It's me again...the infamous dog walker. I was out earlier this morning walking and the sun was shining so brightly. I knew the promise of today is weather reaching up into the 70's, and I couldn't help but feel this euphoria..."Oh, YES, God, this is what I have been waiting for!!! I love springtime! I love to see the trees and bushes and flowers budding out and breaking forth into all of their glory. Winter has been long and hard, but once again SPRING IS HERE!!! YES!!! Thank you, Father!!"
I spoke with a lake-front neighbor while walking, and he was stating what a hard year it has been as far as the health issues in his family. his daughter has cancer, and she has nine children...ages 4-14. He agreed with me that spring is what we have been waiting for, and it's here. He believes God will touch his daughter and give her new life. this spring. (Would you help me pray for that miracle in their lives?) However, he is saying YES! to whatever God wants to do.
This morning my devotional reading was in Isaiah chapter 6, where God cleansed Isaiah and gave him his calling. For the first time it struck me what a difficult task God gave to Isaiah...to be a prophet of doom and gloom, to tell the people their cities would become wasteland. This had to happen so that "Israel's stump will be a holy seed" once again...but what a tough assignment was given to Isaiah after he so willingly said, "Here I am. Send me."
"Yes, Lord! I'm willing...use me!" Is that our heart's cry? I received many responses to my email about "Moving", and was touched by the number of you who are hungry to see the Holy Spirit move once again in dynamic ways in our personal lives, in our churches, in our district, in our denomination, and in our world. But...what will that require of us? We must start with saying "Yes!" even to the small things that God asks of us.
You have just received an email from Chris Freed, our Events Coordinator, about upcoming opportunities on the campground, events in which you can become involved for the sake of God's Kingdom. We hope to see many of you over the next month helping us spruce up the grounds for a new camping season. You can also start praying for our youth camps, and the children and teens that will be coming to spend a week in an atmosphere where they will hear about God's love and sense it in this environment. Perhaps some will receive their personal call from God this summer on these grounds that are dedicated to His holy purposes.
However, you don't have to receive a tough challenge like Isaiah accepted, and you don't have to participate in ILNC's upcoming work days. Perhaps God is nudging you about a neighbor who needs your help, or someone sitting in the pews at your church, or even someone sharing a shopping aisle with you. Just be open to even the smallest of ways that you can reach out and help someone else and show them that you care because of the love of Jesus in you.
As I walk, I listen to music. Today I heard a song by Joel Reed that I would like to close with. It's a catchy tune about a story from our childhood where the ugly toad had to be kissed by a beautiful princess to be changed back into the handsome prince he used to be. Someone had to reach out and help him, and it changed his life completely. The song is "Have you kissed any frogs today?"
I spoke with a lake-front neighbor while walking, and he was stating what a hard year it has been as far as the health issues in his family. his daughter has cancer, and she has nine children...ages 4-14. He agreed with me that spring is what we have been waiting for, and it's here. He believes God will touch his daughter and give her new life. this spring. (Would you help me pray for that miracle in their lives?) However, he is saying YES! to whatever God wants to do.
This morning my devotional reading was in Isaiah chapter 6, where God cleansed Isaiah and gave him his calling. For the first time it struck me what a difficult task God gave to Isaiah...to be a prophet of doom and gloom, to tell the people their cities would become wasteland. This had to happen so that "Israel's stump will be a holy seed" once again...but what a tough assignment was given to Isaiah after he so willingly said, "Here I am. Send me."
"Yes, Lord! I'm willing...use me!" Is that our heart's cry? I received many responses to my email about "Moving", and was touched by the number of you who are hungry to see the Holy Spirit move once again in dynamic ways in our personal lives, in our churches, in our district, in our denomination, and in our world. But...what will that require of us? We must start with saying "Yes!" even to the small things that God asks of us.
You have just received an email from Chris Freed, our Events Coordinator, about upcoming opportunities on the campground, events in which you can become involved for the sake of God's Kingdom. We hope to see many of you over the next month helping us spruce up the grounds for a new camping season. You can also start praying for our youth camps, and the children and teens that will be coming to spend a week in an atmosphere where they will hear about God's love and sense it in this environment. Perhaps some will receive their personal call from God this summer on these grounds that are dedicated to His holy purposes.
However, you don't have to receive a tough challenge like Isaiah accepted, and you don't have to participate in ILNC's upcoming work days. Perhaps God is nudging you about a neighbor who needs your help, or someone sitting in the pews at your church, or even someone sharing a shopping aisle with you. Just be open to even the smallest of ways that you can reach out and help someone else and show them that you care because of the love of Jesus in you.
As I walk, I listen to music. Today I heard a song by Joel Reed that I would like to close with. It's a catchy tune about a story from our childhood where the ugly toad had to be kissed by a beautiful princess to be changed back into the handsome prince he used to be. Someone had to reach out and help him, and it changed his life completely. The song is "Have you kissed any frogs today?"
"There’s a story from our childhood worth remembering.
It’s the tale of a prince turned into frog.
Now he sits all alone and rejected
As he waits for someone to come along.
For, you see, the only thing that will save him
Is a kiss from a princess fair and true.
But chances are that this will never happen,
For he’s ugly and lonely and blue.
Chorus:
Have you kissed any frogs today?
Have you helped someone along life’s troubled way?
Have you told them of God’s amazing grace?
Have you kissed any frogs today?
But then one day a miracle did happen.
A lovely princess finally came along.
She met him, and her heart filled with compassion,
And she kissed him, and this is what she saw:
That ugly frog was changed into a person,
And all his sorrows from his past had come to end.
Now he’s a handsome prince just full of God’s potential,
And all it took was a help of a friend.
Chorus:
Have you kissed any frogs today?
Have you helped someone along life’s troubled way?
Have you told them of God’s amazing grace?
Have you kissed any frogs today?
So Christian friend, won’t you heed the story,
For it’s moral is as true as it can be.
All it takes to change the ugly into glory
Is a helping hand to everyone we see.
Even though this may involve some sacrifices
The blessings will far outweigh the loss,
For the lonely we help in times of crisis
May trust the One who came to die upon the cross!
Chorus:
Have you kissed any frogs today?
Have you helped someone along life’s troubled way?
Have you told them of God’s amazing grace?
Have you kissed any frogs today?
GO KISS SOME FROGS TODAY!!
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