Good Day All and Happy 4th of july

So have a little story to tell you.  Early last week Jan and Hari ask if I could help set up or close up after the 4^th of July Sunday service and I agreed to close things up after the service.  Then this morning just after 9am, while I was getting ready for church, I got a call from Katherine Stikkers asking for help. She was to be reading scripture during the service and staying after to pray with anyone who needs it. Well as fate would have it; little Ryan has strep throat and now she can’t make it. Chris Hatfield had already agreed to read scripture, so she was calling to ask if I could stay after the service and pray with anyone who needed it.  Of course I agreed and told her I’d be praying Ryan got better and she didn’t get sick.

I arrived for the morning service just before 10 and wondered around talking with a few folks; then as the service started I quietly found a seat in the last pew; to hear the stand in pasture given a great sermon. As the service finished and folks made their way out, I made my way to the front of the sanctuary to see if anyone would come up for prayer. Just getting up from the front pew was Nancy; for reasons at the time she didn’t understand her granddaughter (Elaina) had lead her to the front of the church on this morning; so I stopped and asker how things were going.  Not wanting to go into great detail here I can just tell you it was a tearful conversation for her; Nancy is a proud women. She is still trying to save her house and has a lawyer trying to help; which sounds promising. The problem is, she is about $600 short in being able to pay the lawyer to file paperwork in court this coming Thursday. It turns out she had the money but lost it to a family member she thought she could trust.

I don’t tell this story to ask for money; that I guaranteed her she would have by Wednesday night.  I tell this story as a witness to how God works in our lives.  When Jan first emailed and asked for help I wasn’t inclined to help, and then Hari called and left me a message; I knew it was something I should do. The phone call from Katherine to ask if I would stand in for her at the last minute; which was a no brainer too say yes to; and to be honest I knew the likely hood of anyone coming up front was very slim.  (Very selfish thinking on my part I know.) Nancy and Elaina usually sit somewhere in the middle of the sanctuary, but today Elaina lead Nancy to the very front. So as it turns out I was the one to come forward; to be humbled by the plight of Nancy and her strength to keep moving forward. To be reminded of all the gifts God has given me and that they are not mine to keep, but to be shared with those in need.

I pray we all recognize the gifts the Lord has given us and are hearts are open to all.

Jon