Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Romans 12:4 (NLT) Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, I used to love baseball.   Summers were consumed with watching the Chicago Cubs on TV station WGN at 1:05 or 3:05 many days along with going out in our backyard to bounce the ball and play catch.   I still love sports, but baseball has taken a backseat to NASCAR and football.   I learned some things. I learned that the fourth person in your batting order needed to be a great hitter that could make things happen.   I learned that you had to some key fielders who could make things happen on the field.   I learned that you better have some depth in your bullpen with a late inning reliever that threw the baseball fast and consistent. not sure about this picture but we have great people! The same is true in our back2school outreach.   2012 marks our 5th year, and this will be the greatest of all events.   One of those reasons is because...

Psalm 145:15 (NLT) The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. I sat mesmerized as I listened to a tall, thin man talk about the children he has been able to help.   Bill Barker of Appalachian Regional Ministries told us about the children who live in the valleys and hill country of the mountains not far from where we live.   For years he has led people to gather school supplies for these children who have great needs. Much like the people of Samaritan’s Purse who do “Operation Christmas Child” these volunteers take shoe boxes and put all kinds of supplies to help make the school year get off to a great start.   The areas of Appalachia where these children live have been wrecked by the dying of coal mining along with our tough economy. As I listened to the stories of the children, God pricked my heart, but it took a couple years for the seed planted to begin to grow.   And grow it has into what we now know...

1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. I could talk about a certain event or night, but in this post I’d like to make a little general.   There are so many times that I find myself in a place where there are incredible people with me, or I am with them.   Have you ever taken a look around the room and been overwhelmed by what is going on and who God has put in your life? Maybe you are sitting in a meeting where people are passionate about a project before them.   Maybe you are in church for a worship service, and you look across the room as you see people passionately worshipping God.   Maybe you are at an event where a group of people has gathered to serve others.   Maybe you are talking with someone, and God reminds you of how blessed you are. No matter the situation the fact is God has placed some incredible people in our lives.   Some...

We are one week away from the best  back2school  event ever.  There are still LOTS of things that need to happen to make this event happen.  Can you be a big help by working in one or more of these ways! STUFF THE BUS  is Friday and Saturday, and this is when we go to Walmart to share this project with people from our community.  We hand out flyers and ask people to buy school supplies to help.  Your help is needed especially on Friday.  Can you help?  (Our partners from Mercy Crossing will be working at Big Lots, and our partners from Mt. Calvary will be at Sam’s and Walmart in Danville).  Pray for success! ADOPT A STUDENT  is this Sunday as we ask our family and friends to help with  back2school  by adopting one or more students.  It costs $18 per student, and we ask that you join us.  Give online by going to this website https://e-giving.org/egivinglogin.asp.  You can also give at church on...

We are one week away from the best  back2school  event ever.  There are still LOTS of things that need to happen to make this event happen.  Can you be a big help by working in one or more of these ways! STUFF THE BUS  is Friday and Saturday, and this is when we go to Walmart to share this project with people from our community.  We hand out flyers and ask people to buy school supplies to help.  Your help is needed especially on Friday.  Can you help?  (Our partners from Mercy Crossing will be working at Big Lots, and our partners from Mt. Calvary will be at Sam's and Walmart in Danville).  Pray for success! ADOPT A STUDENT  is this Sunday as we ask our family and friends to help with  back2school  by adopting one or more students.  It costs $18 per student, and we ask that you join us.  Give online by going to this website  https://e-giving.org/egivinglogin.asp .  You can also give at church on Sunday or mail your check to TCF back2school, PO Box 388, Collinsville, VA 2407...

Philippians 4:13 (NLT) For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength . That was Sabrina’s favorite verse.   It is also reality for the people who trust Jesus.   Without the love of God, without the hope He alone gives, without the strength of God, we are in trouble. I was having lunch with a ministry partner last Wednesday when the phone rang.   In the next hour I learned about the death of two people close to our church.   Our worship leader’s sister and her husband had been killed.   We have very few answers about this situation although the pieces are coming together a little at a time.   Their funeral was Tuesday and was one of the hardest things I have had to do.   This toughest part is that many people in our church family are touched by their death, and my heart goes out to all of them. Friday morning my phone rang again.   It was a friend that told me that another friend had passed away.   ...