Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  It’s not over completely as we have one more location that will be serving students this coming Saturday, but this past weekend nine back2school places served students.  It was incredible, and I would like to share the overflow. No, I am not talking about the numbers and the data.  That will come eventually.  What the overflow is … it is the God stuff that took place. There were hiccups and hurdles we had to get over.  Yet God sent us people who were a blessing.  The smiles and the hugs were plenty.  The resources were in place to do what they were meant to do, and honestly, this is why we do what we do. It is all to share the fact that there is hope in Jesus.  Students heard stories about God changing people’s lives.  Each one had their feet washed by a volunteer that talked to them about their future, encouraged them to dream and prayed with each one. Let me start with those who served.  Our volunteer team is amazing.  We had a ...

Lean forward.  Don’t lean so far that you lose your balance and fall.  Lean enough to help get your momentum going and be ready for what God has for you in the minutes, days and years ahead. Proverbs 3:5-6  NASB   Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. One of my favorite days of the year is when our group from back2school comes together to pack backpacks.  Well, last evening was that time.   A few hundred volunteers.  A few hundred backpacks.  Thousands of school supplies.  Several trucks and vans.  Lots of prayers and hugs, laughter and a few tears.  Reuniting with some friends we haven’t seen in a while and meeting a bunch of new, cool people.  It was amazing. But the best part is how we lean on each other.  Not literally.  But we work together, getting done a task that by ourselves woul...

Colossians 3:15  NLT And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always   be   thankful. And be thankful. I like that. Thinking over all the #back2school stuff in the past few weeks and the stuff coming this weekend… the only words that keeps running through my head is thankful. I’d like to call out lots of people.  But honestly there isn’t time or space to point you to all the incredible people. Therefore, I am going to point you to just a few that made my life, this outreach, all the people and churches involved better. I want to start with my family.  It has been a long time, in years, that we have been part of sharing this event and serving others.  My family has been kind and supportive throughout.  Thank you, Julie, for helping me and loving me even when things are so busy.  Thank you Ryan, Rebecca a...

There are some places that ought to be safe.  I mean safe as in you feel welcome, at peace and calm.  That would include where you can let your guard down because you know you won’t be attacked physically or emotionally.  These kinds of places are important. The first is our homes, and maybe you realize as I do that it is very easy to let our homes become a battleground rather than a safe zone.  This happens when we let our guard down, when we stop doing what God called us to do, when we start thinking about ourselves rather than helping others.  For our homes to be safe we have to realize we are on the same team and win when we are together.  Husbands and wives.  Parents and kids.  Family.  We are challenged to make our homes safe places. Another place that ought to be a safe zone is our churches, and if you are like me, you’ve seen lots of churches that look more like war than peace.  Again, when we think that our agenda is...

It is the Monday after the #back2school outreach event, and there is so much traveling through my brain and heart. We have heard stories from our volunteers of the students we were able to serve.  Each person who came through the doors was a blessing and will continue to be blessed. Pray that God will use the message and interactions that were shared this past weekend will continue to change lives.  Students and families heard the life changing truth of Jesus.  They received words of worth, importance and of hope.  Even the volunteers saw God do amazing things, and our prayer is that each will leave changed, rejuvenated and ready to serve in even more ways. I do want to say thank you to so many people that made this event possible, but today is the day is say one simple thing that needs to stay at the center. It remains.  It will remain.  It must remain. It is all about our God.  He is our hop...