Monday, November 25, 2013

#100

This is the 100th post to our NHBC Blog! Thanks for allowing us to share our hearts with you each week. Since this is also the week of Thanksgiving, I can't think of a better way to celebrate 100 posts than with one of my favorite psalms, a song of thanksgiving, Psalm 100.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations. (NIV)


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A Time To Be Thankful

A Time To Be Thankful

As hard as it is to believe, we are a month from Thanksgiving. In writing/putting this article together, I came across the following article that I wanted to share: (the following article is from Dare 2 Share)

Every year it seems to me that Thanksgiving is increasingly just a thin slice of celebration sandwiched between the massive marketing machines of Halloween and Christmas. It's become a few days of respite for post school/work burnout and pre Christmahanakwanza preparation!

But it hasn't always been this way you know. There was a time when Thanksgiving was a sacred day set aside for so much more than watching the Detroit Lions lose and downing twice your body weight in turkey and stuffing. It was more of a time to remember, reflect, and rejoice in what happened in the Fall of 1621 when the Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a meal as a sacrifice of praise for their survival. The story of that momentous day was passed on to each generation, and in 1777 George Washington made it an official holiday.
The Pilgrims came across the pond for many reasons, one of the most critical being the dream of being able to worship God in whatever way they felt was His calling on their lives. They endured the bitter winters and hostile conditions to fulfill a dream of finishing the race and remaining faithful to the end.

Their resolve was galvanized by their Christian faith. And no doubt in their hardship, they took courage from the following words of the Apostle Paul, penned shortly before his death:
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing
 (1 Timothy 4:5-9).
So what about you? You are charged with THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples - an endeavor that will outlast all holidays and every nation on earth.

As I read this article I began to think about The Cause of making disciples and what I have to be thankful for. Although one thing I have learned in life, I should celebrate thanksgiving each and every day because I have much to be thankful for each day. SO WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR? The following is TEN things I have to be thankful for:
1)       Relationship with God and the salvation that He freely offered me.
2)       Family, both immediate and extended, including Sara and her family.
3)       Friends
4)       Opportunities God has given me ministry and that God allows me the opportunity to be involved in what He is doing.
5)       Opportunities God has given me to share the gospel with those who don’t know Him.
6)       An amazing church to serve at
7)       An amazing group of students that I get minister to and serve alongside
8)       Great health
9)       God’s amazing creation
10)   The Christian heritage that runs all through my family.


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

A Blank Page

It's my turn to do the blog, and I sat staring at the white, empty page, wondering what to write. I'm convicted as I ponder how many times I present a blank page to God, asking Him to be the Author of my life. Not near enough, I'm afraid.

Too many times I fill in my plans, my schedule, my desires, and want God to 'sign off' on it. Instead, I need to be the one who signs off on God's plans...knowing that His ways are perfect. Psalms 32:8 tells me "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." He's got it all planned out, I just need to follow, step by step.

I notice God already has  plenty of things written out for me to get a good start....things like loving my neighbor, studying His word, praying for others, etc. I'm going to try and do a better job each day of handing God the page of my day with my signature on the bottom, trusting Him to show me the details of what He wants me to do. And I'm going to keep the white out ready to blot out things I add that I shouldn't!