CHILDREN! What an incredible gift from God they are … straight from His hands to our hearts! We love them all the days of our lives, having discovered upon their arrival a new passion birthed within us that was before unknown. It’s an unmatched, unrivaled passion that enriches every experience our children bring to us. They make us smile, they make us laugh! Sometimes they make us cry and they can break our hearts. They amaze us and they delight us! Sometimes they drive us crazy and we’re not sure just what to do with them. They drive us to our knees in prayer … either for the joy of thanking God for them and claiming His blessings and favor for them – or because we’re at our wits end and know that the needed answers we’re desperate for lie only in the power of Almighty God. They make us ever so proud of them and they bless us more than they can ever know. From their cutest antics as toddlers to their wisest insight as adults, they are never far from their parents’ thoughts. They enrich us, stretch us, challenge us, grow us, and fulfill us. Because of their presence in our lives we seek to be more like Jesus, so that as they follow us, they can follow the example of Christ in us. From the wondrous moment we first gaze upon their pure, fresh, baby faces – so perfect and so beautiful, we’re enraptured with these tiny ones who have been placed in our care. We fall in love with them … we hold them, kiss them, cradle and cuddle them, feed them, watch over them, clothe them, change them … and then do it a seeming million times over. But that’s alright, because we just cannot get enough of these precious little creations. With each passing day, they change and grow just a little, but come 365 days later, here they are a little person running all over the place – discovering life through wide open eyes and showing pure excitement at each corner they turn! Flip the calendar pages a mere 18 times, and they’ve wiggled out of the childhood cocoon in many stages. They now emerge as a confident young adult ready to take the world on and spread their wings enroute to their future. Those precious years, no matter how much you cherish them and clasp every moment close to your heart … they race by at lightning speed! In a few blinks of the eye, suddenly your own children have children of their own. Your heart melts all over again when you hear a soft, little voice forming the words, “Grampa” and “Gramma”! I really think God outdid Himself when He created children and grandchildren … they are a gift like none other! It is such a privilege to lift them in prayer every single day – sometimes several times a day. I love praying God’s Word over them; and I love claiming God’s anointing and divine favor in their lives. What great value our children and grandchildren have; I hope they know that! They are loved by God and given fresh power from the Father above for each new day. One of the scripture verses I pray over them is from Ephesians 2:10, “Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” What better understanding could we wish for our children? So many times, my mind recalls ways that our sons ministered to us during their childhood and early adulthood, with truly profound wisdom beyond their years. I hear their voices yet, and I am ministered to all over again as I remember. They spoke affirmations, they spoke boldly, and they spoke God’s Word back into our lives … and they still do. Years later, enter their wives … and a sweet joining of ministry from each of them to us. Some of that is being manifested now to the third generation – we see God revealing Himself to our grandchildren, using them and working through them, even the very young ones. Our hearts overflow with gratitude to God! Our prayer is always that God’s Spirit will fall on them, and that they will be ever so aware of His deep, abiding presence. Our prayer is that all of us will always be available as willing vessels for God to use in any way He chooses. We believe God’s Word – that in these last days, our children and grandchildren will be used of God greater than ever before. And just what does God’s Word say about this? “ … this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’” (Acts 2:16b, 17, 18, NIV) How interesting, the footnote for those verses reminds us that God Spirit is poured out on everyone, regardless of their age or their gender or their rank. What a privilege for our families that God has promised to give us and our children and our grandchildren His Spirit and His power, for His glory! How exciting to be used of God together as a family! Look out world … here come the Joneses empowered by the Spirit of God! And your family can give the same shout!!! To our sons and daughters and grandchildren … we love you more than we can tell you; and we are so thrilled to be a team – serving God together … today, tomorrow, and into eternity! HAPPY CHILDREN’S DAY!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- WHAT A SPECIAL SURPRISE to be honored by our church family this past Sunday with a beautiful, delicious 40th Anniversary cake! Thank you to all of you for your love and prayers and special wishes and gifts! You truly make us feel loved! We had an incredible celebration! God’s blessings to all of you!
- OUR DEEP APPRECIATION goes out to the family who donated a custom made Communion table for our church; it will be a blessing to us each time we “partake and remember Jesus and what He did for us!” Thank you for such a meaningful gift to our church family!
- OUR GRATITUDE goes out to our Power Point team who blesses us each Sunday as we worship: Isaac, Rogelio, and Tina! May God bless you for sharing your time and talents with us!
- BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES to Aleana on her 5th birthday; she celebrated on June 7th! May God bless you with a very special year, Aleana!
- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, honoring our kids for CHILDREN’S SUNDAY … with a part of the service focused on their songs, along with a story and a Bible lesson just for them! Come and be a part of this fun, uplifting time – and practice childlike faith along with our little ones!
- KIDZ/TEEN TIME following the service – with lunch at McDonald’s and swimming at the Serengetti Park at the Holiday Inn! Please bring your own money for lunch, and the church will provide the tickets for swimming! What a fun afternoon … invite your friends today!
- NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 19TH: FATHER’S DAY! How awesome to come together to honor our dads on this Lord’s Day! Pastor Doug will be preaching a special message for our dads that also points to our Father in heaven! Don’t miss it! (Guys, a special celebration is in the works for you – watch for details!)
- COMING SOON: WOMEN OF FAITH planning meeting; MEN’S EVENT; SUMMER PICNIC; SPECIAL MINISTRY OUTREACHES; and A NEW LOCATION in the works! Be in prayer for the life of our church!!!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- WE SEE GOD AT WORK each week in so many ways, and yet there are always new opportunities for being on our knees in prayer! This week, let’s continue to hold each other up, praying for the needs we are aware of, and for others that are unspoken. Let’s also be in prayer for Johnny in his Bible Study program, for Wayne as he recovers from neck surgery, and for Lundstroms and Seykoras as they serve God here and abroad! Great is our Lord!
- REMEMBER . . . “When we appeal to God as a helpless infant, He picks us up in His gentle hands and cradles us in His powerful arms … We have nothing to lose by leaving it up to Him.” ~ Vincent F.Collins
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
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