Some Reflections from a BUSY Saturday

Today, because of some illnesses on the staff I had to pull a bit of double duty. Thanks to the 2000 Buick Century that the church owns in addition to my newest hat, I was able to look like something out of a modern country western running back and forth from the church to the school. I began to recognize a couple of things:

1. I work with some of the best students..
Today, we had some variables to work through that we did not expect. At first, I was worried about the situation and my need to be around and yet my inability to be there at all times. It was on my first frantic drive back that I recognized that God is working in our students just as much as He is working in me and He's got them under control. Our students nailed it. Thanks to Nick Berkey, Nick Merriman, Tim Berkey, Abby Miller, Kayla Koontz, Spencer Dahlgren, Sydney Koontz, Amanda Yoder, Brant Nine, Caleb Yoder, Cody Cline, Brooke Fitch, Kaity McFarland, Carter Beebe, Kristen Schwenger, Brittany Lengacher, MacKensey Koontz, Heidi Morganthaler, Katherine Berkey, Taylor Fielstra, Sara Ivin, Austin Sanders, Katie Lengacher and Bethany Metzler for doing such a great job!


2. I need to lift the little things in prayer more often..
This came on the second frantic run back to the church (there were like 8 all told) and was really a big awakening. I don't bathe the little things in appropriate prayer as much as I should. Even the simple act of sharing a bit of an event that we are going to do for 8 minutes needs appropriate prayer. I think this changes my perspective on even the little things and my process for preparing for the little things.

3. I work on a great team...
Whether it is the rest of the Student Ministries Team or the whole church staff, God has blessed me to be where I am. I hope that I can continue to recognize just how blessed I am and not take that blessing for granted. 

Lots of stuff happened today at NMC. I pray that it was all for the glory of God. Amen.

Saturday Soliloquy

Today's thoughts come from the topic of Grace. Many of us think that we know what grace is and we describe it as the unconditional love and extension of life that is given to us on this earth. But, I wonder if we have missed some of the point. Grace is so much more than that. Grace, to me, equals peace. When people make us angry, Christ has asked us to have grace with all people. I am reminded of Romans 12:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"says the Lord. On the contrary:
   "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
      if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
   In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 Paul isn't saying that we should do all of these things because he wants us to be in better standing with the men on earth, he says it so that we can live in a way that extends grace to each other and do what we can to make this place better. I think that it is interesting that Paul identifies what kind of thinking that tends to be normal. The thinking that I am the most important individual that matters in this sense. But perhaps it is not about me and more about the other person. Take a look at this one from Hebrews 12:

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

It's clear here, that there is a difference between being outside of peace and being holy. So how are we doing there? When times of struggle come up, how are we trying to be holy? Critical to this passage is verse 18 when we are reminded that if we don't make every effort to be at peace with men, we may establish a gap between the grace of God and a person.

So, may we be proprietors of grace today, this weekend and in our lives. Enjoy the ballgames and have a great weekend!