Share from your week; where have you seen God at work?:
Kat – I’ve been struggling for the past couple of months and about 3 weeks ago I had to undergo a formal evaluation by a psychologist dealing with what I’m dealing with related to workers comp. And that can be very scary. I was very nervous about it going into it. About 2 nights before I went in, I had a dream. In the dream, I was sitting in the psychologist’s office and Jesus was sitting next to me holding my hand and sitting there with me because I wasn’t allowed to have anybody with me during the examination. It was amazing and when I had the exam I felt like He was there with me the whole time. It was just such a vivid and beautiful dream. Even through all of this I have been struggling with and dealing with, Jesus has been there sitting next to me and holding me. I know sometimes we all feel lost and broken, but that’s when He’s really there.
Pastor Brett – Thank you, Kat and we will continue to lift you up in prayer.
Kari – Good morning. I didn’t get to be here last Sunday because I had a family thing. So I watched the service on Thursday morning during my workout time. I was watching and listening and I thought - Oh, I should have been there because I am a long distance runner and swimmer… Then I did my Upper Room Devotional and it just fit right in, called Through The Waves; message from Luke 8:4-15. This lady wrote this beautiful devotional I’m going to read to you. “I was at the beach admiring God’s beautiful creation. Wading into the water, I was being tossed around by the rough ocean waves. I kept falling down and going under. It was quite funny, actually. I decided to go deeper in the water where the waves were easier to take and I wouldn’t get knocked down. I compared this experience to my relationship with God. When I grow deeper and closer to God, I can take on life’s waves more easily. I don’t get knocked down by every challenge that comes my way. Deeper into the water, I could stand up and face the waves with boldness. When I dive deeper into scripture, God makes my burdens easier to carry. I’m learning every day to find the joy in the waves and allow God to carry the weight. God waits for us to take the first step deeper into the waters. Sometimes our challenges may be too hard to take on by ourselves, but God is by our side wherever we go. We don’t have to carry the weight alone.” Prayer: “Dear Lord, help us to grow closer to You and trust that You will help us carry any burden life brings us. Amen.” Her thought for the day: “As I draw nearer to God, my burdens become lighter.” So, I just thought that was definitely a God thing watching the service, and then our Stewardship theme and the waves and everything. I just wanted to share that. Thanks.
Pastor Brett – Amen. Thank you, Kari.
Michele – Hello. I was away for 7 weeks because my brother-in-law was on home hospice. What I wanted to share with you was on September 20th; I don’t know what exactly brought me to that point but, I know my sister was struggling so hard with trying to get ready to lose my brother-in-law. I was just so worried about her. I knew Peter would be taken care of. So, on that afternoon of the 20th I went out on the front porch and had a sit down talk with God. I sat there and I asked God to handle this. I was so worried about Jan and to watch Peter - he couldn’t walk, he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t eat, he couldn’t move, he didn’t know his wife, he didn’t know who was taking care of him. I think in his own way he just knew that he was home. The hospice nurses were saying they didn’t know how long he was going to linger because, in all honesty, he was getting such good care; they didn’t know how long it was going to take. I sat there on the porch and had a talk with God, worrying about all these things and asking Him to take Peter… to have mercy on my sister and the rest of the family. The next morning we got up and everything had changed. He was under more stress in his breathing and about 5 pm that afternoon I had sat down on the rocking chair at the foot of the bed and I could see Peter’s chest. All of a sudden it came to me that I didn’t hear him breathing. I walked up and looked at him and laid my hand on his chest and he wasn’t breathing. At that moment, I knew he was taken care of. I think I was most worried about how I was going to tell my sister. But the most important thing is that was pure God. He helped me and He helped my sister and He helped the family. And He really helped Peter because Peter is in far better places now. Thank you.
Pastor Brett – Thank you, Michele. And you were in Michigan, right? 7 weeks taking care of her sister and brother in law who passed away.