Thankful, Grateful, Blessed-Part Three

If you have followed my post the last couple of days, you read a little about my girlfriend who has Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).  You also know that RA can cripple and leave a person feeling useless.  My sweet friend loves baking delicious decorated cookies.  When RA hit her, the baking and decorating stopped because she could not work her hands.  However, she did not let this fact get her down.  She kept her eyes on Jesus and repeated her motto, “Thankful, Grateful, Blessed.”

Today we will briefly inspect our last word.

Blessed-divinely or supremely favored; fortunate bringing happiness and thankfulness.

I found another great quote that really hit home with me.  “Talk about your blessings more than you talk about your problems.”  This is so true!

We all have our issues.  They range from health to ministry issues.  However, we, as believers in Christ, are blessed beyond measure.  We do not deserve anything.  Yet because of God’s love for us, we are children of the King!  Girls, we are God’s little princesses!  Talk about blessed!

Yet there is more to be blessed about.  My friend, who is struggling with RA, keeps going because God is her constant companion.   She shares, “I am thankful and grateful that He (God) listens and hears my voice.  That He has given me a loving family, brothers and sisters in Christ, that care so much for me.  When I feel I can’t go on, he gives me hope.  I am truly blessed beyond measure to be a child of the Living God.”  God has not forgotten her, left her, however, he has enabled her in this time to inspire and encourage people through her continual witness.

 Girls, God never leaves us when ministry or life is hard.  He does not forget us when our pain is great.  His love for us never fails.  No matter our struggles or joys God is always in the blessing mode even when we do not see it.

Let me leave you with this cute saying about blessings:

B-Begin your day with

L-Love in your heart

E-Expect Blessings

S-Share goodness

S-Shine like the Sun (Son)

I-Inspire someone

N-Never forget that

G-God is with you all the time

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed-Part Two

I shared in my post yesterday that a friend has Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).  When asked how she is doing, she always says, ‘Thankful, Grateful, and Blessed.” When my girlfriend responded to my question of what being grateful meant to her, she sent Psalm 116:1-14 to me.  As I read those words, verses 3-6, spoke volumes:

“The cords of death entangle me the anguish of the grave came upon me.  I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” The Lord is gracious and righteous, our God is full of compassion.  The Lord protects the simple hearted when I was in great need, he saved me.”

Today, we will examine the word grateful which is similar to being thankful but I believe it goes deeper.

Grateful-warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful; refreshing, welcome.

While reading the meaning for grateful, one word leaped off the page-“refreshing.” Have you ever been so weighted down with the yuck of burdens that you literally could not sleep?  With the lack of sleep comes stress, illness and a host of more maladies.

I have learned there are times my prayer life becomes empty words.  I become restless.  My soul is not a rest.  When this happens, I “force” myself to express my gratefulness to the Lord.  I do not ask for anything from Him.  I simply praise the Lord for what I am grateful-family, home, food, good health, clothes, vehicles, ministry (in the good and bad times) and being able to think.  You know what I have found?  It is in the grateful mode that the Lord provides rest for my weary soul and freedom from my burdens.  Ah, a refreshing and welcome peace overcomes me!

I found this quote that I love: “Being grateful does produce blessings.”  Yes, it does!

Girlfriends, take a moment today to express your gratitude to the Lord.  If you are in the midst of a dark time, simply take a breath and then thank the Lord for it.

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed-Part One

“Everything in my life seemed to stop.  Everything except the love of the Lord. I prayed.  I asked others to lift my name up in prayer.  God heard our cries.  He has carried my through, and He isn’t finished with me yet.” 

These are the words of my 49-year-old friend who was diagnosed in June with a very aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).  It has affected every aspect of her life from caring for her family to simply walking to the bathroom.  Everyday task like brushing her teeth and fixing her hair bring her to tears due to the pain in her hands and fingers.

When asked how she is doing, this girlfriend smiles and replies, “I am thankful, grateful and blessed.”  She doesn’t focus on the current storm in her life.  Instead, she keeps her eyes on Jesus.  As I have watched my friend, I have been inspired to be more thankful, grateful and blessed.  I decided that we all need to take a moment and rediscover what these three simple words mean. 

THANKFUL-“a feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.”

Now I am always thankful that there is a stash of chocolate in my home for my bad days.  However, this word goes deeper.  Can you recall a time when you were appreciative of someone’s kindness shown to you or of a special moment that you now treasure in your heart?

Although it was difficult at the time, I remember the four months I spent caring for my mother as a disease took her life.  I will forever be thankful for the 2 a.m. chats with my mom.  The Lord knew needed to hear the wise words from my Godly mom.  I am also thankful I had enough sense to grab a pad of paper and a pen and write down messages from my mom to her grandchildren and unborn great-grandchildren.  Now, these words are treasured by each of them.  I am also thankful that mom’s last words on earth to me were “Happy Birthday,” because it was not a sad goodbye but a joyful moment of celebration.  These special moments are treasures of gold in my heart.

I wonder if we could all learn from my sweet friend and be more thankful in our seasons of pain and heartache.  Could we set aside our “whiny” nature and put on the garment of praise and give thanks to the Lord above?

This week as we celebrate Thanksgiving and enter the Christmas season I want each of you to consider what you are thankful for and share it with us.

Black Friday

By the time you read this blog, many will have shopped, shopped, and shopped some more! After all, this day after Thanksgiving ritual has become a modern American tradition. But, why wait until Friday? In recent years, many stores now offer their merchandise on Turkey Day to entice shoppers who are anxiously waiting to get a good deal.

I was curious about the term “Black Friday” and searched the internet to find out how this day got its name. As the story goes, in a shopping context, the phrase originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, around 1961, to describe very heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic the day after Thanksgiving. As the term became more widespread, it’s popular meaning now represents the point in the year when retailers expect to turn a profit, going from “being in the red” to “being in the black”. I am a bit of a trivia buff, so it was interesting to learn this new fact.

I thought about another “Black Friday” that occurred much earlier than 1961. This “Black Friday” occurred over 2000 years ago, and it was the darkest day in human history. I am referring of course to the day that Christ was crucified.

Why was it black? The Bible says that as Jesus hung between two thieves, “from the sixth hour darkness fell upon the land until the ninth hour” [noon to 3:00 pm] Matthew 27:45. Darkness in the middle of the day! But there was another reason why that day was dark; Jesus, the Savior of the world, was dying on the cross. It was dark because for the first time in all eternity, Father and Son were separated, as Christ bore the divine wrath as the once for all time sacrifice for your sins and mine. Our Lord cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46 I call this the true “Black Friday”, and even though it was a dark day, it’s glorious outcome brought salvation to all those who would trust Christ as Savior!

The shopper’s Black Friday, some may say, ushers in the official holiday and gift buying season. But, think about this: there would not have been that true “Black Friday” if there had not been the miraculous and wonderful virgin birth. Our Savior’s first advent is truly what this season is all about. He brought true joy, love, and peace to this world.

So, as you “shop til you drop” on Black Friday, ponder the true “Black Friday”, then meditate on Jesus Christ’s birth, and celebrate the coming of Immanuel, which means, GOD IS WITH US!

Let's Be Grateful

Gratefulness. Why is that mind set so hard for us at times?

Recently, I believe that I got it right…….

Just the other day I was at the store and I started for the checkout line with a few items in tow. The “10 items or less” line didn’t appear to be a fast option, so I proceeded to get in one of the “regular lines”. Even though I noticed that the shopping cart in front of me had a lot of items, I decided I wasn’t going to try to find a “shorter line; I would stick it out.
Well, much to my surprise the lady in front of me noticed that I had only a few items, so she graciously said (and I paraphrase), “Come on in front of me, since you don’t have that much”. Wow! What an act of kindness! I immediately thanked her when she initially made the kind gesture, and actually thanked her several more times before I grabbed my bags and left the store. As I walked to my car, I thought that I had responded with real gratitude for such a kind act.

I went over and above to make sure that the kind stranger saw my thankful heart. Yet how often do I go over and above to be constantly thankful to my Heavenly Father for all that He has done?
A verse that I find myself meditating on from time to time reminds me of why I should be abundantly grateful. Colossians 2:6-7 says: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (New American Standard Bible)

From these verses, here’s what I see:

I believe that true gratefulness begins with a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ we are made new from the inside out. He has taken away that old nature and given us a new nature that is no longer controlled by sin. In Him, we are set free from sin’s power, and now we are capable of living a life that pleases Him. We can, by His Spirit, continue to “walk in Him” …Thank you Lord!

True gratefulness can manifest itself when we know we are “firmly rooted” in Christ. Our identity in Him and our security in Him are indisputable realities! We are in His grip for all eternity…Thank you Father!

The Lord gives us the desire to be established in our faith by reading, studying, meditating on and memorizing His Word. Growing in Christ just doesn’t happen. By Christ’s Spirit, we can be instructed to serve and honor our Savior, not by compulsion or coercion, but because we love Him….Thank you Jesus!

Our natural response for all that the Lord has done should indeed be gratitude! Why not take a moment, or several moments, to reflect on the goodness of the Lord. I’ve come to realize that even in the midst of my trials and my “bad days”, my Savior loves me and in Him there is glorious hope!

Thanksgiving Day comes once a year, but being grateful can be on our agenda every day of the year! Just as I offered many thanks to the compassionate woman in the store, even more so should I offer up to the Lord continuous words of gratitude and praise, for HE IS WORTHY!!!

Let’s be grateful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Even on Bad Days....

EVEN on Bad Days................these two bring me a smile.

Finished

Our kitchen is FINALLY completely finished.....................

I know you have probably gotten bored following my "KITCHEN ADVENTURE"............but you have to remember...............when we moved to this house 23 years ago....we had to purchase a new stove.................however to fit in the spot tdesignated for the stove, we had to get a small, apartment size stove.  The oven would not even hold a large cookie sheet.  AND....for over two years, the oven and part of the eyes did not work properly, sooooooooooo after 23 years....I AM OVER-JOYED to have a NEW KITCHEN....with a normal size OVEN...that WORKS.

So...thank you for being patient with me and it is FINISHED so you don't have to view again.  Smile.

Listen to God...and Pass It on.

A couple of months ago, there was a situation that happened at my job that had m VERY upset.  I lost a night of sleep and did tons of praying.  I had made up my mind to just not say a word to anyone and just deal with it.

I walked in the school that morning and my principal looked up and said...."Kathy, what's wrong?"  The tears came.  I totally broke down....wound up in  her office and opened up to her.  She listened, but more importantly.....she walked around............took my hand and asked if she could pray for me.  Right then and there she prayed for me.

It was like a HUGE weight was removed.

ANYWAY...............at church and even in homes, I do not think twice about stopping and praying with someone, but doing it at work was not a practice of mine.


A few weeks ago, we were having open enrollment at school...............and a broker that the county had hired was at our school to help us.  My appointment was at 8:00 Thursday morning.

I went in and began telling the girl that I was not sure what I even needed since our benefits had always been through my husband....................but God was going to take care of us.

Long story short..............after I mentioned God she began talking about God.  Suddenly she broke down..................................she was going through a very difficult season in her life and marriage and asked me to please pray for them.  I walked about...................took her in my arms and prayed with her right then and there.  We held each other and both cried. 

 A total stranger.

In the course of talking with her, I found out her name is Kaye and we exchanged phone numbers, addresses and Facebook info.  I even showed her my Redneck Bible Journaling.

She was so appreciative that later that day she sent me flowers.

We have stayed in contact.  Last week, she was at a school in Lynchburg, VA and was Redneck Bible Journaling and sent me a picture.  It was not colored yet because she had forgotten her pencils.....but she promised to finish it and send me another picture as soon as she got home.

Later that day.......she sent another message and shared this story: 

She had noticed a lady across the room who God revealed to her that was hurting....................so at the break, she went over....showed the Lady her Bible Journal and the lady broke down crying......said the verse was just what she needed to read.  Kaye said God told her to pray with the lady, so she did and then she gave the lady her Bible Journal,. 

She then shared with the lady about mine and her encounter........................the lady thanked her and told her she had been a blessing to her so she was going to keep her eyes open and pass the blessing on to someone else also.

Listen to God....................and Pass it on!

Forever Family

On channel 3 in Chattanooga, they often feature kids who are looking for a "Forever Family"...................just wanting someone to love them and adopt them.

I was watching it one night and was VERY surprised to see that the featured boy was one of MY STUDENTS.

It broke my heart........and changed everything for me...................and the other teachers.  NO WONDER he can not grasp "rounding" in Math.................that is not important.  He has more important things to worry about.......................he wants a family to love him.


The next day, I called him up to my desk and very discretely told him I saw him on TV and now he was famous since he was on TV.  He just smiled......  His name is Korben, but on TV and told them he prefers to be called Ben.  I asked him about that and he said yes..............so we are all now calling him Ben.

I do not even know his whole story.........................but I am sure he as been through a lot.  And what makes it even worse, is the foster home he is in is not the best situation.
(Few families choose to be foster parents because they feel called by God to do so.............but many do it for the $$$$.  Sad, but true.)

Long story short............Ben got in trouble Friday.  He made a bad choice and was sent home from school.  He was VERY upset and asked if he could talk to Mrs. Britton.  My principal came and got me.  I went in and talked to him about consequences of bad decisions.................and learning from our mistakes.  He cried like a baby....although he is in 6th grade.  I could not stop the tears, so finally I asked him if he went to church.  He said not now, but he use to when he lived with his adopted family..............but they got tired of him to put him back in foster care.

I told him if he use to go to church then he knew about praying.................so I could not change his situation, but I could pray for him.  He then asked if I would pray for him right then.  SOOOOO,.....I DID.  Bless him.............it seemed to calm him a bit and when I left he told me he loved me.

Please pray for Ben...................and pray he will get his Forever Family.

In this season of Thanksgiving..................I am Thankful for the freedom to pray with a hurting student that asked me to. 

Calling all Bi-Vo Wives......

Tennessee Baptist Bivocational Ministers and Wives you are invited to the 2018 Bivocational Ministers and Wives Retreat which is set for January 25-27, 2018 at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge. This will be a blessed time. Register Today! You can register for the retreat if you have not already done so either online or by mailing in the registration form. The REGISTRATION DEADLINE is December 8, 2017. We must have complete registration and payment by then to reserve your room. If you have any questions or need more information please contact: John Parrott, Bivocational Ministry Specialist, jparrott@tnbaptist.org or 423-921-2488 or Carrie Smith, Ministry Assistant, csmith@tnbaptist.org or 800-558-2090 ext. 2025. We hope you will come and enjoy this time of renewal and refreshment. Go here to find out more information on the retreat and to register either online or print a registration form:

HURTING FOLKS

There are hurting folks all around us.....and we may not even be aware of it.

Right now, my husband and I are "hurting on the inside" because of something we are facing that we have never faced before. 

(You are suppose to find something positive even in bad.............so the positive is that  this "hurting" has over-shadowed Roger loosing his secular job and made that not important at all.)

We are hurting......................and right now we can not share.  We are asking our church and everyone around us and now I am asking YOU to PRAY..............God KNOWS the reason.

I am sharing this with you for two reason:

1. We NEED YOUR PRAYERS....URGENT PRAYERS.
2. We ALL need to be more aware of the people around us.  We do not KNOW what other people may be facing or going through that they can not even share with us.

Let's ALL PRAY for EACH OTHER.

One day....I may be able to share.  Thank you in advance for your prayers. 

Season of CHANGE...

In Sunday School, we had a lesson with the preschoolers a few weeks ago about "CHANGES"........................EVERYTHING changes....we change, the sun changes, the weather changes, the seasons changes, the leaves changes, etc....................EVERYTHING.......EXCEPT GOD.............GOD NEVER CHANGES!

Roger and I are in a season of change.

Most of your husbands are full-time ministers so you may not understand this post....

Roger is a bi-vocational minister.....which means he has TWO JOBS.....one God called him to do and another one that pays the bills.  Or maybe I should have correctly said HAD instead of has.

Friday was his LAST DAY of his secular job.  He had worked from home for 21 years with UNUM in IT.  His last day was Friday because they decided to Out-Source the IT department to a company in India.

He was soooo close to retirement from the secular job.  (He can begin drawing retirement in one year.)

Now What?  At 61 years old, he did not want to begin a NEW CAREER......our church is growing and keeping us busy, so he does not have time to "learn a new career."

GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL................

We do not owe very much at all.  I have a job teaching and although our insurance was through Roger's job, we were able to pick it up through my job.

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US......................NO DOUBT.  We are not worried.

Since he only has a year to work, he has decided to do odd jobs......................he doesn't need benefits.  Years ago, he and his dad built  houses.  (That's why I was blessed with a NEW KITCHEN...that HE BUILT....even the cabinets.)  He already has a dentist that wants small repairs done at his office......our son-in-law works with farmers and helps get them grants.  One farmer has a greenhouse and needs someone to put it together..............
several elderly people are wanting small repairs..........

Plus....he still has our church.

God is going to take care of us.

BUT....it is a SEASON OF CHANGE.  He got paid twice a month.  His ONE check was larger than my ONCE a month check..................so it will be different.

BUT....I do believe that God allowed this change to happen to protect Roger.  For the past five years, his job has caused him tons of stress.......................he does not need that. 

We are looking forward to the plans God has in our lives.................we KNOW that with HIM in CONTROL................they are going to be WONDERFUL.

Season of Thanksgiving....

Our sermon Sunday was on "Complaining" which is the complete opposite of Thanksgiving.

I love this time of year.

We should ALWAYS be thankful, etc...................but I love to stop during this time of year and really reflect on the blessings that God has given us..

Last weekend, I cooked an early Thanksgiving meal for our immediate family....children (by birth and by marriage) and grandkids. 

We go to Alabama to spend Thanksgiving with my mom and Roger's mom and our kids come too........................so I never cook Thanksgiving for them.

This year.............because I have a BRAND NEW KITCHEN.....I decided to cook an early Thanksgiving.  I told them I was baking a ham, Roger was smoking a turkey breast and each of them got to request ONE dish.  :)  Boy, did we have an assortment.  Smile.

We had the traditional....ham, turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, English peas, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, homemade yeast rolls AND....I had two requests for fried okra.  Fried Okra..............who has fried okra on Thanksgiving?  WE DID....  Smile.  And...........it was delicious!

Yesterday, we had our Thanksgiving meal at church.  Yum.  It was also delicious!

I feel so blessed and am thankful for some many, many things.....

• I have a Godly husband who is not only my best friend, but my pastor and my mate.  
• We have four grown children who love the Lord and faithfully serve him.  
• We have two adorable grandchildren.
• We have a Church Family who is truly part of our family.  Even after almost 21 years...they still love us and take care of us.
• Our moms are still living and in great health at the age of 80 and 84.
• I have a NEW KITCHEN...smile.

Anyway.....I could go on and on listing the things that I am thankful for...the list would never end.  God has blessed us beyond our imagination.

I am thankful for the freedom to worship God and serve him.

Let's all just sit back and reflect on the many things to be thankful for......we are ALL truly blessed.

Happy Veterans Day!

Living in Clarksville Tennessee is a unique American experience.

You see, Clarksville shares the state-line with a special part of Kentucky. I've been told that more of Ft. Campbell is actually on the Tennessee side of that line, but since Headquarters is found on the northern part of the base, Kentucky gets to claim the Army's home for the 101st Airborne Division.

In addition to 101st, there are several other divisions and groups stationed out of Ft. Campbell. As a result, I worship, shop, and live in a town saturated with active duty and veteran heroes. In my work, I get to love on Army kids as I work alongside many Army wives.

Throughout the last 11 years we have called Clarksville home, I have lost count of the number of Army families that I have had the privilege of getting to know, to love and to send off to their next duty station.

With this being Veteran's Day weekend, I just want to take a moment to stop and say thank you to the Veterans. I have seen up-close and personal just some of what they (and their families too)  risk and sacrifice for all of our freedoms.

No matter who lives in the White House or what the political climate may be, these heroes have stepped up and stepped into to whatever, wherever duty has called.

My dad is a Vet - My stepdad, father-in-love and grandfather too. I grew up near an Air Force base and was taught to respect the flag, the anthem and the uniform.

By God's grace alone I was born an American and I am beyond thankful for it. Just a few minutes into the evening news and I feel my appreciation grow. To be a Christian here is a blessing, and regardless of how anyone feels about current events, God has blessed this nation through the blood, sweat and tears of the United States Veteran.

Christmas in November?

It would seem that the "it" question at this time of year is "When do YOU put up your Christmas tree?"

Everyone seems to have an opinion on when is too early to begin the 24/7 Christmas music too. 

Growing up, our family made a tradition of going to cut our own tree and decorating that night sometime after Thanksgiving. We NEVER hung the first strand of twinkling lights or baked the first batch of cookies before the last balloon of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade had been deflated and stored for at least 24 hours. 

Now, the store shelves and advertisements are filled with yuletide wares in early September. Commercialism aside, there is definite pressure to begin celebrating the season earlier and earlier. 

As a parent, there are SO many activities for our kids. Then, there are work obligations. There are family expectations. The church calendar is full of both expectations and obligations. It can be exhausting just glancing at the calendar for December and it is only the first day of November. 

For me, I have decided not to fight the lengthening Christmas season, but instead to embrace it. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to rush past or overlook Thanksgiving. Being thankful is VERY important . . . 

My idea is this - let's make Thanksgiving a part of the Christmas season. What better way to begin celebrating the birth of our Savior, then being appreciative of all that He has given to us? 

Besides, I have often wondered who non-believers express their Thanksgiving gratitude to, if they aren't thanking God. 

Let's teach our children how the two holidays fold into worshiping the same Jesus. No matter when the tree is decorated, the sense of awe over what God has provided, can still, and should be central to our celebration of BOTH days. 

Spilling a little red and green into fall's oranges and browns can help us spread the stress out as moms while at the same time giving us a longer opportunity to teach our children the real reason for the seasons. Decorating the tree and enjoying its light doesn't have to feel like an "I've got to" as we rush to cross off one more thing from our to-do list. 

"Happy Thanksgiving!" can be part of "Merry Christmas!"

What do you think? Yay or Nay - should we start celebrating Christmas in November?

What Do We Do?

As I knew my turn to blog was quickly approaching, I had been thinking and praying on what to post.

I had a pretty good idea as to where I wanted to start and what I wanted to say. I still might say it. I might write those things later in the week.

But, tonight, I can't.

I got the first bit of information from a text message this afternoon.

Another church shooting . . .

This time it's a Southern Baptist Church in small town Texas.

I don't want to know any more details than those I know. 24 are dead including a 5 year old child, a pregnant woman (is her unborn baby counted among those deceased?) and the 14 year old daughter of the pastor.

My daughter is 14 and her daddy is the associate pastor . . .

Right now, the house is quiet. My daughters have been put to bed. The television is silent and the only noise is from the clothes dryer in the next room.

My heart hurts. There are more things that I can't put into coherent thoughts than things I can.

I cannot conceive of this America we call home. From Las Vegas to New York to this everyday, small town in Texas . . . It was only weeks ago a man did something similar outside of Nashville, but he ONLY killed one . . .

I cannot imagine the scene. I cannot empathize with the survivors. I cannot fathom what the coming days and months and years will look like.

I cannot understand the motivation behind such disregard for life, but I do know Jesus told us that if the world hated Him, we should expect to be hated to. Because sin is rampant in this fallen, depraved world, we should expect such violence to continue and even to escalate. We aren't safe just because we live in the United States. Our residency and citizenship does not make us immune to this kind of evil. In fact, those things combined with our Christian faith, makes us the biggest targets of all.

In my Facebook feed I have seen one minister call for "#guncontrolnow." Another posted a petition for another denomination to keep guns out of churches . . . as if these measures would hold this evil at bay. . . While I don't want to politicize my response, I do understand and share the desire to DO something . . .

So ministers' wives, church members, Christians ~ What do we do? What would Jesus have us do?

• Pray - Prayer is the MOST important work. It isn't where we start to work, or how we wrap things up at the end of the day. It IS active. 

• Weep - Yes. This should break our hearts and we should cry. Jesus did, even knowing He was about to raise Lazarus back from the dead, He still wept with the dead man's sister. Feel the hurt.

• Obey - Knowing this could have been any of our own churches this morning, we must be faithful with whatever time God has allotted us in His book. He has recorded every one of our days and only He knows when He will be calling us home. So, we cannot keep putting off the active obedience of getting done what He has called us to do. ----My pastor preached on evangelism this morning. There are some people I need to actively tell about the gospel. 

• Worship - It's God's grace that I can take joy in the smiles of my children. It's God's grace that I have a full belly tonight and kitchen full of food for tomorrow. It's God's grace that I know Him and THE truth that He is actively redeeming this fallen world. It's God's grace that I have His word available to me in the Bible. It's God's grace that I know His goodness in so many big and small ways. 

• Pray - It can't be overlooked. Its importance can't be lessened. We have to cry out to God. We need more of His grace and all we have to do is ask. Let's ask boldly and with confidence. . . 

Why don't you take a minute or two and write a prayer in the comments? Not for me to know you're praying, but to be intentional and stop and pray. There will be time to figure out safety protocols and policies, but tonight we pray . . .