Remember and Appreciate

Hello, Friends!

Well, here we are. The craziness continues, the rain is falling, the voices are still shouting.

But God.

Yesterday at church our oldest son, Brady, gave the communion meditation. It blessed me and I thought it would you, too. The best thing is that he doesn’t just say the right words, he is living them.

This generation of Christ followers is on FIRE and I think it is so encouraging. They are either in or out, it seems, because there aren’t many societal pressures for them to attend church and follow a God besides themselves.

In fact, they are encouraged to do the opposite many times by a very loud society.

I wonder if there are lots of individuals in my own generation who go through the motions of Christianity, but they are really just another dead man walking.

Time for all of us Christ followers to WAKE UP! We have the good news of the gospel to share and disciples to make. Without a doubt, we need all the encouragement we can get to keep moving forward.

Brady’s Thoughts

Oftentimes as humans we have the tendency to take things for granted.  Often, we appreciate things more when we no longer have them.  One way the term “take for granted” can be defined is…..

“to value someone or something too lightly.” 

Examples of this: 

Clean drinking water

Having plenty of food to eat

Having a roof over your head

Having parents who love you

Having children

Having a spouse to share life with

Being able to go to school

Being able to play sports or watch sports

Living in a peaceful country

Living in a free country

Being able to go to church

You see, we all know how important these things are when we stop and really think about what life would be like without them.  All of these things are truly a blessing, but we have a bad habit of just going about life assuming these things will always be there.  I believe this time we are going through this year will leave us all with a new appreciation for many things that we used to take for granted.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said this, “If the stars should appear but one night every thousand years how man would marvel and stare.”

And isn’t that the truth?

Our church family celebrates communion every Sunday. As we come to this time of communion each week, we need to ask ourselves some questions. 

Do we marvel at the Lord and the fact that he died for us? 

Do we really appreciate his grace and forgiveness? 

Think about what your life and struggles would be like without the Lord.  

In John chapter 16, Jesus explained to his disciples that he would have to leave them.  They didn’t understand that he would be crucified, but they knew he would leave them for a time.  Jesus comforted them in the last verse of chapter 16.  Jesus said,

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

As we face life’s trials, let’s marvel at the blessing that Jesus has overcome the world.  Let’s make sure we never take Jesus’s sacrifice for granted.

 

Mom’s Lessons

If there was ever a time when we need to have peace and be peace and bring peace to all the places we go, it is now.  May we allow Holy Spirit to shine bright in us and through us and make every encounter we have a fruitful one.

If you are a younger believer, please be bold as you go about your Father’s business-remember and appreciate.

If you are an older believer, don’t stop giving and shining and making disciples-remember and appreciate.

Go outside today and look at the clouds or the blue sky or the full moon and stars and know that the ONE who created all of it LOVES you and everything is going to be fine. Let’s remember and appreciate all that He has done!

Thank you, Brady, for letting me share. Love you!

Need more encouragement? Read this!