Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  So, it begins.  My sabbatical off and running as of this morning.  Each of the next 5 weeks you will receive one e-devotion on Monday or Tuesday morning with a little glimpse at what I am in to, studying and planning for the week. I am grateful to be able to get away and spend time with family as well as seek to recharge or refresh myself, physically and spiritually.  This week will be the challenge.  I want to unplug.  Wow, that isn’t easy at the pace that I typically live.  But giving it a try beginning today. This week I begin reading two of the books I have chosen for the sabbatical.  The first is “Saturdays With Billy” by Don Wilton.  Don was Billy Graham’s pastor, and this book is part of what he learned and reflects on his time with the greatest evangelist of our time.  The second book is “Death By A Thousand Lies” by Blaine Bartel, and this book shares Blaine’s story of the rise and fall of a pastor. This week begins with us he...

  Joy.  Determination.  Strength and leaning. Just take a minute to listen to some of my ramblings.  I do not mean that what I share is not important or significant.  What I do mean is that we need direction that changes our lives. Think about the impact of your choices.  Think about the things or the people that make you a better and stronger person.  It is these four things that come to my mind as I set my heart and head toward God.  These four things will allow life to have more meaning and for my work to impact more people. Let me explain… when you aim at nothing, you hit it every time.  When you have no direction, you count for very little.  Now walk the other direction.  When you set a goal, it is easier to accomplish that goal because you know what you are heading for. Nehemiah 8:10  NLT And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have not...

  Waiting is not always about stopping what you are doing.  Often waiting is an act of staying connected, continuing to watch and always seeking what you are waiting on. As I have shared this week, we are going on a sabbatical beginning on Monday.  This is a time away from work and the normal every day life to focus on God and on our family.  It will be hard to disconnect, but Julie and I believe this is an important time.  I am grateful that our church family is allowing us to take these weeks away. During this time we will be waiting on God.  I want to hear His voice, and I will wait on Him.  I will be seeking wisdom for our future, and I will be learning more about my God given purpose.  I will be reading some books that I have chosen, and I desire to learn more, grow in my walk with God, sharpen my skills and enjoy what God has blessed me with. Think about waiting on God and what that means. Psalm 27:14  NLT Wait patiently for the Lord. B...

  Caring for one another is not always easy, but it is always right.  The thing we often take for granted is the fact that we stay so busy and feel like things will take too much of our time.  That really is not the case. Let me remind you of something that hit me recently… it only a takes a few minutes to stop and show someone you care.  Step out and do something. Zechariah 7:9  NLT “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. When you feel a tug in your heart to do something kind or to serve someone else, do it.  Stop right then and do something.  Waiting most likely leads to forgetting to do it. You don’t have to have a lot of money or other resources to meet a need.  It might be as easy as buying a cup of coffee, letting someone go ahead of you in line at the store or walking across the street to have a conversation.  It could be that God leads you to do something that does have...

Focusing on God has specific results in our lives.  In fact any kind of focus leads to outcomes based upon what you focus on.  Choose where your focus will be, and many success experts says that you will have greater results when you know what your goals are and when you focus on them. That is one reason I am taking some time this week to share with you about focus.  Beginning next Monday I will be taking an extended period of time away from church and ministry to focus on some key things.  I will be focusing on my relationship with God and spending quality time with my family. I will be unplugging from much of social media, choosing to pour time and energy in to strengthening our family relationships, working on my walk with God as well as planning for the future, and finally, soaking up as much as can from God. That really is focus.  Here are some verses from John 15 that speak directly to why this type of focus is important… John 15  NLT “I am the true g...

Acts 3:19  NASB Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; It is time to make some choices that will help me be stronger.  Not easy to make the hard choices, but it will pay off with long term benefits. What I am talking about is something akin to discipline.  The harder we work and push toward goals, the great the benefits for ourselves and those who we have influence over.   The last year has shown this to be a reality.  I chose to get healthier by losing weight, and it has paid off.  As of this last week my doctor shared with me that I no longer have diabetes as I have lost more than 70 pounds and blood sugar levels are at a normal level.  I feel better and stronger.  And I am not done. On to another note, beginning the end of this month I will be taking a sabbatical, an extended time away from the church to focus on family and God.  In the com...

Proverbs 7:24  NLT So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. Today is an important day as our last born, youngest child, will cross the platform and receive his high school diploma.  We could not be more proud of this young man and his accomplishments over the last 17 years. Ryan came along after we moved to Virginia.  He has two older sisters that he watched play and fight, love and excel at so many things.  Learning from them has been sweet.  All three of our kids loved marching band for which we are so grateful for those years, those trips, those late nights and the friendships. School was a struggle for Ryan in the earlier years.  In middle school it was tough getting him to apply himself.  Seems like I remember my dad sharing a story like that about me.  High school has been a different case. His grades and his work have been so good.  Learning and being part of school was something that he has done well, at least until th...