Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  We are all looking for reasons.  It might be something personal, for the family or even for something we are passionate about like the church.  But the reasons we choose to do things matters. As we close another week and move in to the weekend be challenged to look for the reasons you need.  Let the truth filter your decisions as well as your thoughts and feelings.  Be careful not to miss the best for you and those you care about. Reasons to smile and have joy. Colossians 1:11  NLT   We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, John 15:11  NLT   I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! Reasons to be grateful. Psalm 138:1-3  NLT   I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. 2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship...

  Proverbs 8:32  NLT “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.   We have completed almost all of our back2school outreach, and I hope you don’t get tired of hearing about #back2school because this outreach keeps flowing through my heart.  Let me share a few thoughts.   Two moments stick out to me.  Both have a few things in common.  They make me glad and help me to keep on.   Saturday morning I was preparing to visit a few of the other locations where back2school was happening.  What often catches my attention and the little ones.   I notice the smile and the wide eyes.  All of the sudden this child has a huge smile.  I noticed a backpack and then shoes.  That smile keeps me going.  I can’t get it out of my head.   Another smile caught my attention.  We continue to serve students.  Often they come with a parent, friend or maybe a social worker helping them get ready for ...

  Wins might seem different for each and every person.  For an athlete a win is crossing the finish line first or scoring the most points in the important game.  For a parent a win might look like a kid’s first steps or graduation from a particular grade or even their first grand child born.  Wins take on all different shapes and sizes as our lives encounter the journeys we are on. In relation to my recent trip to Cuba I would like to end this week and sharing about the trip with sharing what I saw as the biggest wins.  There were many, and I will not share all of them.  yet I do want to point you to the places where I saw God work and believe that He will continue to do the same. Psalm 34:5  NLT Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. After walking away from the carousel and retrieving my checked bag at the Havana Airport I walked through the “nothing to declare” check point.  And this ...

  Today I am going to share some personal thoughts and observations from the last several days.  Thanks for allowing me some personal time… Psalm 127:3-5  NLT Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. 4  Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5  How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. We sat the table last night in a rather loud restaurant over a meal.  It isn’t often that we get to be with Rebecca, but the last week has been so good.  She is visiting from Hawaii to spend time with family and to meet her new niece.  It has been refreshing to be with her and to enjoy her company.  We are so blessed. Turn to the side for a few minutes and listen in to the conversation.  Ryan has grown up so much the last couple of years.  The thoughts he shared around the table were deep and even convicting.  ...

I like to make people smile.  No, not because I am funny looking or tell great jokes (one of those is true).  But I like to give people a reason to smile and enjoy life. But how do you know if someone is smiling when they are wearing a mask? This is not a political statement or an indictment during the pandemic about mask wearing.  I just miss seeing people’s faces, smiles and the like.  You know what I mean?  Life just has gotten difficult. Read people.  Look at their eyes and the outline of their face.  You can most of the time tell when they are smiling or not.  Yet the big deal is not showing a little teeth or the edges of your mouth turning upward.  The big deal is joy.   Enjoy life.  Look at the bright side.  Smell the roses.  Just remember there are thorns and storms and struggles all around.  There are still plenty of reasons to smile even when things around us are tough. Proverbs 16:15  NLT When the king...

Proverbs 8:32  NLT “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. I hope you don’t get tired of hearing about #back2school because this outreach and ministry keeps flowing through my head and heart.  Let me share a few more things that keep me going. Two moments stick out to me.  Both have a few things that are similar.  They make me glad and push me to keep on making this work a reality. Saturday morning I was preparing to visit a few of the other locations where back2school was happening.  There were several miles ahead, lots of conversations and stories to hear and share. That is when a little face caught my attention.  Looking out the passenger window  of a large four door car was this precious little one.  I notice the smile and the wide eyes.  All of the sudden this child smiles bigger and sits up.  She noticed a backpack.  That smile keeps me going.  I can’t get it out of...

Psalm 20:5  NLT May we shout for   joy   when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the   Lord   answer all your prayers. Psalm 28:7 NLT The   Lord   is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with   joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 32:2 NLT Yes, what   joy   for those whose record the   Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! Psalm 119:1 NLT Joy ful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the   Lord . Psalm 126:3 NLT Yes, the   Lord   has done amazing things for us! What   joy! Nehemiah 8:10 NIV Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the   joy   of the   Lord is yo...

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. ...