This coming weekend, we at Parkway Wesleyan will be celebrating our 90th Anniversary as a church.  On November 11, 1921 the Pilgrim Holiness Church of Staunton was officially organized with 21 charter members.  Shortly thereafter, Rev. J. V. Roberts of Roanoke was called to be their first pastor.  In preparing for our anniversary it has been fascinating to hear of some of the amazing miracles that took place and to learn of some of the faithful servants who have been a part of this ministry.  God has truly blessed this church.

   In some ways I feel like King David in I Chronicles 29.  David is near the end of his life and he is about to turn over the leadership of Israel to his son Solomon.  If you’ll remember the story, David had wanted to build a permanent house for the Lord.  However, God had told him NO.  His son Solomon would be given the task of building the temple.  Though David must have been disappointed, he doesn’t complain.  Instead, he begins to gather supplies and raise the funds to complete this project.  He begins to get things ready so that when Solomon takes the throne he can begin building almost immediately.

   Not only does David give personally, but the people respond with gifts of gold, silver and precious stones.  As David takes stock of all they’ve done.  As he inventories the amazing treasure they’ve stockpiled, his heart just breaks out in praise. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.  (I Chronicles 29: 13-14)

   As I think about this anniversary weekend, I feel a little bit like David.  “Who am I that I get to pastor such a great church?”  Why have we as a church been blessed in such a marvelous way for 90 years?”  I’m reminded of the fact that most of the blessings we enjoy are not deserved, they are all gifts from God’s hand.  We are simply enjoying the labors of many who have gone before us.  We don’t deserve any of this.  It’s all because of His amazing grace.

   This coming weekend we get to reminisce and remember people and events for the past 90 years.  No doubt we will see many old friends and recount dozens of stories of God’s blessings.  In the midst of it all, I trust we will be quick to give God the glory.  He deserves our highest praise and our heartfelt thanks.

   I love the gospel song by Andre’ Crouch that asks the question “How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me?”  Things so underserved, yet you gave to prove your love for me;”  The songwriter goes on to point out that:  “The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude.  All that I am, and ever hope to be; I owe it all to Thee”  “To God be the glory … For the things He has done!

   Let’s be sure to remember this weekend that the Lord deserves all the praise!  Hope to see you there!

                                                                                           Pastor Barry

The Rick Webb Family Concert— Saturday, November 19th—7:00 PM

Anniversary Celebration and lunch— Sunday, November 20th—10:30 AM

There will be no Sunday School on Sunday, November 20th

An older couple were sitting in their family room one night watching TV.  The husband, turned to his wife and said:  “Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine.  If that ever happens, just pull the plug.”  His wife immediately got up, walked over and unplugged the TV.

  No doubt, all of us would be better off if we were to do the same.  I’m not just bashing television, although I do believe it can have a mind-numbing effect.  The question is, what kind of life are we really living?  Are we just existing?  Or are we really living the abundant life Jesus promised?  10 A thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I came to give life—life in all its fullness. [John 10: 10 NCV]

   Our Sunday School lesson in the Sanctuary Class this past Sunday dealt with the living water of Engedi.  The pictures on the video were amazing.  Here is this lush tropical oasis in the midst of a barren wilderness.  Fed by an underground stream, water literally gushes out of a rock and tumbles down a waterfall bringing incredible life to the area.

   Sometimes our world seems like a barren wasteland.  We are parched and thirsty.  We wonder if we can survive another day.  Yet, there is a source of living water available to us.  Jesus offered this water to a thirsty Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.  She had been trying to find joy and happiness in a string of broken relationships, but with little success.  Jesus offers her something better, “14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [John 4:14]  A little later Jesus offers this great invitation on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

[John 7: 37-38]

   I'm reminded of a story I read recently about a group of sailors whose ship capsized in a terrible storm.  They had survived for several days in a lifeboat, but their water supply was gone.  With the sun blazing down they knew that they could not survive for long.  They were so thirsty.  But what they didn’t realize is that they had drifted to within a mile of where the mighty Amazon River empties into the Atlantic Ocean.  The fresh water is lighter than the salty ocean water and thus stays on top.  It empties into the ocean with such force that it pushes a plume of fresh water several miles out to sea.  The sailors didn’t know it, but all they needed to do was lean over the side of their lifeboat and they could have quenched their thirst.

   The good news for us this morning is that living water is available for the taking.  We don’t have to just exist.  We don’t have to remain thirsty.  God wants us to experience so much more. 

   Maybe you’ve heard the song by Crystal Lewis that has become one of my favorite invitation songs:

                            Come just as you are   Hear the spirit call    Come just as you are    Come and see

                            Come receive    Come and live forever    Life everlasting    Strength for today

                            Taste the living water    And never thirst again.

   Look to the One this morning who can satisfy. 

                                                                                             Have a great week!

                                                                                             Pastor Barry

 In the Old Testament book of Numbers, God brings His people to the edge of the promised land.  They send out spies to scout out the land and their report is both positive and negative.  Yes it is a wonderful land, flowing with milk and honey, but there are walled cities and giants there.  The majority opinion is that the land is unconquerable.  In spite of the encouragement of Joshua and Caleb to trust the Lord, most want to give up and go back to Egypt.  Moses describes the scene in in Numbers 14: 1-4 this way  That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.  All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in the desert!  Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?   Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.  Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”  And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

   It’s amazing to me that a people would choose slavery over freedom just because it was more comfortable and less challenging.  Yet, I wonder how different are we really?  Do we fear taking a risk for Jesus?  Do we settle for mediocrity just because it is less demanding and doesn’t cost as much?

   Listen to this quote from Hans Kung in his book “The Church As the People of God”.  “A church which pitches It’s tents without constantly looking out for new horizons, which does not continually strike camp, is being untrue to its calling … we must play down our longing for certainty, accept what is risky, and live by improvisation and experiment.”

   I believe what Kung is saying is that we can’t always play it safe.  Following Jesus often means stepping into the unknown, trying something new and putting our self in places where unless God helps us we are destined to fail.  That’s what it means to live by faith.

   Is it scary?  Yes!  Is it always easy?  Definitely not!  But the upside is we may get to see the hand of God.  There is nothing more exciting than being part of a miracle.  My challenge to us as a church is to keep following Jesus wherever He leads us with radical abandonment.   We never want to stop short of God’s best for our lives.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend 40 years wandering in circles like the Israelites.  The promise land is waiting for those who will be obedient.

                                                                 Have a great week,

                                                                 Pastor Barry

P.S.  Thanks to all who made our Trunk or Treat night such a success.  We had a fantastic turnout   and I believe made a great impact on our community.

This weekend I experienced a twinge of loneliness. [A good thing perhaps, since my sermon this past Sunday was entitled “You Are Not In This Alone.”]  My wife has been off to Michigan spoiling our grandson for a few days, so I had the weekend to myself.  It’s been a productive weekend.  I’ve mowed grass, done yard work and fixed a couple of things around the house [4 trips to Lowe’s and Home Depot.]  I completed a long run on Saturday, watched lots of football and the World Series, and ate lots of stuff Rosemary probably wouldn’t approve of. [I grilled a cheeseburger Friday and covered it with onions sautéed in real butter—I could feel my arteries clogging as I ate it, but it was soo good!]  Yet, I have to admit, the house sure gets quiet after a while.  I can only imagine what it would be like to live alone day in and day out.

   AARP magazine recently reported the results of a landmark study of people ages 45 and older that determined 35% of us are chronically lonely (up from just 20% a decade ago.)  Interestingly, the highest percentage was in the 40-50 age bracket.  The study also showed that those who attended church regularly or who volunteered had significantly lower loneliness levels than those who didn’t.  One might think that those who reached out regularly through social media such as Facebook would be less lonely, but that was not true.  As one expert puts it, “using social networking as a substitute for human contact can be like eating celery when you're hungry.  It makes you feel better for a short while, but it isn’t real nourishment, so you get hungrier in the long run.”

   So what is the cure for loneliness?   If you’re going through a lonely season in your life, what can you do?  Well first, you can realize that you are never really alone.  If you are a believer, Christ resides in your heart.  You have a “friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8 NKJV).  As you cultivate a closer relationship with the Lord through prayer and reading His word you can sing with the hymn writer … “He walks with me, And He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own.  And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known.”

   A second key to overcoming loneliness is to connect with God’s people.  The church, fellow believers are your new forever family.  These are the people you are gong to spend eternity with, so why not get to know them now.  They’re probably not perfect, but you already have a lot in common.  They are all sinners saved by grace, just like you.  We all love the same Jesus and that should be reason enough to come together.  You may find temporary companionship at the local bar, but it can’t compare to the fellowship of the family of God.  By the way, as, the established members of this family we should be constantly looking to pull in and include those lonely people who are standing on the fringes.  It’s our job to make sure they feel included.

   One final key to overcoming loneliness is to look for a place to serve.  Find a cause.  Volunteer for a ministry.
Look for someone else who is in need or lonely and reach out to them.  As you do, you will find your own feelings of loneliness vanishing.

   Well, Rosemary is back and our house is bustling again with activity.  (It’s a good thing I rested up over the weekend while I had the chance.)  Yet, I’m hoping I don’t forget the lesson the Lord taught me.  People around us are lonely.  There is probably someone I know who could use a friend.  It’s my job to reach out to them, include them and make them feel like part of the family.  It’s your job too!

                                                                              Have a great week!

                                                                              Pastor Barry

   If you’re old enough to remember the good old days of Monday Night Football with Howard Cosell and “Dandy” Don Meredith, you may remember they didn’t always agree (which I believe added to the interest level of the game.)  On one particular Monday night, Howard was making excuses for the team that was getting thrashed by the Cowboys.  He keep saying things like if only their quarterback hadn’t been injured; if only that receiver hadn’t dropped the ball in the end zone; if only they could have gotten that first down, it would be a different ball game.

   Finally, Don Meredith had taken about all he could stand, and he turned to Howard and said, “If if’s and buts' was candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas!”  His point was that we can always find an excuse for our failures and mistakes.  Real winners prevail in spite of the adversity.

   I run into a lot of people who have what I call “if only” syndrome.  If only I’d gone to a different school … if only I’d pursued a different career … if only I’d married someone else … then I’d be happy.  Then, I would be content.  Benjamin Franklin once pointed out that, “The U.S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it.  You have to catch up to it yourself.”  What would it take to make you happy this morning?  More money?  A bigger house?  A better boss?  A new motorcycle?  The answer is none of the above.  At best those things only bring temporary pleasure.  Happiness is an inside job.

   Notice the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes:   3Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 4Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them! 5Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised 6Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully 7 Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! 8 Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God!
9 Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! 10Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! 11Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers.12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. (Matthew 5: 3-12 Good News Translation)

   There is no mention of things or possessions in this list.  In fact, if you read the rest of this Sermon on the Mount it indicates that a lack of concern (not worrying) about such things as where we’re going to sleep, and what we’re going to wear, and what we are going to eat is essential to true happiness (Matthew 6: 25-34).  The secret is found in simply trusting our heavenly Father.

   Happiness and contentment comes from knowing that you are held in His loving arms.  So quit making excuses.  Quit complaining.  Thank God for His many blessings.  Remind yourself that God is still in charge and He knows what He is doing.  Hopefully, you can say with the hymn writer ..  Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

   Have a great week!  And smile … it’s surprising how much better you’ll feel!

                                                                 Pastor Barry

   In his book “Holy Discontent”, Bill Hybels reminds us of a balding, mischievous cartoon character that many of us grew up with, known as Popeye, the Sailor Man.  Popeye had a gravely voice,  smoked a corncob pipe and had tattoos on his massive forearms.  Normally, Popeye was a laid-back, easy going sort of guy.  Most of the time he had a long fuse and he took a lot of frustrating failures and disappointments in stride.  However, the one thing that would cause him to spring into action was the threat of harm to his beloved girlfriend, Olive Oyl.  If Olive was in danger his pulse would race, his blood pressure would skyrocket and his anger would begin to boil.  He would take it as long as he could, but then he would reach the end of his rope and he’d utter those famous words. “That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more!”  Not the best grammar, but the point was it was now time for action.  The sufficiently enraged Popeye would rip open a can of spinach and swallow the green lump in one giant gulp.  [I’ve always wondered if there was some conspiracy between spinach growers, vegetarians and parents to persuade kids to eat to this nasty stuff].

   Immediately, Popeye would be infused with remarkable power.  His forearms would quadruple in size and he would become an unstoppable force.  The opposition (usually Brutus) would be crushed and his precious Olive Oyl would be saved.  Then Popeye would sing himself off the screen: “I’m strong to the finich, ’cause I eats me spinach … I’m Popeye the Sailor Man!”   What a show!  I bet you’re singing the song even now.

   Hybels goes on to ask the question, what is the one thing that you “can’t stands no more”?  For Moses it was the fact that his people were in bondage and were being mistreated.  For Nehemiah it was the fact that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and God’s people were in defenseless.  For Martin Luther it was the corruption of the church and the selling of indulgences that caused him to nail his “95 Theses” to the door of Wittenburg Castle.  For William Wilberforce, it was the cruelty of slave trade.  For Martin Luther King, it was the cause of racism in the 50’s and 60’s.

   What is the passion that fuels our ministry efforts?  Is there something that serves as a catalyst?  Is there a “Holy Discontent” that motivates you to get up off the couch and do something? 

   As part of our fall series of messages on “Living a Life That Matters” we have been talking about finding our niche, our place of ministry.  One step in that process is uncovering our passion.  The thing that really motivates us. [If you came on Sunday evening we are working through some exercises that will help you discover your particular passion/heart for ministry].  I encourage you to think about your inner motivation.  What is it that you can’t stand?  What is the one thing that grabs your heart and won’t let go?  Is it hungry children? Abused women?  The homeless?  People enslaved to drugs or alcohol?  Those dying with cancer?  Is it a cause like caring for the unborn, or racism, or social justice?  Is your passion reaching the lost or missions?  I would encourage you to stir that passion, fuel that discontent and find a way to get involved.  When you do, you will begin to realize this is why you’re here.  This is why you were created.  This is what you were meant to do.  I’m praying that God will help you discover your passion for ministry.

Have a great week!

Pastor Barry

   On the old “Happy Days” television show, Richie Cunningham was “grounded for life” by his Father, Howard, for some foolish and costly misbehavior.  As they talked about it, Howard asked his son, “Ritchie, did you know that there is a lesson in all this for you?”  Richie’s response was priceless:  “I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere!”    It’s kinda like my Mom’s philosophy on medicine.  I don’t know how many times I was told as a child, “unless it tastes bad it’s not doing you any good.”  That thought was so ingrained in my thinking, I’m actually suspicious of medicine even today that actually tastes good.  Or were you ever told when they put the mercurochrome on a cut: “This is going to sting a little, but that’s how you know it’s working.”  Pain seems to be a very effective teacher.  Perhaps you’ve heard the little poem by Robert Browning Hamilton:

I walked a mile with Pleasure;

She chatted all the way;

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,

And ne’er a word said she;

But, oh! The things I learned from her,

When sorrow walked with me.

   In one of the most practical books of the Bible, the Apostle James writes these words from (James 1: 2-4) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.   The point is simple, God allows trials for a reason.  We shouldn’t waste them.  God can use our pain, our sorrow to make us stronger and more like Him.  It may not be fun, but it is essential for the development of our character and fruits of the Spirit like patience, gentleness and self-control.

   I don’t know what kind of trials you’re going through this morning, but I do know this:  God is in control.  And as Richie Cunningham says, “there’s got to be a lesson in this somewhere.”  In the meantime, rest assured that you’re not suffering alone.  God has promised, “Never will I leave you: never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) whatever the test you’re going through, God wants you to pass.  He’s given you the resources and the strength to keep going.  You may not be able to see it now, but God has your best interests at heart.  Just keep trusting!

Have a great week.

Pastor Barry

   A few years ago there was a true story about a man in New York City who was kidnapped.  His kidnappers called his wife and asked for $100,000 ransom.  She talked them down to $30,000.

   The story had a happy ending:  the man returned home unharmed, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail.  But, don’t you wonder what happened when the man got home and found out his wife got him back for a discount?  Can you imagine what the negotiations must have been like:  “A $100,000 for that old guy?  You must be crazy.  Just look at him!  You want a $100,000 for that!  You’ve got to be kidding.  Give me a break.  $30,000 is my final offer.”

   Now you have to admire the wife’s savvy negotiating skills.  Her bluff paid off, but I keep putting myself in the husband’s place.  I’d like to think that if I were in a similar situation, there would be people who would spare no expense to get me back.  They wouldn't haggle over the price.  They wouldn’t have to think about it.  They would do whatever it took.  The point is there are times when it is OK to be extravagant.

   There is a story in the gospels (Matthew 26: 6-13) where we see that kind of extravagant giving.  Jesus is at the house of Simon the Pharisee having dinner.  A woman of the street (a prostitute) comes in and bathes Jesus feet with her tears and dries them with her hair.  Then, in an act of extravagant love, she breaks the alabaster jar of perfume she carries around her neck and pours out the entire contents on Jesus.  It is perhaps the most expensive, valuable thing she possesses.  Yet, she gives it all in an act of unselfish affection.

    I was reminded this weekend of the unselfish, extravagant sacrifice of our career missionaries.  People like Drs. Dan and Joan Jones, our missionary speakers, are doing amazing work at an incredible personal cost.  And yet, like most missionaries I know, they don’t think they are doing anything special.  They are just obeying the Lord that they love.

   The thought that I can’t seem to escape is this one:  How much am I willing to give to see the kingdom advanced?  Not just my money, but my time and energy as well.  Am I trying to negotiate a better deal with the Lord, or am I willing to give extravagantly and obey with unrestrained abandon?  I believe God is calling us as a church to new levels of sacrifice and service.  Let’s decide in advance to be obedient to His call.

Have a great week!

Pastor Barry

P.S.  Our faith Promise total so far is just over $20,000.

P.S.S. Don’t forget our Dinner & Movie Fellowship this coming Saturday night.  Dinner is at 6:00 PM and we’ll be showing the movie (The Blind  Side for adults and Marmaduke for kids) at 7:00 PM.  Please call the church office (885-1804) or e-mail (parkwayinfo@comcast.net) to let us know you are coming.  Don’t miss the fun!

                  In book six of the Chronicles of Narnia, entitled “The Silver Chair,” a somewhat haughty and spoiled girl named Jill Pole ends up in Narnia. She grows thirsty, but she is afraid to approach the nearby stream because Aslan, the huge golden lion (who represents Christ) is sitting beside the stream. Jill is faced with a dilemma. She’s terribly thirsty, but she’s even more frightened of the lion. In a conversation with Aslan she expresses her fear.

“I dare not come and drink” said Jill.

“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.

“Oh dear!” said Jill coming another step nearer.  

“I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”

“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

The story reminds me of an incident that  takes place in the gospels. Jesus has just delivered a difficult message to the crowds about eating his flesh and drinking  his blood. In John 6:66 it says that  “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” Jesus then asked his twelve disciples “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”  Peter and the disciples realized “There is no other stream.” There is no other alternative. There is no plan B. There in no such thing as partially following Christ or being a disciple when it is convenient. We either find our joy, our life in Him or we go thirsty. Either we trust Him totally, completely or we don’t. There is no middle ground. And yet many of us, like Jill, keep looking for another stream. We’re afraid to risk it. Trusting God with all our life seems scary. Leaping into the stream without a life jacket seems dangerous. We keep thinking maybe I can slip in, grab a bucket of water, and flee back to the safety of the woods. Maybe if I just keep working harder, or do a few more good deeds or try to do better I won't feel so guilty. Perhaps if my new job works out and I can get my bills under control, I’ll feel more secure.

The said truth is none of those “other streams,” none of those alternatives ever works. There is no other stream. One of my favorite old hymns is Elisha Huffman’s “Down at the Cross.” I especially like the last verse:

Come to the fountain so rich and sweet

Cast thy poor soul at the Savior’s feet;

Plunge in today and be made complete;

Gory to His name

What are you waiting on? You’re not going to find the answer anywhere else. Don’t keep on being thirsty. Take a leap of faith and trust in Christ. He will not fail you. Have a great week.

Pastor Barry

P.S.– Don’t forget the Mission Conference this weekend. Picnic with our missionaries Saturday evening at 5:00 P.M and at 10:45 and Sunday A.M.

The year was 1986 — it was a Tuesday.  Outside in Pennsylvania, it was a crisp, late January day.  The sky was clear and blue.  I was working in the call center of Day-Timer’s Inc.  Our department took care of taking phone orders.  I was working there as a temporary employee.  I was part of an odd shift that started at 10:30am. That was so we could cover the calls coming in from the west coast.  Just an hour after I started, I heard these words come over the wall from the cubicle next to me: “The Challenger just blew up.”  We were stunned.  I remember getting home that evening and watching the news footage as it was played over and over again.  The images are hard to forget.  For my generation it was the first time we asked ourselves “Do you remember where you were when…?” 

Ten years ago, it was another Tuesday — another clear, blue sky.  This time it was in September.  Again the day was cool and crisp, but not unseasonable for the first part of September in Upstate New York.  I can recount the details like it was yesterday.  The Sunday following was suppose to be a big Sunday.  I was working on a salvation message for a denominational-wide day of evangelism in our churches.  Being that I was bi-vocational at the time, I was scheduled to go to work at Radio Shack at noon—that would give me time to work on my sermon before I went to work.  I was in my office, typing away, when Pam came over to tell me that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers.  “How odd,” I thought.  It was a clear, blue sky with not a cloud in sight.  Thinking little of it, I went back to my typing.  Fifteen minutes later, Pam came back an told me a second plane had hit the other tower.  This peaked my interest.  Something was wrong—planes don’t crash into skyscrapers on beautiful, cloudless days.  I joined her in our living room and watched the rest of the morning unfold—it was so surreal—almost as if I was dreaming in the middle of the day.  Over and over we watched the images played out in front of us.  As the morning wore on, we became aware that we as a country had experienced something significant.  For a second time, my generation can answer the question “Do you remember where you were when…?” 

In forced communion, we imagined the terror of those within the heart of the nightmare—within the heart of darkness—the confusion—the uncertainty—the choice—fall or burn. (How bad was it in those upper stories of the WTC that jumping 1000 feet to your death seemed like a better option?)  For some—for most, perhaps—the choice is made for them.

When the Challenger fell, we reached out to our loved ones.  As the events unfolded ten years ago, we grabbed our children to hug them.  We sought to make sense of the insanity.  We searched for some sliver of good from the ruin and wreckage before us.

Mark Wilson, pastor of Hayward Wesleyan Church, FLAME professor and a good friend of mine posted this Sunday from Psalm 91: 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

There are times when we just can’t make sense of it all.  We try and we try.  Sometimes our inclination is to blame God, but it is in those times—those trying times—that we need to make that 911 call to God—to find rest in the shadow of His wings—that He is our refuge—that He is our place of safety—that we can trust in Him, because He is God.

Have a great week,

Pastor Dale