Words from Psalm 104

 

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Lord my God, you are very great;

    you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

He set the earth on its foundations;

    it can never be moved.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;

    it flows between the mountains.

They give water to all the beasts of the field;

    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

The birds of the sky nest by the waters;

    they sing among the branches.

He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;

    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.

He makes grass grow for the cattle,

    and plants for people to cultivate—

    bringing forth food from the earth:

The trees of the Lord are well watered,

    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

There the birds make their nests;

    the stork has its home in the junipers.

The high mountains belong to the wild goats;

    the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.

He made the moon to mark the seasons,

    and the sun knows when to go down.

You bring darkness, it becomes night,

    and all the beasts of the forest prowl. 

How many are your works, Lord!

    In wisdom you made them all;

    the earth is full of your creatures.

All creatures look to you

    to give them their food at the proper time.

When you send your Spirit,

    they are created,

    and you renew the face of the ground.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

    may the Lord rejoice in his works—

he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,

    who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,

    as I rejoice in the Lord.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Psalm 104, selected verses

 

Words from Psalm 34

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 

Seeing Jesus at The Gathering Place

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:18

"As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you..." Isaiah 66:16

The director of the Gathering Place soup kitchen will be joining us in worship on October 20! 

I'll never forget one of the first times I attended Eastridge. My kids were climbing all over the pews and wouldn't sit still and be quiet. I was rather mortified but in walked Becky Rankin. She leaned over to me and simply said "I'm so glad you and your children are here!" You never know whom the Holy Spirit is going to speak through!

Much to my relief, walking in to volunteer my first time with our church family at the Gathering Place recently, in walks Becky again, a smile on her face. She again made me feel right at home. I saw her and several other Eastridge friends, Bill Bevans, Chris Boden, and a new sister in Christ, Ashley, who attends Christ Place, all being the love of Jesus to everyone who walked in that door for dinner. 

People on the edge of life...not knowing where their next meal will come from...some go home to a home, some don't. Kids come in who perhaps hadn't eaten that day. I think I was in tears half the time I was there. I was reminded of a time in my life when family and my church and my job had forsaken me, simply because of who I was and who I fell in love with. But God did not abandon me and people and organizations like the Gathering Place were there for me. I'm so excited Pastor Thomas has invited the director of the Gathering Place, Lisa, to join us in October. AND if you have ever considered serving at the Gathering Place...I hope you will do it! You will find a friendly face...people being the love of God to others...perhaps a new friend...and, perhaps as scripture tells us, Jesus and angels unawares.

Brent Shaw

Words from Hebrews

 

Words from the book of James

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17 

Words from Psalms

Our help is in the name of Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8 

You are my Creator

I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born. Isaiah 44:2A (CEV) 

This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it. Isaiah 42:5 

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25 

A poem by Russell Kelfer tells us why God created you!

You are who you are for a reason. You’re part of an intricate plan. You’re precious and perfect unique design, called God’s special woman or man. 

You look like you look for a reason. Our God made no mistake. He knit you together within the womb, you’re just what he wanted to make. 

The parents you had were the ones he chose, and no matter how you may feel, they were custom-designed with God’s plan in mind, and they bear the Master’s seal. 

Each baby is precious, precisely designed by God to be in the place where He put them for a reason. You are God’s design put where God wants you and He loves you.  

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, help each one of us to discover Your plan for our lives. Thank you for all our children, Lord, and bless them with an understanding of why you created them. Amen 

Sandra Hilsabeck 

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"Personal relationships with God emphasized. Community stressed. Outreach a priority"

"Bible studies. A variety of activities. Good sermons."

"It welcomed me with open arms. It is the center of my friend life through Bible study, Circle, and YANA."

*Click on photos to view larger

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"Church family & community"

"We are "home" in the pew"

*Click on photos to view larger

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"The pastors, the caring people. Love my church family!"

"Very meaningful sermons. Great fellowship. Feels like my home church."

"Family atmosphere. Fellowship. Education."

*click on photos to view larger

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"Church family and community!"

"Caring people and wonderful ministers and staff!"

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"The beautiful special people at Eastridge are treasures to us."

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"People are at Eastridge because they want to be here and it shows in how we love and care for each other."

Day and Night

And God called the light Day; and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5

It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth. Exodus 31:17

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying. I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

We can be thankful, we can be sure, God will have the sun rise tomorrow morning. When I step out to see the new morning, I see the flowers in my yard and I smell the morning air. God has brought the light. I know that the Lord has given me these things. We can count on God bringing us morning after morning. What an assuring thought! Wherever we have been, whatever we have been through, Jesus will bring the light of a new day!

Each day is another time for me to love Jesus, who came to earth to save us. We can pray for Him to be with us each new day. In my hardest days, when normal daily items seem too difficult, I can turn to Him. This prayer time lifts me up and gives me strength. You may always turn to Him in the daytime and nighttime, and He will be there for you!

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, we give thanks for your constant availability, your love for us, your constant care, and always bringing us out of the darkness.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

 

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"We are "home" in the pew."

Why I Love Eastridge Presbyterian Church...

In addition to devotions, we will be sharing some of the responses received from members of our Eastridge community last fall when pledge cards went out. On the back of the card, there was an opportunity to share "Why I love EPC..." 

"It's the sense of family that has kept me here for nearly 40 years. The opportunities to learn, worship, fellowship and serve alongside my Eastridge family have been so valuable and have helped my faith grow immensely."

A Good Deed

We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Ephesians 2:10

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16

We often hear of the phrase “paying it forward”. The online definition refers to someone doing something for someone other than who originally helped them out, but it's often used interchangeably with "good deeds". We hear heartwarming stories of people lifting each other up and helping each other out.

One of my favorite movies, Terms of Endearment, was largely filmed in Lincoln, my current hometown. A local grocery store, Leon’s, is featured in the scene where Debra Winger cannot pay for her groceries and her banker (John Lithgow), behind her in line, volunteers to make up the difference.

In addition to the highlighted scene above, I had just read an article about someone paying for the person in front of them in the checkout line. It was fresh in my mind when my husband and I were walking out the door at our local store (the same Leon’s from the movie!) and heard the cashier say, “it says there’s not enough funds” when referring to a customer’s debit card. We were almost out the door and it looked like the woman wasn’t panicking, so we kept on our way. The following week, the same thing happened to a little boy in front of me who was using his mother’s debit card. “It says there’s not enough funds.” It was like a sign: Donna, here’s your chance! Especially since I was in a hurry myself and wanted to get home. It would speed things up if I just paid for the little boy’s groceries.

I felt pretty good about paying for someone! I was doing a good deed, helping out. The child’s mother didn’t feel the same, however. She was clearly waiting in the car for her son, and he had already called her cell phone to inform her he couldn’t pay. Then she walked in and saw that I had paid for the groceries. That I didn’t receive a warm thank you is an understatement (silver lining: the little boy did thank me, twice). Don’t expect that your good deeds will be met with a grateful heart. Maybe the lesson is: do it because God asks you to, not because you want someone to appreciate you.

Reader, I’m not sharing this so that you can appreciate my good deed when the recipient didn’t; rather, I’d just like to suggest that even when things don’t go the way we want, the way we expect, or the way we hope, there is something to learn from the experience. Especially when we are doing as we are called as Christians.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me see you in ALL areas of my life. Guide me to be your light in the world. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

To my family on May 31, 2024

By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spoke, and the earth and people came to be; he commanded and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he maketh the devices of the people of no effect. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Psalms 33:6-11 

My prayer, as the oldest in our family, today is:

Dear Father in Heaven, creator of our world, who has blessed our nation  throughout our lives, please be with us now.

Help us to know whom we should support that will provide a solid country for our youngest generation, 6-year-olds Colton and Weston and our little Hayden.

Please be with the United States today as we face electing a president to guide our country in these volatile times and lead our country safely into the future. AMEN.

Love you all, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma Sandra

Sandra Hilsabeck

Special Abilities

Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities…  1 Corinthians 12:4

Every person has strengths and abilities. Sometimes these are referred to as gifts, talents, or special skills. We should recognize our own strengths and use them to help others recognize their strengths. Some people do not recognize their own abilities; therefore, when we observe the talent of another person, we should acknowledge it, whether it is something that is overt i.e. a beautiful singing voice, an outstanding organist or something that may not be so openly apparent like giving anonymously to charities, recognizing each person by their name, etc. 

Ministers, particularly, must recognize the various strengths of members of a congregation and provide members of the church the opportunity to use those strengths that God has bestowed upon them to enhance the church and its mission.  We have all seen God at work in those churches where this happens. It truly is a family of God all working for the same purpose. 

As an educator who has worked with children for almost 40 years, every child I have known has had strengths and abilities. Our responsibility as an adult is to help children recognize their strengths and abilities whether those be in sports, music, or the way in which that child smiles, the way in which the child helps others or is a friend to others. 

Please take a moment to reflect on your own strengths and abilities. How are you using those to help others? Have you recognized and acknowledged the strengths of another person in the past week? How have you helped a child recognize his/her strengths and abilities? 

Prayer:  Our Father, we thank you for the strengths and abilities that you have given to each of us. Help us to use these to always be a witness for you and your work. Help us to use those strengths and abilities that you’ve bestowed upon us to help others to recognize their own strengths and abilities. Guide us in all that we do. In Your name we pray. Amen. 

Linda Douglas (reprinted from the Eastridge Devotional Book, 2008)

Selah - Pause and Think

All the earth worships You and sings praises to You; They sing praises to Your name – selah. Psalm 44:6 ESV

Last month my brother celebrated his 90th birthday so I called him to congratulate him on reaching such a milestone. Then in my “sisterly” way, I said, “However, you will never live long enough for me to forgive you for raising those bantam roosters in our backyard when we were growing up.” I really hated those roosters! They chased me and pecked at my heels every time I went into our backyard. To which he promptly retorted, “It’s time for you to give that a rest, sis, because that was way back in the 1940’s.” Then we both laughed. 

As you have guessed, this has been an ongoing conversation between the two of us for many years, but this time, it made me think of growing up and being in high school. For some reason I started thinking about one of my favorite teachers. There was so much I loved about that teacher but she had a catch phrase she often used when she was about to teach us something important and it always irritated me no end. So often she said, “Now put your thinking caps on.” That phrase always grated on my nerves. After I graduated from high school, I hoped I might never have to hear it again. 

How wrong could I be. It’s found everywhere only using different words. I found it in Psalms with David saying, “selah” (pause and think - Psalm 44:6 above). Then I found it in Proverbs, “Ponder (weigh in your mind) the path of thy feet…” (Proverbs 4:26 KJV).

Jesus even had to remind me to put on my thinking cap when He said, “Consider (think through) the lilies how they grow…” (Matt.6:28 and Luke 12:27 KJV).

As irritating as it was, my favorite teacher’s catchphrase was perhaps the most important thing she taught me. It seems the idea of “putting on our thinking caps,” when we’re learning is recommended even from the highest authority, Jesus, Himself. 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, it’s so easy for us to harbor wrong thoughts and to even be irritated by right ones. We praise You for showing us the error of our ways, and we thank You for sending Jesus to be our greatest teacher and for His words found in the Bible to show us the way.  Amen. 

Judy Welch

Accepting Myself

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:13-14 

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 

I think we all have something about ourselves that we’re dissatisfied with. What I’ve struggled with all my life is my quietness. It has caused me missed opportunities (to say something comforting or wise), uncomfortable moments, inconvenience, frustration, envy (of those who can express themselves easily), and many other feelings. Sometimes I just don’t understand why God would make me this way! And try as I might, it’s very difficult for me to change on my own. I end up feeling pretty inadequate. Finally, I had a revelation. I don’t have to feel this way! My problem is not so much in the quietness itself, but in my attitude towards it. My caring friends have helped me to find a more positive outlook.  

Here’s what I need to do: 1. Accept myself the way I am. When I grumble about my quietness, it’s as if I’m challenging the good intentions of my Maker. He made me the way I am for good reasons (even if I don’t always understand them). He loves me this way (so do others)! This acceptance of myself doesn’t mean I should sit back and not try. But it does mean I must surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading. 2. I need to remember that sometimes my quietness can be a gift to others (like a talker who needs listening ears) or it can lead me to discover my gifts in other areas (maybe writing?). 3. I need to trust that God, through the Holy Spirit, will help me to learn from, and grow beyond those difficult quiet moments as needed according to His will. God can do anything! 

I know I’ll still have my weak moments, where I get disgruntled about my quietness or some other difficulty. When I do, I just need to remember to reach for my Lord to give me the strength I need. His strength will help me to cope, to carry on, or even to rise above. Then instead of grumbling, I’ll be exclaiming: “Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful ways you’re working in my life!” 

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for complaining about the way you made me. Help me to accept myself the way I am and look for ways to use my quietness as a gift to others. Also, help me to surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading, so that you can mold and shape me into the person you want me to be. Thank you so much for your love and for the friends you send me—to remind me of it. Amen. 

Sharon Irvin (reprinted from the Eastridge Devotional Book, 2008)

How Does Your Light Shine?

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.  Psalm 119:105

Our kids went to Calvin Crest in June. The scripture above was printed on their camp shirts. It got me to thinking “What kind of light am I?” Am I… 

…a candle—soft, steady and inviting but easily blown out at times? 

…a flashlight or lantern—trusted in emergencies and helpful down dark paths? 

…a flood light—provides immense light, but so bright it hurts the eyes? 

…a street light—very reliable and a guardian of our sleepy streets? 

…a desk lamp—purposeful, task-oriented and flexible for either long or short periods of time? 

At different times, we are all of the above.   But most of the time I try to be like a Motel 6 and “will leave a light on for you.”  Whatever the type, may your light shine for others to see. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us your son, the Light of the World. Help us to shine your love on others as we travel down the path of life.  

Cathy Schapmann (reprinted from the Eastridge Devotional Book, 2008)