Quarterly Newsletter

I love the beach.  The waves crashing, I love that sound.  The golden glow of the sun on the water – water as far as I can see.  The sand, millions of grains that make up the soft, squishy feeling beneath my feet.  All made by a Loving Creator.

The vastness overwhelms me.  I feel so small, insignificant even.  But I am not.  I was made by that same Creator and so were you.  Remember the song, “Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water…”  He cares about us, knows our stories, and loves us anyway.

I cannot fathom His greatness nor his “bigness”.  To think he lives in my heart.  The same God who gives the ocean its power, He has power to give to us.

He longs for us to grasp ahold of that power – to use it to help us through each day.  He truly cares.  We can rest in that power today.

This morning in my quiet time, I read the verse about becoming child-like in our faith, without that, the Bible says we won’t see Heaven.  Let’s think about being like children.  A child is trusting, the way our faith in God should be.

The reading went on to say we need to be child-like in other ways too.  Things I had not thought about before.  How about things like our joy or zeal for life, the love of giving and the unconditional acceptance of others?  Children have a knack for all of these things and we would do well to follow their example.

Trust in our loving Heavenly Father, Joy for life, one day at a time.  Sharing freely what we have with others and acceptance of others for who they are.  These are tall orders, but with God’s help we can do it and it helps to better understand the verse on becoming like a child and I sure want to make Heaven, don’t you?

Do you ever think about being unique?  You are, down to your fingerprint.  There is no one just like you, anywhere.  Along with that uniqueness, comes the responsibility to be the best you can be.  I once read – be who you are, everyone else is taken.

So often we feel we need to fit a mold – to be like someone else, but trying to wear someone else’s shoes can be very uncomfortable.

God made you with your own set of abilities, your way of doing things, your smile.  He has a special job for you to do that no one else can do the way you can.  We often feel we don’t measure up to other people’s standards and we really don’t need to.  If we are doing the best we can with what God gives us, than that is the standard by which to measure.

Our best is all God expects and our best is our offering to Him.  I believe He smiles when we offer our best and not someone else’s imitation.

Today, be your best you.  The fit is more comfortable and you will be at the top for you are competing with no one.

You touched my day with simple things – I heard You in the boisterous chorus of hundreds of invisible, little creatures, Daddy called them “Peepers”.   Far above my head the birds vied for attention singing a song only You could have written.  At my feet were countless wild flowers scattered lavishly in the greening grass with gem-like colors only You could have painted.  You outdid yourself when a small butterfly flittered across my way – a sign that You make all things new.

Each thing, small, seemingly insignificant and yet beautiful because You touched it.  Each thing O God is a symbol, a symphony of praise.  O, that my heart, my life, my every fiber would echo those notes of praise and adoration, for You alone are worthy!

We all have done things we regret.  Many times I kick myself for the wrong I have done.  I don’t concentrate on what Jesus did for me.  My redemption is precisely why He came.  There is nothing I can do to merit His salvation.  I cannot earn it or buy it.  It is a gift freely given if only I reach out and accept it.

The longer I walk with Jesus, the more precious I realize is His love for me.  To give Himself so completely so that I can be forgiven – that thought I can hardly comprehend.  I don’t need to look back my guilt is covered if I but ask.  Someone has said, “Don’t look back you’re not going that way.”  How true that is, but how hard to do.

Jesus, our Savior stands with open arms to receive us if we press forward.  Each day He offers a new chance to start again.

There will be times we will look back because of our humanness but I am reminded of the verse that says, the one who has put his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for heaven.  That is pretty strong language.  I think it is to remind us that Jesus paid it all.

We can walk forward, knowing our debt has been paid and the goal is just in sight.