, we once were considering a major building project.   It was not driven by need for additional space (at least not at the present time) but rather by the fact that the present facility has become "tired".  (It is after all, 160 years old)


The church board had been wrestling with this for a while and was - stuck between two options.  We thought that we were getting very close to the point where a recommendation  would be made and acted upon.  In the meantime, we continued to "hum and haw" about what we wanted the finished project to look like.

Finally we had our first "info" night to begin to elicit ideas from outside the board.  One family brought their children, who played quietly during the discussion.  When I arrived at the church the next morning, I found this picture.  Obviously, we have been looking in the wrong place for inspiration.
Because at that moment I suddenly knew: this is also what I want the church to look like.

Thanks Grace!

Finding Jesus in a Coffee Cup

For the past three weeks, he has come to the HUB! with backpack full of questions. (For those who don't know, the HUB! is a Friday night youth drop-in center we run in the basement of the church.) Jeff told him that if he has questions about whether or not God is real, and whether or not God wants to talk with him, just go home and ask. Go home and pray something like this: "God, at the HUB! they say you are real. I'm not sure I believe it, but I think I want to, so if you are real, show me."

This week he came back all excited, saying "I found Jesus in a coffee cup!" We all laughed and then he told this simple story. He was at his Mom's place of work, thinking about what Jeff had told him, and he was praying that prayer. For whatever reason, he began to fidget with a random coffee cup. (You know how you'll do something just to keep the hands occupied while you think.) At some point, he looked at the cup and noticed that the inscription on it read, "Jesus is real."

Now I know that we are not talking about a miracle of huge proportions here. I know the cup said "Jesus is real" before he picked it up. I know that we can't take this story and run to the secular press shouting, "Look, look. Jesus is real. It says so on this coffee cup."

But today I'm not talking about God revealing himself to the world. (If I remember correctly, He did that at Calvary.) Today I'm talking about the desire that God has for His Spirit to talk with the spirit of a 12 year old boy. Even that boy is mature enough to know that it doesn't prove anything. He told me that God doesn't normally talk an an audible voice, but that he could use little things like this to get our attention.

But here's one thing I know. The 12 year old boy is in a conversation with God, and God is both listening and speaking intently.

Here's a few things to ponder:

• Do you think God wants His Spirit to chat with your spirit?
• Are you willing to sit down and listen? The Bible talks about the "still small voice" of God. We live in a world with a cacophony of competing voices, so it seems to me that it might take intense listening, focused listening to really hear the voice of God.
• Don't be surprised if the chat begins over a "cup of coffee"

Sunday Worship

It's Saturday, and I am still very much thinking back to the family vacation (I'll write about the Reunion 2010 tomorrow). In an effort to help wean me back into reality, my daughter Sarah reminds me that it is less than 19 weeks until my house is over-run by Christmas guests!

But, back to the present. Tomorrow is Sunday, and we are looking forward to seeing all the "Winchester'ites" at worship. We will continue the theme of "Summer in the Psalms - Delighting in the Lord." Tomorrow it will be Psalm 16 - a song that I am calling "David's testimony of delight."

Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of verse 1 and 2 (The Message) says: Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. I say to God, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense.

And he ends the song (v. 11) by paraphrasing "Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way."

I think Peterson (and David) may be on to something: Run to God, and you'll be on the right way!

See you in church on Sunday.

Hurray for Caton's Family Camp

It has been too long (for no good reason) since I posted a blog of any sort. Today (for better or worse) I am back.

What better way to restart than by re-hashing a wonderful vacation from which Lorraine and I have just returned. It had at least two very distinct parts, both involving family. Today's post refers to only the first part - a Family Camp at Caton's Island.

For $590.00 I was able to take 12 members of our family (Krista from Truro, Gina from Seattle, and Jaymie from Antigonish) along with their children (our 6 grand-kids) to what is arguably the most relaxed weekend we have ever enjoyed together. Thanks to Dean Stephenson and a wonderful staff (www.catonsisland.com) for making this possible. Your team set the atmosphere where this could happen.

From zip-lines (the kids, including four year old Naima, did it while 57 year old Grand-papa chickened out) to scavenger hunts; from beaches to horse-back; from bon-fires to chapel services; it was a wonderful way for three generations of family to interact. In fact, for a while there were four generations, since Lorraine's parents came for parts of two afternoons.

Don't know if this will happen again, but this time was a great experience, and could only have been enhanced if Sarah (Pittsburgh) could have been able to join us.

If interested, pictures are available on my face book by clicking:

Here

Here

and Here

Too Close for Comfort

How terribly embarrassing it could have been.

I pulled out of the driveway at three minutes to 7 pm - prepared to do the Prayer of Invocation at the 7:30 High School Graduation. In case you are wondering, that means immediately after the 7:30 processional march, the Principal would introduce me, and I would say a 7:33 prayer. Nothing to it really - 33 minutes for a five minute drive, find a parking spot, stroll to the school, engage in some small talk with the big wigs, march in, and pray. It was an honor to be asked to do this, and I was looking forward to it.

Have you ever had a mysterious sense of foreboding? One of those times when you know something is wrong, but you can't put your finger on the reason? Check the gas gage! No problems there. Check your watch! Just as I thought - 7:01 pm.

But then it hit me. The 7:30 Graduation was really at 7:00! My 7:33 prayer was a 7:03 prayer! Amazingly there was a parking place close to the school. Somehow the shortcut through the grass was not too wet. Somehow I managed to look composed (I know I must have looked composed) as I entered the school. Some kind woman began to lead me where she thought I should go. But what was wrong with her. I knew I should be in the already started processional. Don't make me go down this hallway. Don't you know who I am? Don't you know we should be going the other way? But ... down the (wrong) hallway we continued. At last I saw a familiar face, and he saw me, and he knew where I should be ... but alas! it was too late. The line had entered the hall, and I was left outside!

If only that girl had listened! None of this needed to happen. If only she had paid attention. It's all her fault!

This little mishap reminded me that the Bible talks about an appointment we all must keep. It says, "for it is appointed unto man once to die ... and after that the judgment!" It reminded me that I don't want to be running up and down the hallway at the last minute saying, "But I'm sure I'm supposed to be in that other line!" It reminded me that since Jesus has made all the necessary provision, I should take care today that everything on my end is in order!

In case it matters to you, my graduation story turned out OK. The man who rescued me knew another way to get me to where I should be, and when they announced my name, I stepped on to the stage ... right on time.

In case it matters to you (and I hope it does) you can be properly prepared for your ultimate appointment. When I was late, it wasn't the fault of the woman who took me to the wrong hallway. It was my fault. I was the one who neglected to get the details. I was the one who left home late. I could have changed the whole night by being prepared.

Jesus has made all the preparations for you! Don't be late.

The "Finger Prints of God" Are All Over This

Dr. Robert Ganges refers to God as One "Whose intelligence and Whose fingerprint seems to absolutely everywhere." Steven Curtis Chapman, in his song of the same title says, "I can see the fingerprints of God when I look at you." Fingerprintsofgod.org has an intriguing 10 minute video on the creation of the earth and its purpose. (Be sure to click on the "video" tab if you go there.) I am sure that there are other well-known references to this phrase, but for me it was new, and it resonates with truth.

Terry Larose is a son-in-law of Murray Holmes. Murray died last week after suffering a massive heart-attack at the age of 82. If it wasn't for the fact that Murray and Peggy were planning for a very public renewal of their 55 year old vows the next day, his death may not have come as such a shock to us. But they were, and when the news of the heart attack came, the weekend had all the earmarks of disaster. But when the funeral was over four days later Terry (whom I would describe as basically a non-churched man) looked at me and exclaimed, "I don't know if you are supposed to say this after a funeral or not, but ... this was wonderful. The fingerprints of God were all over it."

And I have to say, it was true. The emergency room became a sanctuary, and the stretcher became an altar. At the suggestion of a very cooperative nurse, I was able to perform the renewal of the vows ceremony. Nearly 50 people crowded into the small cubicle and listened as grandchildren read the Scripture, a daughter read the words of welcome, and we sang "Find us Faithful". (The words of verse three become especially powerful when sung in triumph in the death room.)

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we left behind
May the clues that they discover, and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the foot prints that we leave lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

And we all wept as I read a poem that Murray had given to Peggy many years ago.

Somewhere in the Darkness

When time has stolen away our stars, and only the night endures
Somewhere in the darkness, “Love”, my hand will still seek yours

When youth has danced its party dance and tasted its last sweet wine
Somewhere in the silence, “Love”, your hand will still find mine.

When God has taken away our years and our sun ceases to shine
Somewhere up in Heaven, “Love”, our hands will still entwine.

And through all of these things, the fingerprints of God were everywhere. I introduced them as the world's newest married couple, and one by one the family members came forward to say "Congratualtions ... and good-bye". Everyone knew what was happening. The doctor had told Murray and then the family that we were looking at a four hour window. I felt like an intruder standing near the head of this "stretcher/altar" in a scene that resembled an Old Testament patriarchal blessing. One by one they came forward, and one by one Murray reached out and blessed them with that great big hand and its gnarled fingers.

What a marvelous gift God gave this family, (and our church) as we witnessed His presence during this experience. When it was all done, another grown son looked at me and said, "On Friday, I was not a believer. Today I am."

Yes, Terry, the fingerprints of God are all over this.

Thanks be to God

Every step is half a mile

He called on Saturday night, obviously well inebriated and saying, "I need your help, and I'm coming to church tomorrow." We talked for a while, I asked if he wanted a ride to church, and he said, "No, I can walk." The last thing I heard him say as hung up the phone was, "Every step is a half a mile."

How true. When it is time to go back to church, the Enemy will make every step seem like half a mile. Amy, now the children's pastor at our church, tells of the times before she was converted. On several occasions, I had invited her to church, and on several occasions she had siad she would come. What I did not know was that on several Sunday mornings she actually left her apartment, walked right up to the door of the church, but could not find the strength to open the door and come in. Every step is half a mile.

As caring Christians. maybe a good part of our job is simply to help shorten the walk.

Hug a Porcupine - it will change your life

My cousin Steve used to lead a camping program that ministered mainly to children of prisoners. In listening to him speak a couple of years ago, he said that doing ministry to hurting children is much like hugging a porcupine. I'll let you use your own imagination to conjure up images of how that may feel, but at the very least he was saying that it will not be easy. But, at the same time, he was pointing out that there are rich rewards. I dare say that the rewards are worth the cost.

Heb. 12:2 tells us that Jesus, "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross and scorned not it's shame". In other words, for Jesus, the reward of souls redeemed was worth cost of the Cross.

Hug a porcupine today - it's worth the cost, and it will change your life.

Praying with (and for) the kids

He met me at the top of the stairs, and the first words out of his 12 year old mouth were, “Did you pray for my Dad tonight?” I had to admit that I hadn’t, so we stopped right there, had a short prayer and off he went, satisfied that his work was accomplished. It’s only been a week, but I find his words hard to get out of my mind: “Did you pray for my dad tonight?”

Each Sunday night at our church’s Kids club, we have a few moments for “pop-corn prayer.” It simply means that a child prays a one or two sentence prayer and then says “pop”, indicating that it’s someone else’s turn. At the beginning, I was amazed that the kids wanted to pray. After getting over that initial surprise, I continue to be intrigued by two things about their prayers.

First, I am surprised by the weight of the things they pray for. Of course they have a wish-list of toys and things they would like to have. But they quickly get past that, and turn their attention to the things that really matter to them – their brothers and sisters, their Moms and Dads. A significant number of them have major health concerns in their immediate or near family members, and every week these are the focus of their prayers.

Secondly, I am surprised at how they gravitate towards the adults who join them in their prayers. Every Sunday I watch the 12 year old I mentioned above as he seeks out a 58 year old man of the church and starts to tell him about his week. The ONLY thing these two have in common is that together the boy and the man have prayed for the boy’s dad.

Do you want to make a change in your community? When you pray tonight (you will pray tonight, won’t you) get past your own wish list, and begin to pray for a young teen. Get to know their name, and let them know you pray for them.

“Hey pastor! Have you prayed for my Dad today?” “Why yes, young man, I have!”

We Really Do Need Each Other

- They used to be nominal church members. I forget how it started, but they became part of an unoffical small group in the church. (I say unofficial, because we didn't have any "official" small groups.) They met regularly with three or four other people, - studying the Bible together, praying together, encouraging each other - and it was amazing to watch the growth in their lives. The reality of the presence of Jesus began to show through their lives in a way that it never would or could if they had kept up the routine of merely coming to worship on Sunday mornings.

- She was a solid part of the church community, an exemplary Christian ... had been for years. Attended, worked, gave ... all the things people are expected to do. But she was alone ... until circumstances in life forced her to touch base with some others. She began to ask for prayer, and another unofficial small group was formed; not a "group" in the sense that it met every week, but a cadre of concerned individuals that took each others lives and needs seriously, a group who conscientiously prayed for and encouraged each other in the Lord, a group that knew they could trust one another.

I see the way people's spiritual lives bloom when they begin to trust fellow worshippers with their concerns, and I wonder "Why don't we all do that?"

Who are you praying with?
Who is praying for you?

Your church family will become a much more vibrant part of your life when you start to look on it as your family - when you start to ask each other for help, when you begin to pray and encourage each other.

We really do need each other.

The Danger of Misinformation

In a group email a few weeks ago, someone asked about a mutual acquaintance, and I responded to the group with the latest "authoritative" information that I had.

Here is a direct quote from my response - You mentioned _____ and _____. I just heard today from (another mutual acquaintance) that a couple of weeks ago, there was a flooded basement, and so the home they were looking forward to moving into is not available for a while. There is mold, which of course must be taken care of. So, in their first weeks of retirement, everything is in storage, I think they are living with friends (or family)

Today I got an email from the couple we were talking about. He says:

"Hello Thurland. How are you doing? I've been so busy that our computers are still sitting around unpacked. I'm emailing from the local library (which works fine). Regarding the above quote, nothing could be further from the truth! I wonder how these stories are put together! I'm happy to tell you that we are doing very, very fine. We are counting our blessings from the Lord day by day, sometimes hour by hour! It is truly wonderful here, and we've never been happier.

He goes on to tell me some more details, but the point is that my original story was comppletely false. Fortunately, on this one, it doesn't matter a lot. But it is a good lesson. How often do we pass on "facts" that really aren't "facts"? And how much damage might be done by those "non-facts"? Probably a lot more damage than having mold in the basement.

An old Sunday School song comes to mind. O be careful little mouth what you say (2x) For the Father up above is looking down in love. So be careful little mouth what you say."

THINKING & PRAYING EVANGELISTICALLY

The theme of our Tuesday night midweek (open to all, but realistically consisting of 5 people on a low night, 15 on a high night, and regularly 8-10) is "Thinking and Praying Evangelistically."

In fact - Our church is a member of an evangelical denomination. This simply means that we embrace the doctrine of personal salvation espoused by Jesus when he told Nicodemus, "You must be born again." We believe in a real heaven, and a real hell, and we believe that Jesus is the way of salvation.

In actuality - While our church is evangelical in name, it falls short of being evangelistic in practice. This means, that while we say we are evangelicals, in practice we have not placed a high priority on sharing this with members of our community.

In faith - It is our Tuesday night prayer that that will change. the Tuesday night midweek is praying and believing that we will train ourselves to not only "think and pray evangelistically", we will begin to "act evangelistically." Will you pray with us?

What do you think? Is evangelism important. Is it important for Winchester Wesleyan to regain this impetus? Are you going to be a part? Do you have real people with real names for whom you pray? Do you pray that God will open a door so you can share the Gospel with them?

Are you an evangelistic thinker? An evangelistic prayer? Are you willing to make the personal changes necessary in order to become one?

Click the comment button below and let us know what you think

Thurland

An exercise worth trying, a gift worth giving

From Madeleine L’Engle’s foreword to Christopher Arnold’s book - “Seeking Peace”

A decade or so ago one evening during Lent, at Manhattan’s Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, I listened to the Reverend Canon Edward West talk about the peace we seek, and use the rather unexpected metaphor of a subway. Most of us in the audience that night rode the subway, to the Cathedral, to and from work. He pointed out to us that if we looked at the people riding in the same car with us, most of them would look as though nobody loved them. And that, alas, was largely true.  Then he told us that if we would concentrate inconspicuously on one person, affirming silently that this person was a beloved child of God, and, no matter what the circumstances, could lie in God’s peace, we might see a difference. Peace is not always something you “do;” it is a gift you can give.

The next time I rode the subway I glanced at a woman in the corner, hunched over, hands clenched, an expression of resigned endurance on her face. So, without looking at her, I began to try to send God’s loving peace to her. I didn’t move. I didn’t stare at her. I simply followed Canon West’s suggestion, and to my wonder she began to relax. Her hands unclenched; her body relaxed; the lines of anxiety left her face. It was a moment for me of great gratitude, and a peace that spread out and filled me too. It is something I try to remember as I ride a subway or bus, or walk down the crowded streets, or stand in slow-moving lines at the supermarket. If God’s peace is in our hearts, we carry it with us, and it can be given to those around us, not by our own will or virtue, but by the Holy Spirit working through us. We cannot give what we do not have, but if the spirit blows through the dark clouds, and enters our hearts, we can be used as vehicles of peace, and our own peace will be thereby deepened. The more peace we give away, the more we have.

The Cost of Running From God

Down, Down, Down

Jonah 1:3 reads (in part) “so he paid his fare and went on board.”

I know that Jonah did not think that this purchase of a ferry ticket in any way paid the cost of his attempted escape from the will of God, but when I read it this phrase started me thinking about the cost of running from God.  The more I think of it the more I realize that what we see as the total cost is really only a down-payment.  

For Esau, it was the cost of a mess of pottage.  For Jonah, it was the price of a ferry ticket.  What is it for you?

Some random thoughts from this first chapter of Jonah

1.     For Jonah, it was all down hill after he paid the fare.

• He went down to Joppa


• Then down into the boat

1:4 - There was a great wind and a mighty storm
1:11 - Then it grew more and more tempestuous
1:13 - the sea grew more and more stormy against them

• Until finally, it was down into the belly of the whale.

He got all of this for the price of admission to a ferry.  

Are you wracked on the storms of your life?  Is it because you are running from what God has asked you to do?  

2.     Interestingly, while Jonah was running from God, he was able to salve his conscience by keeping a proper theology.

- In Chapter 1:9 he says, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.”
- In Chapter 2:9 he prays, “Salvation is from the Lord”
- In Chapter 4:2 he continues, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”

All of this paints a great picture of God - the Creator, the Redeemer, and the compassionate, forgiving One.  This is an outline that any evangelical preacher would recognize as fodder for a great message. And yet, here was Jonah, running from God … to do who knows what.

3.     Jonah was able to fall asleep.  Again, I know this was from physical exhaustion, but it is also a picture of one who has become spiritually non-responsive.  God says “Nineveh”, but I think Tarshish is just as good.  God says “east”, but I’ll choose west.  God says “Preach” but I choose to sleep.  

The “sleep” is a picture of a good conscience, but this illustration shows us that the conscience - by itself - cannot be trusted.  In I Timothy 4:2, Paul talks about teachers “whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.”  

The cost of running from God
     The price of a ticket is just a down payment
     From there we go down, down and still down
     Until finally our conscience can no longer be trusted

Is it any wonder we cannot hear his voice?

You want me to join a church?

Church Membership - a case of “collective hearing”

It has often been said that when men get married, they get a case of “selective hearing.”  In other words, they hear what they want to hear, and conveniently miss what they want to miss.  (In defense of married men, I’d like to say that’s not true.  I’d like to … but…that’s probably best left to another article)  

I’ve been thinking about Church Membership this week.  (On Sunday, our church is receiving eight new members - an exciting day for a small church.)   Today, in conversation with my secretary, it came to me that church membership is a case of “collective hearing.”  There are many leadings of God we miss when we depend on our own understanding.  But when all of the ears of a group of people listen intently, collectively they hear it better.  

No church is perfect.  No church has all the answers.  And to a great extent, the idea of church membership has fallen into disfavor.  But I want to say that one great advantage of commitment to a church through membership is this - you develop collective hearing.

             

Putting Things in the Right Place

THE “LORD’S PRAYER” AS OUR MODEL

Our small group Tuesday night meeting this fall has been filled with lively discussion and no small amount of introspection as we walked through the model prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray.  As we prayed it together, we found it is much more than a litany of oft-repeated words.  It helps us to put our life in the right order.

It is a good model for prayer.  By that, I mean, it is meant to be prayed in the order it was given.  For example, when I pray by jumping in the middle (“Give me my bread”), I am quite likely to be selfish in my requests.  On the other hand, it seems that when we do step one seriously, an honest look at step two is more apt to follow.  Step three naturally follows step two, and so on until the end.  

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Step One - “PUTTING GOD IN HIS PLACE”
I say this carefully, but this phrase puts God in His place.  Not, of course, in the manner in which we often think of “putting so-and-so” in their place … in fact it probably would be better if I said that this phrase recognizes the place of God.  The Heavenly Father.  The Holy Heavenly Father.  A holy God who desires family relationship … with me!  Our God is an awesome God, He reigns in heaven above with wisdom, power and love.  Our God is an awesome God.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven
Step Two - “GOD PUTS ME IN MY PLACE”
When I dare to pray this, and listen while I pray, it is as if I hear God whisper to me, “You’re kidding, right?”  And of course, I piously answer, “No.”  Then he gently (sometimes) shows me that if I really mean that, I must stop worrying about his will in the world, and be serious about attending to his will in my life.  

Give us this day our daily bread
Step Three - “PUTTING MY DESIRES IN THEIR PLACE”
This is a dangerous part of the Lord’s Prayer, if we have not been serious about step two and three.  The idea of a Christian with an elevated view of self, and a diminutive view of God’s role is quite laughable. Can you not see how childish it looks to the Heavenly Father?  “Dear God, give me this and this and two of those.  And while I have you on the line, perhaps you could get tomorrow’s things together and hand them through the drive-through window.  I will be in quite a hurry, you know.  Thanks for everything.  Bye.   And, oh, by the way, couldn’t you do something about the Tsunamis and hurricanes.  The never-ending requests for help are becoming quite overbearing.”

Our intercession changes dramatically when we have taken time to acknowledge the rightful place of God, and allow him to place us in our place.   The shopping list of selfish requests is left outside the prayer closet.  In fact, there comes a time when we are concerned more about others heart aches than even the necessity of our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
Step Four - “PUTTING MY ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHERS IN ITS PLACE”
This step of forgiveness is not quite as altruistic as it seems.  I think God instructs us to do the hard work of forgiving others, because it is good for us.  (In fact, I think most of God’s instructions are for that purpose.  For example, the goal of the Ten Commandments is not to keep us from everything that is fun; it is to protect us from everything that is dangerous.  But that’s another lesson.)  Non-forgiveness brings ulcers, it robs us of sleep, and it steals the energy that could be used in many other ways.  In effect, the person we do not forgive is elevated to a place where he is allowed to come between you and God.  Do you really want that person to have that power over you?  “Forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil - for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory - forever
Step 5 - “PUTTING SIN IN ITS PLACE”
Tonight we discovered several Scripture verses that could be used as positive affirmations to remind us that Christ has given us victory over sin, and thus his power and glory are at work in our lives.

• Phil. 4:13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength


• I John 4:4 - You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.


• Romans 8:36-39 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


• James 4:7-8 - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you

And everyone’s favorite tonight

• Psalm 18:29 - with my God I can scale a wall.

    

Don't Epect Too Much

“Life is meant to be managed, not cured.”
Dr. Phil

I like that.  It doesn’t mean we have to fatalistically accept everything that comes our way, but it does mean we will be much more contented if we make the best of every adverse situation.  This morning on the news I saw a beautiful teen-age girl.  She had just been crowned the home-coming queen for her school, and was celebrating with her friends.  She was an accomplished artist - one of those girls that seemed to succeed at everything she did.  It was exciting to watch.  

Oh … I forgot to mention that the 17 year old has Cerebral Palsy, and has been in a wheel chair all her life.  Her paintings are created with a brush in her mouth, and everything she does takes all of her energies.  Her speech is slurred, but her smile is beautiful.

Life is meant to be managed, not cured    

Who is He to You?

Jesus: The Great Physician or merely a Band-aid?