2012
Away
I am going away for a couple of days, picking up our son from college in NYC. I don't like to be away from home because it disrupts my daily routine of "accomplishing". I need to focus more on looking at times like this as Sabbath, a time to break with routine, not worrying about getting things done, and spending more time with God and and those that I love. -Pastor Mike
Storms
Life brings storms in our lives that challenge our demand for control. A managable Christian life is what we prefer, but storms keep us from losing our vibrant, growing edge. Should I satisfy my needs, or the needs of others? We must find a middle ground between ultruism and self-fulfillment, keeping ourselves and others in the dance. - Pastor Mike
Deed
Words can carry much weight or be nearly worthless. I myself prefer to see people reach others through their actions. 1 John 3:18 says, "Let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." To all the moms and other women who have had an effect on us during our lives thus far, "Happy Mother's Day" and thanks for what you do so well! -Pastor Mike
Comfort
We hear about comfort food, comfortable clothes, and Comfort Inns. But what is real comfort? Real comfort is being who you are with those who will not judge you unfairly. "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you..." - Isaiah 66:13 The closest comfort to that which God provides is the comfort of a mother. Happy Mother's Day! -Pastor Mike
New
"Batter my heart, three-personed God; For you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, And seek to mend; That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, And bend Your force, to break, blow, burn And make me new." - John Donne. Passion is God flowing through us. It is the presence of God, the Trinity, the River of Life that seeks to flow out of us, to do God's will. -Pastor Mike
Act
Jeff Imbach, in "The River Within", says, "When we accept the fact that God lives within and is emerging into our experiences, it changes the way we pray. We change from insisting that God fix things to realizing that God may be giving us the courage to act. Rather than becoming dependent on changing circumstances, we can act in a way that expresses God..." -Pastor Mike
Dig
Our young men's Bible Study is going to dig a fire pit today. I have a feeling that there will still be much theology discussed as we are working. I really love these guys who all came together with the inception of Converge Young Adults that meets every Saturday evening. I have seen miracles happen in many lives already. - Pastor Mike
Ask
Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and it shall be open to you." - Matthew 7:7. I asked two of my former CREW Youth Group members (now in college) if they would help me with youth group. They both said yes. Don't limit what God can do to further the Kingdom. Ask, seek, and knock! - Pastor Mike
Where?
Sometimes we wonder where God is. We know that God indwells us. Maybe we should ask, Where are we? St. Ausgustine said that God is at home within us and we are everywhere else. We are outside ourselves trying to satisfy ne deep needs of our hearts and making ourselves from the outside, in. Spend silent time in prayer to God today. -Pastor Mike
