reasons to stay positive

There are many reasons to stay positive. Some of them are highlighted in the series that I am sharing currently at The Community Fellowship. Some reasons are just not expected and over the top.

Yesterday I was granted several blessings that stirred my faith and built on my story of what God is doing. This is good stuff.

We have been helping some people who were involved in a fire at their apartment complex. This week we have been able to help provide furniture and other items through donations and partnerships with others. The attitudes of these people, their grateful words and smiles, made my heart swell with joy. Another piece that I didn’t expect was from a conversation with a local man who is incarcerated. He shared with me what God put in his heart and how God showed up after he prayed. This was big stuff. One last blessing came from a local pastor as I listened to him tell his story at an awards banquet. He talked about the power from God with great perspective.

These points and more help me stay positive, and there is more to come. The least several weeks we have talked about things that will flow through us and secure even more positive things in us and around us.

Romans 8:1-2 NIV

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

Psalm 103:2-5 NLT

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

Romans 1:10-12 NLT

One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

Some of the most positive pieces of life and faith are in those verses. We have the truth of Christ that helps us be optimistic. We have so much to be thankful for, and the work of God highlights so many of those for us. Lots of things encourage me, but the biggest encouragement comes from the people I get to be around.

May God open more ways and more places and more people who feed us to live life making a difference and being positive!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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