Michael Harrison's e-devotion

  Are you like me and amazed when things happen that you do not expect?  Well, may be you do expect them.  But when it happens, it is refreshing and encouraging big time. That kind of thing happens all the time around back2school.  So let me give you just a few occasions that it has happened this week and recently. Psalm 66:5  NLT   Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people! One evening this week a friend pulled me aside an shared some of his heart.  I am grateful for partnerships like this one.  All year we get to connect from time to time and heart each other, but every year at back2school he and his wife are a part and ready for it all. Some of our team listened to one of our children’s leaders share our new Gospel story that will be used during back2school.  This young women put her heart and soul in to this prevention, and the power of Jesus will be flowing as students and their families hear. Great...

  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 think of the Dr. Suess book Oh the Places You Will Go when I think of the people who serve our church and who serve with back2school.  Because of these people we can go further and do more.  I am further reminded that I am not and we are not alone. Last night packing backpacks is another reminder as more than 200 people (wish someone counted, and maybe they did but didn’t tell me) showed up and were full of joy.  It was so good listening to conversations, hearing laughter and sharing stories of why we serve.  These people are awesome. Then there are so many from our church and community that just love to serve and do it often.  I can call names, but I won’t.  What I will say is that life is so much better when these people are making great effort to show others Jesus, to meet needs and to encourage oth...

  One of the things that has became a vital part of back2school is backpacks.  Tonight a couple hundred volunteers from many of the back2school outreach locations came together to pack 1,500 backpacks.   The students who receive those backpacks will be prepared for a new school.  Inside each is a Bible that we pray is used to encourage each student.  Please pray that these Bibles will do what God made it to do.   The people who packs the backpacks pray over them.  The people that donated school supplies are a great blessing.  The volunteers who packed them and who will hand them out are a great part of blessing.   I love to see the process and all those who get served.  When we found these backpacks from a supplier in Florida, a man named Bob, helps us get a sturdy and long lasting tool that students are given.     Please pray God will use each backpack, every resource and that volunteers at each location will be able to share ...

It is almost time for back2school, this Friday and Saturday.  Over the next few days I am going to share part of what students will experience during the back2school program and how it got started.  The first years was only school supplies.  Then we added backpacks.  Then came shoes and lots of locations where students are served. More than 20 years ago I heard a missionary from Appalachia share about serving students, and that testimony sparked something in my mind.  That next summer and after starting The Community Fellowship we have been serving through back2school.   More than 15 years ago I was at a meeting where a friend introduced me to the ministry of Samaritan’s Feet and it’s founder Emmanuel “Manny” Ohonme. That ministry serves people around the world by giving shoes, washing feet and sharing the Gospel.   We began partnering with Samaritan’s Feet that actually sparked the first mission trip to Cuba.  You could say that the rest is histo...

  One week away from the back2school big day and outreach.  Pray for the students we will serve and their families.  Pray for the teams of people who will serve students.  Pray for the final resources needed (wide ruled notebook paper and 1” three ring binders, as well as a few other items).  God will supply and will bless these young people. I have asked us to go through what we know as the Lord’s Prayer.  One of Jesus’ disciples asked for him to teach them how to pray.  This prayer guides us how we pray as well reminds us of the importance of prayer.  Here is what Jesus shared. Matthew 6:9-13  NASB   “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Th...

  Just over one week away is the back2school outreach.  We will serve over 1,500 students.  Please join me and others in praying for the impact of this outreach.  Today we will also share the school supply items we are still in need of (be watching for that announcement). This week we have been learning to pray based on the Lord’s Prayer.  This special prayer came to Scripture when one of Jesus’ disciples asked for him to teach them how to pray.  This prayer guides us how we pray as well reminds us of the importance of prayer. Matthew 6:9-13  NASB   “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Focus on verse 12 today.  One of the biggest issues in life a...

  Now we head in the direction of our back2school outreach, and it is an exciting time.  Over the next several days items will be gathers, plans will be made and all the details are coming together to serve students and their families on August 2.  This really is one of my favorite times of the year.   Let’s continue to learn how to pray.  One of His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.  That is when “The Lord’s Prayer” became a reality, and this prayer guides in how we pray and what is important in prayer. Over the last couple days we have begun to walk through this profound prayer and all it holds for us and our faith.  One simple request from one disciple led to a powerful answer from Jesus that connects us to the Father.  Matthew 6:9-13  NASB   “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day ...

  Please pray that today, Tuesday July 22, that hundreds of students will register to be part of this year’s outreach.  It is the last opportunity for anyone to register to be part of the back2school outreach.  Pass the word, and please pray. Just ten days away is August 2 when we hope to serve a couple thousand students.  This really is one of my favorite times of the year.   Let us learn how to pray.  One of the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.  And that is when what we know as “The Lord’s Prayer” became a reality, and this prayer is a guide that we can use and learn from. Simple request from one disciple led to a profound answer from Jesus that takes us to new places with the Father.  Matthew 6:9-13  NASB   “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgiv...