We are in the season of Advent and Christmas is a few days away. Advent is a time of expectation where once again we wait for the first coming of the Lord as a baby born in Bethlehem. If we think about it, Advent is not just something that occurs every December but it is pervasive throughout the Bible. The overriding theme of Advent is wondering, watching, and waiting. Some Biblical examples highlight this theme. The Lord made a covenant with Abram in Genesis 15 that his descendants would one day be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abram must have wondered what God was talking about but we are told that, "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6) After Abram, whom God renamed Abraham (Genesis 17) was visited by three men near the great trees of Mamre he and his wife Sarah were told they would give birth to a son the following year. Sarah was so skeptical given their advanced ages that she laughed. (Genesis 18) However, Abraham and Sarah watched and waited for God's promise to be fulfilled. (Genesis 21)
Expectations Fulfilled
Joseph wondered about the dreams God had given him indicating he would one day be a great ruler, even over his own family. (Genesis 37) Over the course of 13 years, he watched and waited for his dreams to become a reality despite many situations and circumstances that seemed to work against him. (Genesis 39-45) The book of Exodus chronicles how the Israelites wondered where God was in the midst of their oppression and suffering under Egypt's Pharaoh. They had been watching and waiting for over 400 years for a deliverer to set them free from their slavery. Their deliverer did come when God called Moses to go to Egypt to set the people free. (Genesis 3) The Advent theme of wondering, watching, and waiting finds its ultimate fulfillment in the birth of Christ. As Isaiah declares, "The people walking in darkness (wondering, watching, waiting) have seen a great light; on those living in a land of deep darkness a light has dawned...For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:2,6 italics mine)
What's your Advent season?
I have recently entered a new season in pastoral ministry as I wonder, watch, and wait with expectation for what God is going to do in my personal "advent." What about you? Are you experiencing your own "advent" season of wondering, watching, and waiting? If so, expect great things to come as Immanuel (God with us) will bring it to pass just like He did thousands of years ago in Bethlehem and God is faithful!
Merry Christmas and A Blessed New Year!
Pastor Sheree
In this world of hate and strife,
We give You thanks our God for life!
We pray dear Lord that You will heal,
And make your presence known and real,
To those who cry to You for peace,
That dissension on our earth will cease.
So as we gather for our meal,
We pray our hearts with love you'll seal.
Remind us of the folks in need,
And keep us Lord from willful greed.
To you, Oh God our hands we lift,
With thanks for every perfect gift,
That flows from heaven up above,
Made perfect in the Savior's love.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Pastor Sheree
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain." (Philippians 2:14-16)
Human beings have had a fascination with the universe. Scientists tell us that each star in the sky represents some galaxy light years away from earth. We are so drawn to what lies beyond our world that millions of dollars have been invested over time to send human beings into space. We have successfully landed men on the moon and currently have a working space station hovering above the earth's atmosphere. We have sent space probes and developed powerful telescopes to photograph planets we have yet to explore. What draws our attention to the stars?
Stars Draw People To Them.
If we think about the quality of stars, they illuminate a dark sky. The sun itself is classified as a star and it sustains life on earth as God in His wisdom positioned it approximately 93 million miles away. This distance keeps the earth from being too close so it doesn't burn up and just far enough away so the planet doesn't freeze over. Stars by their very nature draw people to them. Before the invention of clocks and calendars, human beings were guided to destinations through observing the stars. A star drew shepherds to a manger in Bethlehem as well as Magi to Herod's palace and ultimately to the house where they found Jesus. Celebrities are sometimes referred to as movie "stars" because people are drawn to them. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is comprised of cement squares with stars embedded in the sidewalks. The stars are permanent public monuments to achievement in the entertainment industry. People will often take pictures kneeling beside their favorite celebrity star.
We Are God's Stars.
Paul tells believers that as we refrain from negative attitudes and behaviors, we stand apart from the sinful actions that are reflected in our culture. "We shine among them like stars in the sky" as we reflect the light of Christ to a darkened world. We are life givers and as a result we illuminate the darkness through holding on to the word of truth and sharing it with the world. In Daniel's vision of the end times, he is told, "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3) In the book of Revelation, Jesus is referred to as a star, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22:16) In a way, followers of Christ can be characterized by the children's nursery rhyme, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" "Twinkle, Twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, Twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are." Do we reflect the light of Christ in such a way that people wonder who we are? May we continue to draw others to the bright Morning Star!
To God be the glory!
Pastor Sheree
At this moment as I am sitting here writing this blog, Hurricane Florence is bearing down on the coasts of North and South Carolina. The governors of the respective states are issuing states of emergency and urging people to evacuate to a safer place. However, while many are heeding their governors' warnings, there are some who take a different point of view. The storm chasers are the ones who defy the odds and potentially risk their lives to stand against the storm. Some of those storm chasers are foolish people who for selfish reasons fantasize that by staying in their homes they can be safe and at the same time protect their property. In their foolishness they not only risk their own lives but the lives of rescue personnel who may need to go out and physically remove them from their homes to a safer location. Other storm chasers are professionals who are trained to fly into the "eye" of the storm to gather crucial information regarding how potent the storm is as well as how fast it is traveling. They can relay this information back to meteorological sites who can better track the storm and then pass the pertinent information on to television viewers and social media. At the end of the day, there is nothing anyone can do to stop a storm from impacting an area and leaving a path of destruction. However, there is one storm chaser that can and did make a difference in the lives of others.
Don't Be Afraid!
In Matthew 14:22-32 we read the familiar story of Jesus walking on water. Jesus had sent His disciples ahead by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the process the boat began to be buffeted by waves because of strong winds. The disciples were trying their best to make it through the rough waters and get out of the turmoil. Jesus could have let them struggle until they made it to the other side. Instead He "chased" the storm and came to them walking on the water. Initially they were fearful, thinking He was a ghost. However, Jesus reassured them not to be afraid, that it was really Him walking on the water. Peter at this point decided he wanted to chase the storm also, "Lord, if it is You," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." (Matthew 14:28 NIV) Jesus told Peter to come but as he was walking towards Jesus, Peter became afraid of the wind and waves and he began to sink, crying out, "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30 NIV) Jesus did not hesitate to reach out His hand and pull Peter to safety, rebuking him for his lack of faith. Matthew goes on to tell us, "And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:32-33)
Take Courage!
Unlike Jesus, human storm chasers cannot always save people from the poor choices they make or the dangerous weather situations over which there is no control. All people can do is run in the opposite direction away from the storm. However, Jesus never runs away from the storms that enter our lives. He runs towards them, chasing them, and calling on us not to be afraid because He is able to bring calm out of the chaos in our lives. Despite Peter's fear and doubt, he had the initial boldness to step out of the boat in the midst of the turmoil and walk towards Jesus. Do we have the same boldness to trust the Lord when the storms of life overwhelm us? May Jesus' words to His disciples be our encouragement, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid...."Come." (Matthew 14:27;29 NIV)
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree
My typical routine Monday through Friday is to be up around 5am to exercise for an hour. The first half hour which takes place in our finished basement is dedicated to cardio rotating between my stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical machine. The second half hour takes place upstairs in our guest bedroom where I focus on weight bearing, stretching, and balance exercises. The guest bedroom window looks out onto our backyard where I often observe a bunny or two munching on clover. One particular morning I was surprised by a visitation of a deer standing perfectly still in the backyard. I was listening to a CD by a group called Glad. The lyrics of one particular song were exhorting everything that has breath to praise the Lord. It almost looked like the deer was listening as it was looking in my direction. The deer stood there for almost ten minutes. Finally it moved on, walking into our next door neighbor's back yard. This was an exciting moment as deer aren't frequent visitors to our home. This appearance reminded me of the verse from Psalm 42:1-2a, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (NIV)
How thirsty is your soul?
The deer was looking for something that drew it into our backyard. I fantasize that when it heard the music from my CD it was drawn to the words that exalted the living God. The One who created every living creature on earth. I began to think about how much does my own soul thirst for God? How deep a relationship do I long for with my Lord? It's very easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life to establish a surface relationship with God but how often do we really take time to be still enough and know He is God? (Psalm 46:10a) My desire to know God on a deeper level is echoed in Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesians 3, "...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17b-19) I pray that like the deer who was possibly drawn to the music, my thirsty soul will be drawn ever closer to the living God.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Sheree
For those of you who have been following my blog, I am in the process of transitioning from a counseling group practice to an independent practitioner status. I submitted all the necessary paperwork to the respective insurance companies beginning in May. As of this writing, I am still waiting for approval from some of the companies. For those insurance companies to which I have been approved there are internal glitches within the companies holding up the process. It has been a very emotionally painful and frustrating time. I admit that there have been many moments when I just wanted to quit the counseling ministry and do something else. In the agony of waiting, I have wondered where is God? God answered that prayer through some tiny messengers who have mastered the "art" of waiting. Every year we have house wrens nesting in a bird house attached to our porch. One pair has already mated, given birth, and abandoned the house after their chicks were old enough to leave the nest themselves. Shortly thereafter, a second house wren began investigating the bird box. Day after day the bird would sing it's heart out seeking to attract a mate. I began to feel sorry for the bird as it waited for what seemed like an eternity. I was reminded of the psalmist cry to the Lord, "Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning." (Psalm 130:1-2;5-6 NIV)
A Hymn Of Praise
The house wren I believe was not only lifting it's voice to find a mate but crying out to the Lord as it waited. It was remarkable to me that the bird could be so faithful every morning to wait yet still keep on singing. Sometimes in my frustration I could barely pray let alone sing! However, this patient little creation of God finally received what it had been waiting for, a mate! The two, like their predecessors, are now in the process of preparing to bring forth new life.
The psalmist again declares, "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him." (Psalm 40:1-3 NIV) These words of Psalm 40 are a vivid example of what I saw play out with the house wren. The Lord rewarded its patience and now the house wren has a new song to sing, "a hymn of praise" to God! I pray that I will learn well the lessons from this little "messenger of God" and master the "art" of waiting. As I wait patiently for the Lord, may he put a song of praise in my heart and on my lips. A hymn of praise to my God!
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree
My husband is an avid gardener. I truly appreciate how hard he works during the spring to prepare the soil. After planting the seeds, he needs to water the garden regularly and pull out any weeds that may stunt the growth of the crops. All of his efforts pay off in the late summer and early fall when what he has planted springs up and we have the pleasure of partaking of the harvest as well as sharing the fruits of his labors with friends and family. I was recently meditating on John 15:1-17. Jesus tells His disciples, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener." (John 15:1 NIV)
The Vine Is The Life Giver
When I think about a vine, it is the life giver to the branches. It nourishes the branches so they may grow to their full potential. The property of a vine is to spread out and in some cases wrap themselves around an object. A vine can easily take over a garden. When my husband plants certain vegetables such as butternut squash, it emerges as a series of vines which flower. Those flowers in turn become the squash. He always plants the butternut squash in an area of the garden where it has plenty of room to spread out and grow. Jesus, as the "true vine" nourishes those of us who are His followers as we are connected to Him. In the Old Testament, the imagery of the vine was frequently used as a symbol of Israel (i.e. Psalm 80:8-16; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 2:21) Many times when this imagery is used Israel is often shown as lacking in some way. However, Jesus is never lacking in any way, thus the representation of the "true vine." God the Father is represented as the gardener. Gardeners are responsible for overseeing the vine and the fruit it is producing. The gardener cares for and protects the vine from attack or damage so it will ultimately produce good fruit.
We Need To Remain In The Vine
I was also struck in this passage at the number of times Jesus tells His disciples to remain in Him and His love. In the first 10 verses of John 15, the word "remain" is repeated 10 times. The Greek word for "remain" carries the idea of abiding; sojourning; staying present. Jesus is obviously trying to make a point. The point is like in a garden, we need to be attached to the life giving, life nourishing vine of Jesus in order to grow and be fruitful. The Father in Christ has "planted" an eternal seed that will never perish because God is sovereign over it. Anything else we attach ourselves to will ultimately wither and die, leaving us less fruitful than the potential we could experience in Christ. The greatest and most enduring "fruit" that we can produce through Christ is love, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love." (John 15:9 NIV) Jesus makes it possible for us to bear fruit and as a result our prayers are aimed at carrying forth the work that Jesus did, prayer that the Father will answer because the prayers are rooted in His will and in love. (John 15:16-17) How about you? To what are you attached? Does whatever we are attached to bring life? What happens after that object or person fails to hold up over time? Despite the loving care that my husband gives to the garden the reality is that the vegetables his garden produces every year do not last forever. If they are not consumed in a short amount of time they will go bad and ultimately rot. What an awesome blessing to be connected to the "Life Vine" and as a result we will be able to produce fruit that will not only be attractive but will not perish.
All Glory To God,
Pastor Sheree
Postscript: If you would like to dig deeper into this passage, please visit my friend's website JeanneDoyon.com and follow the link to her Youtube videos.
A friend of mine is on her way to China this summer for a second time. Lest you think she is planning to relocate, that is not the case. She will be accompanying her daughter to bring home her second grandson. Her daughter, who is a twin, is following in the footsteps of her sister who also adopted a little boy from China. Both her sister's son and this soon to be adopted boy, have some physical challenges. China's strict laws which limit parents to only giving birth to one child stacks the deck against families. In the Chinese culture, boys tend to be favored so if a family's first child is a girl, there is great disappointment. Some parents give their baby girls up to orphanages and there have been documented cases of infanticide. Children that are born with physical or mental challenges likewise have a dismal future. Only by God's grace and the love and compassion birthed in the hearts of those who see beyond a child's challenges brings hope for a better life. My friend and her daughter are on a mission of mercy in Jesus' Name.
At The Kings's table
Biblically I am reminded of 2 Samuel 9 and the story of David and Mephibosheth. David was Israel's king and Mephibosheth was the son of David's best friend, Jonathan. Jonathan's father, Saul, became jealous of David's popularity and the fact that God had chosen David to become king. Saul's envy and disobedience to the Lord ultimately led to the wiping out of Saul's descendants. David because of his great love and friendship for Jonathan wanted to show some kindness to any remaining descendants of Saul's household. Mephibosheth was that descendant but there was a catch. The story in 2 Samuel tells us Mephibosheth was lame in both feet. His crippling condition resulted from an accidental fall at age 5 as his nurse dropped him while trying to flee in order to protect Mephibosheth from harm. (2 Samuel 4:4) According to Jewish thought, people who were blind, lame, deaf, or suffering from any physical challenges or ailments were considered outcasts and receiving the punishment for some sin they or their parent's may have committed in the past. (John 9:1-2) I wonder how Mephibosheth felt growing up as an outcast? How did this little boy in China feel separated out from society through no fault of his own? David out of love and compassion takes Mephibosheth into his palace, orders his servants to take care of Mephibosheth's land and declares that this young outcast will no longer be a stranger but "will always eat at the king's table like one of the king's sons." (2 Samuel 10-11) The passage concludes, "And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table; he was lame in both feet." (2 Samuel 9:13)
No Longer An Outcast
So it is that this little Chinese boy who right now is confined to a wheelchair will no longer be an outcast but will always eat at the table of his adoptive mother despite his physical limitations. The love and compassion of my friend's daughter for this little boy is a glimpse of God's love for us. God's love towards us is so great that He not only accepts us as we are but He gave us His Son so we would always have a place at the table for eternity with Him in heaven. The invitation is free, all we need to do is accept God's gracious gift. So come to the table!
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree
Postscript: My friend who is going to China informed me that the country has since changed it's policy to now allow parents to have two children.
Recently, I received some challenging news regarding my current employment. I need to make a decision whether to continue my counseling with my current practice group or establish my own private practice. The director of our practice group has been talking to the clinicians in our four locations about his plans to retire in a few years. However, we assumed we had at least two years before we had to decide what to do after the practice closed it's doors. Apparently, finances have become challenging to the point where the director felt it necessary to make some hard decisions. As a result, the site where my office is located needs to be eliminated this year. My initial reaction was one of anger and then fear began to set in. The news took me completely by surprise and I began to think of the financial implications. My husband is planning to retire at the beginning of next year which leaves me as the sole income earner apart from his social security benefits.
What was I going to do?
I decided to gather as much information as possible before making a final decision as to how soon to leave the practice. In the meantime, a friend had invited me to a concert with contemporary Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. The opening act was a fellow artist who has been a long time friend of Mr. Chapman's and his name is Geoff Moore. Before introducing a new song he had written for his upcoming album, Geoff Moore talked about his lifelong struggle with anxiety. He stated he had difficulty not being able to predict what was going to happen in his life in the future. A turning point came upon reading author Oswald Chamber's devotional book entitled, "My Utmost For His Highest." This particular devotional is a classic and has been a favorite standard of followers of Christ for many years. One line in particular became Geoff Moore's "saving grace" and has encouraged him during his times of doubt and fear. Oswald Chambers states, "When you don't know what to do, trust God and do the next thing. Take the next obvious step in front of you and trust God to lead you." Those words truly ministered to my spirit and helped me to take a new and different perspective on my situation.
Abraham trusted God
I am reminded of Abraham who trusted God and left all he knew to go to the promised land although he lived there as a sojourner. (Genesis 12; Hebrews 11:8-9) As a result of his obedience we are told, "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6 NIV) Abraham in essence did what Oswald Chambers encouraged believers to do, "trust God and do the next thing." What about you? Can you take the next step of faith in an unknown situation and trust God to be with you? As I prayerfully consider the next step to take, I can rest in the knowledge that God will go before me, leading me down the next path in my life's journey towards the kingdom of God.
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree
Last month our church almost closed it's doors for lack of financial support. However, the few faithful attendees rallied to pull together enough funds to pay the rent for the month of March. The reality is although we managed to continue to worship, we knew we were on "borrowed" time. Our lead pastors had been prayerfully considering relocating to another town. So, we began in earnest to contact other churches and potential properties that would be open to renting to our small church body. There was a sense that of all the possible locations we were considering, Auburn, MA. kept coming to mind. So we focused our efforts towards that town. In speaking to my spiritual director about our dilemma, he posed a question to me. He in essence had me think about our situation as reflecting the Israelite's challenge as they faced the Red Sea with the Egyptians in hot pursuit behind them.(Exodus 14) The question I was to consider was like Moses, we as a church were at our "Red Sea" moment, so how was I going to pray?
How was I going to pray?
I admit I was stymied and couldn't really come up with a reasonable answer. My spiritual director went on to comment that many Christians when they pray tend to try and hedge their bets with God. They pray for His will to be done, which is appropriate as that needs to be our heart's desire. However, the underlying intention is more like an attempt to try and brace themselves for ultimately being disappointed. Moses had brought the Israelites out of Egypt according to God's will but now it looked like their journey was going to come to an abrupt end. Likewise, our church had been planted and survived many challenges in Southbridge, MA. for over 5 1/2 years and now it seemed like the doors would be closed for good, despite the fact that the remaining congregants wanted to continue to minister as a body for the Lord. Additionally, my husband and I had been through our own "wilderness experience" searching for a new church home for over two years. When we came to New Vision Church, we knew we had arrived at "home." Now we were feeling "betrayed" in the sense that God was going to send us back out into the wilderness. My spiritual director went on to challenge me as he put it, "to pray as if a situation already is, until God says it is not." In other words, no hedging our bets. We were to believe God was going to find us a new church home in Auburn before the end of March until it turned out otherwise. When I returned home, I looked at the passage in Exodus 14 and realized how much my attitude reflected the Israelite's thinking that God brought us to this point to figuratively speaking "let us die." I decided to listen to God's word to Moses in that moment and adopt a different mindset. Moses told the Israelites, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today....the Lord will fight for you; you need only be still." (Exodus 14:13a,14)
The Lord will fight for you!
I am happy to report that the Lord indeed has found us our new church home in Auburn. We will be sharing a space with another church which has graciously blessed us. Easter is less than two weeks away and there was another prayer of desperation that was lifted to God in a garden called Gethsemane. Jesus, in His time of anguish knowing He was going to the cross prayed, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:36) Jesus wasn't hedging His bets with God. He knew what the outcome was going to be and was confident that He would see the deliverance the Lord would bring to Him through the resurrection. So, the challenge before us all, this Holy Week, is how will we pray in our "Red Sea" moments? How will we pray in our personal gardens of Gethsemane? Will we trust God for the outcomes we desire until He says "it is not?" Let us commit to praying in a new way this Easter and watch the fruit of the resurrection bring forth new life in our situations and circumstances.
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!
Pastor Sheree
Valentine's Day is once again upon us and the mad rush is underway to buy those last minute tokens that serve as our "expressions" of love. If the average person were asked the question, "What is love?" the answers would run the gamut from the tangible to the intangible. Some would reply that love is a feeling. Others would respond that love is flowers, a diamond ring, or some other tangible representation that defines love. However, if the question were asked "Who is love?" there may be some blank stares or head scratching in searching for an answer. The reality is the Bible provides us with the answer to the question who is love? 1 John 4:16b states simply, "God is love."
God loved us first.
God demonstrated that love in the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. God represents the purest form of love which is called in the Greek "agape" love. Agape love is totally unconditional regardless of what we have done or will do. Agape love does not demand that it be earned through perfection or performance. We as human beings are not fully capable of demonstrating agape love because of our sinfulness but it is the kind of love God seeks to have His followers emulate. In fact 1 John goes on to tell us that all love ultimately comes from God and genuine love is never self-generated by His creatures. "We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) The token expressions given to those with whom we have a loving relationship are nice but they do not last forever. Flowers eventually wilt and die and candy is eaten leaving behind no tangible evidence of Valentine's Day. Even our "loving feelings" can vary on a day to day basis. However, God's love is not confined to token symbols that fade but God's love in seen in the symbol of the cross and ultimately in the One who died for our sins so that our relationship with God could be restored.
Love has a name.
Singer/songwriter Kathy Troccoli has a song entitled "Love Has A Name." The chorus goes, "Love has a name, love has a face, and when you know love, you know you're not the same. Love never dies, love never leaves, and when hope is gone, love will believe. Love every day, gives love away, love has a name--Jesus." I encourage you this Valentine's Day to experience the depth of true love found in Jesus Christ.
In His Love,
Pastor Sheree
If you would like to listen to Kathy Troccoli's song "Love Has A Name" enter the following in your search engine. https://youtu.be/cuT2j34Hdd8
One of the unique things about New England is experiencing the change of seasons. Sometimes we have to guess what season we are in as we can reach 50 degrees in mid-January or fall to temperatures below zero which are more reminiscent of the weather in Alaska! Let's face it, we all have expectations about what we believe the weather needs to look like in any given season. But here in New England the seasons are unpredictable. So it is in our spiritual life. The writer of Ecclesiastes states, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)
God moves us through spiritual seasons
Our spiritual seasons are unpredictable. God knows in His perfect timing when our seasons are to change.The time in between our spiritual seasons could be months or years. Yet when God brings us into a new season, it is often beyond our expectations. The Lord is bringing me into a new spiritual season. Last year I began to engage in a practice which many followers of Christ find helpful in their spiritual walk. I chose a word for the year and saw how God brought fruit from that word as He moved me through the spiritual seasons of my life. Last years word was "chosen." This years word is "brave." I don't know how bravery will play out this year but I have already decided to take some brave steps of faith. At the end of this month I will be joining a group of sisters in Christ who are serving as pastors and leaders in their respective churches. We will be meeting once every three weeks throughout the year to encourage, support, share, and pray for each other. Additionally, I have added my name to a speaker's directory of a different women's ministry. This opportunity may open up the possibility for me to speak at different churches on subjects in my area of ministry in the Christian counseling field.
Watch the seasons unfold
I don't know what challenges and changes will take place as a result of the opportunities that God has opened up for me in these "activities under the heavens." However, I am grateful and excited to see what will happen. I encourage you to consider asking God to direct you to a word that will capture what He wants to do in the spiritual seasons of your life. Then like the ever changing, unpredictable nature of our New England seasons watch God unfold His seasons in your life.
Pastor Sheree
Enter this link in your search engine to hear a song from singer/songwriter Nichole Nordeman entitled "Every Season"
https://youtu.be/rFmcpg3lz8E
