Mission Trip

We are going to the Bridge of Hope church of the Nazarene on March 13th through the 17th in St. Louis, Missouri! All those interested must come and sign up at youth group within the next week. Cost of the trip is $30 per student and then $50 for family's with more than one student going. Hope you join us as we go and minister to those in inner city St. Louis!

Hard Times

This morning around 3 a.m. I lost someone very dear to me. My Nana, Lora Lee Dunkin, passed from this life to be with her heavenly Father. As I reflected upon the good times we shared I was constantly reminded of the way my Nana loved Jesus with every part of her life! My Nana and Papa had read the Bible for 15 years straight until the day that Alzehiemers got a hold of her. My Nana battled this disease for almost two years, and despite these tuff times still kept her faith in Jesus. My Nana got to a point where she could not speak well any more. My Papa told me of a time when a lady next to her in another room was about to die and how my Nana went next door and prayed for her.... not even missing one single word! My Nana was a lady of passion. She loved her children and she loved her grandchildren. She especially loved her husband. My Papa has portrayed to me in the most incredible way, the way we should love one another. My Papa went to see my Nana every single day in the nursing home going two to three times each day for hours upon hours at a time. My Papa would rub lotion on my Nana's feet and legs and arms and face to keep her skin moist and healthy. He would take her out for drives around the lake and take her to Chick-Fil-A. My Papa loved my Nana unconditionally. Despite these incredibly rough times my Papa never wavered in the love that he showed my Nana.
I am reminded as I grieve for my family of the ever powerful love of my Savior, Jesus Christ! A love so powerful that our minds can not comprehend. I am lifted in spirits to know that Jesus loves me despite what bad situation I might be in. No matter what mess I have made of myself , He still reaches out to me. I question myself at times though on whether I truly love others the way my Papa demonstrated in loving my Nana. My Papa challenged me to reach out to my wife and to love her with all that I have! To be there in good times and bad. To show compassion,love, and gentleness in all situations. My Nana leaves a legacy of one that can never be topped. A life that shows me that there is NOTHING more crucial in life than surrendering yourself to God and being His child. Let me leave you with this statement my Nana once said:
Life is hard at times...... But God IS ALWAYS good!

Love you Nana and can't wait to see you once again!

The Rich Man and Lazarus

In Luke 16:19-31 we read a story about two different men. One named Lazarus, who while on Earth lived a life of extreme poverty and another man (unnamed) leads a very wealthy life. The passage explains that as both of these men lived their lives on Earth, the rich man had a great house and that Lazarus sat outside his place just hoping to get the scraps that the rich man throughout before the dogs got to them. There comes a day when Lazarus passes from this life and is accepted into heaven. We read that later on the rich man also passes but instead of going to heaven like Lazarus he is thrown into the pits of Hell. We see dialogue beginning to go between this rich man and Abraham as the rich man peers up and sees Lazarus being taken care of in Heaven. We see the rich man begging for Lazarus to be allowed to just give this man a little bit of water to cool his tongue because of the extreme pain and torment he is going through in Hell. Abraham tells him that this is not possible and that he will spend eternity in this place and there is nothing that can be done now..... It is to late. The rich man cries out asking if there is anyway Lazarus or another person in heaven can go back to Earth to warn his family of this outcome that awaits them so they can change the way they are living. Again Abraham tells him that there is no way that can happen.
We see this picture of grief and of anxiety as this rich man now sees the consequences of the life that he lived while on Earth. We see the desperation in his voice as he cries out for help. But there is nothing that can be done. All that was is now over. The deal has been sealed. All doors have been closed and there is no turning back.
I want you to think about how you are doing life? Are you seeking God with all your heart, soul, and mind. In other words as put in Romans 12: 1-2 " So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work (school), and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Let God change your heart today. Let Him work His magnificent love into your life!