Words from Ephesians

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Ephesians 6:10 

Words from Proverbs

Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 

Words from Romans

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:6 

The Only Hands God Has

Whatever task lies to your hand, do it with all your might. . .  Ecclesiastes 9:10

For the past several weeks I have been going to therapy. The clinic I go to is less than a 10-minute drive away from my home, but I listen to my car radio anyway.  It’s tuned to the Bott radio network which is a Christian station that broadcasts sermons preached by pastors representing different denominations. I am always attracted to the speakers with accents. 

Last week during one of my 10-minute drives, I caught just the tail end of a sermon preached by a pastor with a rather thick Scottish brogue. He was telling a story about the restoration of a beautiful statue of Jesus that had been severely damaged by a storm. At the end of his story, he said the workmen doing the repair work had explained that Jesus’ hands were too badly damaged to reattach them. So, they left the hands off but changed the inscription at the feet of the statue to read: “Your hands are the only hands God has.”

That story, short as it was, has kind of haunted me since then. It keeps coming back at strange times making me feel I need to get busy. As an octogenarian, I can no longer take on big projects, but I try to do “the little things” Sister Theresa wrote about. She always preached that doing the little things really matters. 

As I stepped inside Eastridge Church this morning, it made me so happy to be a member here. Many hands were already at work helping to prepare our worship service. Soon many more hands would be passing out boxes of food from the church pantry to those in need and this is just the start of the week where many more hands will become “His hands” as the days of this month of August progress. 

How can your hands become God’s hands?

Prayer: Father, we praise and thank you for the spiritual leaders who remind us that You expect us to use the talents You gave us and to put our hands to work. Help us to find those tasks that need our hands. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen 

Judy Welch

Lord Over Creation

Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. Colossians 1:15-16

Charles Morris in Days of Praise states:

Darwin’s theory of evolution challenged the biblical account that our Lord Jesus Christ created all things, speaking everything into existence (Hebrews 11:1-3). Many Christians responded by trying to fit evolution into the Bible. This is done despite the fact that theistic selectionionism—which believes God used natural selection as the driving force behind creatures’ amazing complexity—isn’t found anywhere in Scripture or science, for that matter. As Christians, we shouldn’t compromise or be silent about the doctrine of creation. We can stand with certainty on the authority and authenticity of God’s Word and duly honor Jesus as the Creator and Lord of all.

Some churches today justify not teaching Jesus’ creation because it is controversial. Taking away the creation story from Jesus weakens our faith. When I look at the clouds, see the weather consistently change throughout the seasons, and see plants and flowers grow out of little seeds, the variety of animals, birds and insects, see the variety in human beings and watch babies grow, I know God is our creator. He created each human with a purpose and answers my prayers.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, please give us understanding of your words in Colossians. Thank you for answering my prayers, creating us, and protecting all my family and friends. Amen

Sandra Hilsabeck

Words from Psalm 96

Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad...let the field be joyful, and all that is therein. Psalm 96: 11-12 KJV 

The Journey of a Prayer Shawl

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. Deuteronomy 15:7-8 

Ashley Hooker, a renowned devotion writer, says that in churches prayer shawls are given as a gift to a person who is facing difficult circumstances. It reminds the person to use the shawl as they read scripture and spend time in prayer and meditation. The use of the prayer shawl can be comforting, help the person feel closer to God and have a more personal relationship with the Father. This is why my daughter and I make quilted prayer shawls.  

Recently I talked with my cousin who received one of our prayer shawls after the loss of her spouse. She is a nurse and took her prayer shawl to show her friends at the facility where she works. One nurse took the shawl from her and teased, "this is mine" and threatened to keep it. My cousin laughed and got the shawl back. Not long after, the other nurse suffered a stroke. My cousin visited her in the hospital and gave her the prayer shawl to help with her healing. The other nurse died recently, and my cousin attended her funeral. After the service, her family told my cousin how much the prayer shawl had meant to her. She always carried it with her, especially as the time grew closer to her death. She loved it so much, the family put it in her coffin to be buried with her. When we made this particular prayer shawl, we had no idea how God and the Holy Spirit would use it to provide comfort and support to someone we had never met.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the ministry of prayer shawls and the comfort they bring to others. Thank you for getting the shawls where they are needed and blessing their recipients with an increased relationship with you. Thank you for those who use the gift of their talents to prepare the shawls and the churches who sponsor this ministry. Amen

Nancy Hall

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him;   for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7

I went to my collection of “Children’s Moments” books for an inspiration for a devotion and found one to adapt for today.  Visualize two books in a bookstore, one book has a colorful cover and is blank inside.  The other book has a plain cover and is colorful inside. If you saw these two books, which one would you choose to bring home and read? People are just like the two books. Our outside appearance does not always show what is inside. Sometimes people that are beautiful on the outside are not so nice on the inside and sometimes people who are not so beautiful on the outside might be very nice. You cannot judge a book by the cover and you can’t tell what someone is like on the inside by looking at their outside. God cares about the way we are on the inside—character, if we are mirthful and full of love. God does not care what kind of clothes we wear or how we fix our hair. What matters is how beautiful we are on the inside. We should not be worried about how people look, but getting to know how they really are on the inside.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to not judge others by appearance, but look at their heart and character. Amen.

Susan Taylor (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotional Book, 2008)

God's Plan

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3

I wish I would have applied the wisdom of today's verse when I was younger. It would have saved me from making some incredibly poor choices and when faced with adversity, handled it with more grace. Unfortunately, we often tend to give in to our own wants which leads us down the wrong path. As humans our desires dominate our thoughts, so we often do not trust that God already has our path mapped out for us. I've often even tried to make deals with God, when I should have been kneeling in prayer and asking for God's wisdom and my obedience. Give everything over to God and then you will prosper.

 

Have a blessed day!

 

Becky Rankin (reprinted from 2018)

On Being Grateful

The wisdom of the learned man cometh by opportunity of leisure; and he that hath little business shall become wise. Ecclesiastes 38:24

As a friend of mine wrote: “Isn’t it terrible how you can be fine one minute and brought low the next!” In my case, the being “fine” was going about a morning’s work at home, twirling from one task to another, and the “brought low” was catching my rubber-soled shoes in the carpet and falling like a tree—hard and straight—across the footboard of the bed. One trip to the emergency room for X-rays, two strong medicines, and reaction to those medicines later, I was 911’d to the hospital where I stayed for three days. That provided time to meditate on the unexpectedness of human life. It was also time to count one’s blessings.

Listening to the coughing and labored breathing, with the help of a swooshing and engulfing apparatus, of my roommate in the throes of emphysema, I was grateful for clear air passages. Hearing about the woman down the hall in a several weeks’ coma after surgery to remove a brain tumor, I was grateful for a clear head. As my vital signs returned to normal and as my wrenched back improved a bit each day, I was grateful for a “hopefully” temporary rather than permanent disarrangement of my system. Although there are easier ways to gain such wisdom than a trip to the hospital, it will suffice.

Prayer: Perhaps we all need some of Pollyanna in our attitudes; being glad for what’s there rather than pining for what’s not. Thank you for your many gifts to us—of life, of friends, of health sufficient for the day, which we often accept as a matter of course. May we be aware and grateful. Amen 

Ruth Ann Lyness (reprinted from Eastridge Devotion book, 2008, shared today in memory of Ruth Ann)

Learning

 

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.  His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.  After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so?  Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Luke 2: 41-49 (RSV)

This devotion was inspired by the windows in the sanctuary at Eastridge. The second window from the southeast corner illustrates the story of Jesus in the temple at age twelve. The youngster stands in the center of the window; three bearded rabbis hover to one side. His parents, who dominated the Nativity window and remained in the foreground in the Nunc Dimittis window, have now shrunk to tiny figures in the corner. Beneath Jesus’ feet is a lamp signifying scholarship.

What conclusions can we draw from this familiar story? The danger of making assumptions? Evidence of a strained relationship between parents and adolescent? Jesus as a child prodigy? As a teacher I’m pleased to read that Jesus is described as listening and asking questions. All of us, including Jesus must learn what it means to be human. And for this we look to our history and literature, and the thoughts and writings of the wisest among us today, as well as those who have gone on before.  They provide us with the materials for our task.

Prayer: Oh God of Wisdom, give us the joy of learning and the gift of discernment to see how you are working out Your purpose in the world today, and how we are called to participate. Amen. 

Bill Wehrbein (reprinted from Eastridge Devotion book, 2008)

In Pursuit of Humility, Or a Lesson from Audubon

The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

The children’s book The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies and Melissa Sweet highlights the fact that many years ago, people didn’t know why birds disappeared in the winter. Some theories: They hibernated under the ice, similar to what turtles do; they hibernated in tree trunks and logs; they went to the moon (!). While these theories may seem silly today, until Audubon helped to prove that birds flew south and then returned to their breeding/nesting grounds north in the spring, people simply did not know.

We don’t always have the answers. This may be true when we experience doubt, or when we are boastful. God is in control. When we learn that what we thought was true is not or has changed, we are humbled.

Prayer: Dear Lord, it’s sometimes hard to admit when we don’t have the answers, or to admit we may be wrong about something. Help us to be open and show humility, especially when interacting with others. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

I’ve included a photo of a white-crowned sparrow, said to be Audubon’s favorite bird (I took this photo in Colorado in 2023). Click on photos to view larger.

Asking for Help

 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  Galatians 6:2

Have you tried assembling a piece of furniture that arrives on your porch in a box? It seems the instructions were designed for a non-reader who has extensive technical knowledge and the ability to recognize the difference between a screw and a nail drawn in 7-point font. The only tool provided is an angular piece of metal with eight ridges on one end.  

After carefully unpacking the numerous pieces and staring at a drawing with no written directions, you take a break and try to think of a friend whose arm can be twisted to come over and help you. Finally your text messages elicit a response from one candidate; you negotiate the “barter,” i.e. pizza, beverages, babysitting, and your helper is on the way. They arrive with a very large tool bag, looks over the arrangement of pieces and hardware you created on the floor, and says, “No problem!” 

Within minutes, your handy friend has rearranged the pieces, and you begin to feel hopeful that the random shapes really will create your new furniture. Under your friend’s direction, you hold pieces together while the electric screwdriver buzzes for only a few seconds to create tight connections. You picture yourself spending 10 minutes inserting the same screws using the provided metal tool and congratulate yourself for calling your friend. Before long, the handyman steps back from the project, holds out their arms, and says, “Pretty good-looking, if I do say so myself.”  

Everyone is happy! The friend lugs their tool bag home knowing they helped you and have pizza or free babysitting to look forward to. You and your family are pleased to have your décor improved with the addition of the new piece of furniture. And the project has been completed—the cardboard box can be taken to the recycle bin. 

The Scripture encourages us to ask for help; without asking God for help, we won’t succeed in the world. When God puts you in difficult situation, He wants you to ask for help. We must depend on God’s guidance to accomplish the plan God has for us; we’re not intended to do it by ourselves. We all want to feel useful and helping others is a way to do that. When we accept help from others, we give them permission to ask for favors. It’s an amazing chain reaction: God has a plan for us; His plan is revealed to us; because we feel inadequate, we reach out for help from someone else. That person not only provides the support that we need to succeed, but it also furthers God’s purpose for them.

Prayer: Lord God, we know you have a plan and a purpose for each of us. It’s more complex than assembling a piece of furniture, and we can’t accomplish your plan without your aid and direction. Help us to realize when we need to ask for assistance; to not be too proud or stubborn to recognize who can help us. Your instructions have been handed down through the generations, but we still struggle to decipher their meaning for our own lives. We ask that you guide and support us in this endeavor. Amen  

Carol McClain (reprinted from 2024)

The Perfect Equation

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6 KJV

Thou shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood anymore. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name. Isaiah 54:4b-5a KJV

For most of my adult life, I've had difficulty solving problems which fall under a category I jokingly call the "Three M's": mathematics, mechanics, and manual labor. Perhaps it is one of those problems psychologists refer to as right-brain versus left-brain dominance.

Luckily, my husband of nearly forty years excelled in "Three M" problems. So, for the better part of my life, our division of labor regarding household chores worked well, and things went along quite smoothly. Now, however, as a widow, I find myself needing to solve lots of "Three M" problems: dealing with finances, learning to operate lawn care equipment, and doing chores that require a certain amount of physical strength. Finding the right solution when things go wrong can be both difficult and frustrating.

Just at the peak of a very frustrating problem, I received a list of "Christian One-Liners" via e-mail. The "one-liner" that seemed to catch my attention was entitled, "The Perfect Equation": 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given. Reading that equation made finding solutions to all the "Three M" problems I've been struggling with pale in comparison.

A few days after turning my problem over to the Lord in prayer, I was having lunch with a friend, who gave me the name of someone to consult, and, shortly thereafter, the situation was resolved. What I discovered is that I was the main obstacle to solving the problem. When we need help, we can find it — just a prayer away.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for putting our lives into perspective, and for being there as we struggle. Most especially, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, the perfect solution in every equation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Judy Welch (reprinted from 2003 PresbyCan Daily Devotional)

Words from Psalm 119

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 

Identities

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:9-13

As I was driving to work one day, I followed a vehicle with a personalized license plate reading “JENZ MOM.” Of course, little else in my life has given me more pleasure than to be known as “Gina’s mom,“ and “Matt’s mom,” and “Erin’s mom.”  But I began to think about my other identities: wife, daughter, sister, “in-law“…grandmother, aunt, cousin…friend, neighbor, colleague, citizen. 

As I pondered, I came to realize that my most important identity is that of Christian, a child of God. For ultimately, it is my understanding of God’s love and my relationship with Christ which form the thoughts, words, and actions that shape and define all my other relationships. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is an incomparable privilege to be a “Child of God.” We thank You for Your unfailing love and pray that we can be worthy members of Your family. Amen. 

Judith Keller, reprinted from March 2009

Rooted in Christ, Growing in Grace

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him...Colossians 2:6-7 

Animals

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:7-10

My daughter was enchanted by animals from a very early age, and was curious to get to know them and communicate with them. I tried to free myself of my inner fears of some animals and insects, and encourage her comfortable familiarity with the wild. She was the zoo visitor who would always gladly let a snake have its way with her, or let bugs crawl all over her. 

She loved being on Zoo Crew, especially when she was able to help with the Critter Encounter area. She brought her pet rats to 4H Pet Pals meetings and loved being at the animal exhibits at all the local fairs. She participated in domestic rat rescue programs, and helped find homes for rats used in the Nebraska Wesleyan University behavioral psychology courses. 

She did not enjoy ideal health growing up, so she earned a GED rather than complete high school classes; then she took veterinary technician courses online.  Our vet allowed her to observe and assist with procedures and surgeries, including those on her own animals. 

This spring, a year and a half after a life-giving 4th liver transplant, she helped her husband open up his own veterinary clinic (he is a vet) in South Korea. They serve both Koreans and English-speaking pet caretakers who need detailed communication. Because there is no specific training for veterinary nurses in Korea, she has ample qualifications as an assistant because of her experience and her general knowledge of human medical treatment (as an observant and informed patient). Her husband considers her to be his head nurse as well as assistant and office manager. Her blog and word-of-mouth have publicized their clinic as specializing in "exotic animals" such as hamsters and rats, so they have many tiny patients.

I get the news every few days of some interesting patient, including the dog that escaped and led them on a several-blocks-long chase through their downtown area.  She and her husband spend many long hours day and night at their clinic, making use of a pull-out bed there. Currently, they have three stray kittens they are treating, who will be offered to good homes eventually; one of them was separated too early from his mother and is having to be hand-fed and taught all the basics of elimination and hygiene. These are the things my daughter handles with ease.  

This is all born of a tremendous love for all the things animals teach us about living in God's world, about companionship, about loyalty and love, and about taking care of one another. Every day I am grateful for the people who helped my daughter to be well, or to feel better when she wasn't; but I am also grateful for the animals who shared their lives with her and cared for her. The cat she was especially close to used to sit with her in bed and have what we called "the laying-on of paws".  

There is a beautiful Benjamin Britten vocal piece with lyrics from a poem by Christopher Smart, and I hope you will be able to base your prayer on a few of those words:

For I will consider my cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him...

For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him...

For every house is incomplete without him, and a blessing is lacking in the spirit...

For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire...

For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements...

For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.

Amen.

Mollie Manner (reprinted from 2018)

Words of Praise from Psalm 150

Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 150:6 

Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him.  “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:14-21 

Walking in the Light Together

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another...1 John 1:7 NIV 

I Will Go With You

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring. Genesis 46:1-7

Seeing this photo (below) in an online church art site Eastridge uses, I was reminded of a recent conversation in our Wednesday bible study about Corrie Ten Boom.

The prompt was a discussion of Genesis 46:1-7, in our study book on Joseph, “Finding God Faithful”.

God promised to be with Jacob wherever he was, not just where he was living, but where he was asked to move (the land of Goshen) following Joseph’s request in this scripture. We saw similarities with Jacob’s situation in that he was heading to a new land, and Corrie’s arrest and removal from her home to head to a concentration camp. The similarity: trust that God is with us wherever we are, even in the “unlikely” places.

The Hiding Place was a book, made into a movie in the 1970s. From the Amazon blurb (the book is still in print!): Corrie ten Boom was the first licensed female watchmaker in the Netherlands who became a heroine of the Resistance, a survivor of Hitler's concentration camps, and one of the most remarkable ministers of hope in the twentieth century.

In World War II she and her family risked their lives to help Jews and underground workers escape from the Nazis. In 1944 their lives were forever altered when they were betrayed, arrested, and thrown into the infamous Nazi death camps. Only Corrie among her family survived.

Corrie was released due to a “clerical error”, but she knew that God was with her in Ravensbrück and beyond.

Two of the many quotes attributed to Corrie that fit with the Genesis passage above:

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with us wherever we are, even if it seems far from the beauty of your creation and love. Help us to trust in you. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

The Least of These

 I was hungry and you fed me,

 I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

 I was homeless and you gave me a room,

 I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

 I was sick and you stopped to visit,

 I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:34-40 (The Message) 

In this scripture passage, Jesus tells the story of the sheep and the goats who are divided by the Son of Man. The King tells those who have been blessed by God to take their inheritance because they provided him with food, drink, shelter, clothing, and companionship when he needed it. The listeners do not believe him and ask when they provided those necessities of life. The King replies that whenever people helped one of the least of the brothers and sisters, they did it for the King. And by doing so, the righteous will have eternal life. 

Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of problems we see in our nation or community, we can take this lesson to heart and reach out to help one person. Whether it's someone we know personally or a complete stranger, our assistance can mean a great deal to the person who is in pain. Let us look around to see where we can assist someone in need, for by helping another, we are serving the King, our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the blessings you have poured down on us. Help us to remember that our inheritance awaits us in your kingdom. If we see someone who is hungry, thirsty, homeless, sick, or in prison, let us remember that what we do for any one of them, we do for our Lord.  

Robin Hadfield (reprinted from 2017) 

Growing a Seed or a Child

This year, the EPW (Eastridge Presbyterian Women) studied a PW Horizons Bible Study entitled Let Justice Roll Down. Lesson nine was Sustaining Creation’s Health for All.  One part of that lesson began, "sowing a seed is an act of faith. It’s not a tremendous one, but some of us who have planted seeds have seen too many fail to take the process for granted." 

Since we are worshiping as a child this summer, my mind took that idea one step further. Much like a seed, a child grows. First a healthy cry, a tender grin, then a chuckle and a reaching out for you. A love you can never forget. Then that child grows into teenager years and just as you begin to lose hope, they become adults. You may find them holding your hand now and making sure you are all right and upright. 

In the same way that you look at that growing seed with awe, you find God folding you in his arms and holding you tight as you watched that child grow into adulthood. In fact, God watches over our coming in and our going out. I hope he does for it takes more faith for me to sow that seed or plant that plant these days. I watch as each young plant becomes mature and blooms just as I watched that child become a lovely adult with God’s love. 

Standing back in awe, I worship and thank God as each child I know becomes an adult and each seed becomes a living organism, part of God’s creation. 

The following prayer was the prayer used for lesson nine. 

Prayer: God who creates and recreates, renew our vision and invigorate our souls, that we may both see and seek the world you desire for all. Help us translate hope into daily actions in the corner of the earth that we call home. Amen 

Carolyn Olsen

God Values You

If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one until you found it?  And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders.  When you arrived, you would call together your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you because your lost sheep was found.  In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!  Luke 15:4-7

I am fond of Jesus’ parables. The parables are wonderful stories for faith building, and especially for children. Most of the time I view the world through children and their faith development which is why I chose this Bible selection. This parable talks about a shepherd who left his 99 sheep to search for a lost one (one who strayed away). He knew that the lost one was in danger. Each sheep is of high value, just as each of us is of high value and loved by God. When the shepherd found the sheep, he carried it home. In the same way, God rejoices when any of us are lost (strayed away) and we return to God. Each one of us is to be that shepherd and minister to those that have strayed and bring them back to God. This is a challenge for you to be a shepherd.  

Prayer: Dear Lord, give me courage to be a shepherd and to share God’s love.  Amen. 

Susan Taylor (reprinted from Daily Devotional Book, November 2008)

Words from Hebrews

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Hebrews 10:23
 

Music in your Life

It seems like a very long time ago that a little child raced through my house shouting rhyming words. Many of her and later her sister’s books were in rhyme and their daddy read in many voices for each character of the books. Mama would often say, “Use your inside voice please”. This would be followed by a groan from a small child. 

But then one day, daddy began to tell the little girls about how you could put rhyming words to music and sing them in a voice that even mom would like. So began singing aloud, loud and soft. Little ditties at first and then harder ones. 

At age three, a lady started a choir for the oldest girl to join with friends from the church. She brought the music home and practiced every day. Songs began to follow the family everywhere. Moving to a new home stopped the choir but brought piano lessons and more music sounded in the small house.  

Another move brought the little girl home to say, “There is a church very near here that has a children’s choir”.  And so, every Wednesday, away she would go on her bike to sing in this new choir and her family followed her to Eastridge Presbyterian Church. Both daughters sang and sang and the family sang and music followed us wherever we went. 

So worshipping as a child this summer also means singing new and old songs. All the Sunday School songs were not new but old favorites and the hymns are lovely memories of younger days. 

The song that the three-year-old sang in choir is imprinted on her mother’s brain.  It is as follows:

I don’t want to wait until I grow up to be what Jesus wants me to be.

I can read the Bible and pray, do a loving kindness today.

I don’t want to wait until I grow up to be what Jesus wants me to be. 

Prayer: Lord Be with Us in Song and Joy Each Day of Our Lives. Amen 

Carolyn Olsen

Summer Days

These summer days, Shepherd Lord, you lead us amid green grasses and peaceful waters to restore our souls. 

Thank you for your goodness and mercy!

This Too Shall Pass

When times are good, be happy;

    but when times are bad, consider this:

God has made the one

    as well as the other.

Therefore, no one can discover

    anything about their future. Ecclesiastes 7:14

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

In a short video on YouTube, shared from an interview, Tom Hanks has this bit of wisdom: “this too shall pass”. You feel great, you have all the answers: this too shall pass. You feel bad, you feel angry: this too shall pass. "Time is your ally", Tom says: just wait.

I thought of this when I cut peonies to display in vases in the house. They are so lovely and the scent is as well, but soon they’re shedding petals on the sill, they’re browning on the hedge. “This too shall pass” ensures that we don’t take some things for granted.

“This too shall pass” when times are hard: take heart, it won’t last forever, God is with you.

“This too shall pass” when times are easy and things are going well: don’t take it for granted, thank God for his provision.

“This too shall pass” when we’re feeling like we know it all, a reminder that humility might benefit us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to remember that you are with us during the difficult times, and help us to remember to be thankful when things are going well and we feel your blessing. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Bing Videos

Happy 4th of July!

 

Pass on Great Truths

We are not keeping this to ourselves, we’re passing it on to the next generation—God’s fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done. Psalm 78:3

That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children. Psalm 78:6

Our children and their children will get in on this as the word is passed along from parent to child. Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news. Psalm 22:30-31

The great account of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, especially, is to be taught forever. Jesus died to save us and give us life forever in heaven.

My grandmother, Bessie Johnson, lived ¼ of a mile away from the farm I grew up on. We saw her often and even lived in her house while our farmhouse was being remodeled. She loved the Lord and worked on many committees and served the Methodist Church of Holdrege, Nebraska faithfully. She even had me prepare a speech one time for a group she belonged to at the church. She hosted our Christmas family gatherings, and all her children and grandchildren came to her house. I was going there even after I was married and had children. Christmas was always honored by scripture and stories on these occasions. And she never was angry at me. She taught me a lot by her manner of life.

My parents, LaVern and Pauline Johnson, were strong advocates of going to church every Sunday, which is what people did on that day. They wanted to worship our Lord and taught me to revere our Lord. Things have changed, especially after the Covid time. Not as many go to church every Sunday in today’s world with sports, work, and other activities, but there are still many ways to pass on the greatness and love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the new generations. Bryce and I choose to go to church, worshipping with others, participating in giving food to the community, and socializing with members. You can choose your own way.

The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:4-5: I thank God for you, Timothy, for your honest faith, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you.

God chose you from the beginning to be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

You are a dearly beloved child of God.

Sandra Hilsabeck 

Run to the Lord and be Comforted

Scripture about comfort: 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. Psalm 119:50

Words from Proverbs

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 

Words from Matthew 28

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 NIV 

Words from Psalm 46

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar & foam & the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:2-3 

Words from Hebrews

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday & today & forever. Hebrews 13:8 

What's in a Name?

And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house . . . Praising God, and having favor with all the people, And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:46-47 KJV

Recently, I attended the funeral service of a friend here at Eastridge Church named John Wolfe. His wife, Catherine, is a member of another denomination so I had only met her a couple of times. My friend, Berna Stading, and I met Catherine when we went to visit John in his home after he was no longer able to attend church services. 

John was a very humble elderly gentleman and so friendly that all of us who sat in the same pew with him on Sunday mornings and those sitting in pews nearby became his friends. 

The Sunday before his 95^th birthday, I brought him a loaf of homemade bread and a few homemade cookies. The next Sunday instead of thanking me he said, “If you ever want to bring some more bread to me, I wouldn’t turn it down.” His comment set the pattern for our friendship.

Berna and I took homemade bread and cookies to his home when we visited him, but since we didn’t really know Catherine, we were never quite sure how our gifts were received.

Catherine didn’t remember us when we greeted her at John’s funeral service, until I mentioned that we were the ones who brought homemade bread to John. “Oh,” she said, “That was the best bread, you’re the ‘bread ladies’!” We were so pleased to learn that our bread and cookies had been a source of Christian caring and joy for both of them. 

What’s in a name anyway? Our names are Berna and Judy, but we loved being called the “Bread Ladies”! 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we praise you for bringing such wonderful friends to us as we worship You. They are just one of the many blessings you give us. Mostly, we praise and thank You for Your Son, Jesus the Christ, Our Living Bread. Even though He knows each of us by our names, He calls us His friends as He forgives us and saves us from our sins. It’s in His holy name we pray.  Amen 

Judy Welch

Shepherd Scripture from The Message

 God, my shepherd!

    I don’t need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

    you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

    you let me catch my breath

    and send me in the right direction.

 

Even when the way goes through

    Death Valley,

I’m not afraid

    when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd’s crook

    makes me feel secure.

 

You serve me a six-course dinner

    right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

    my cup brims with blessing.

 

Your beauty and love chase after me

    every day of my life.

I’m back home in the house of God

    for the rest of my life. Psalm 23

“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him. John 10:11-13

God, pick up the pieces.

    Put me back together again.

    You are my praise!

Listen to how they talk about me:

    “So where’s this ‘Word of God’?

    We’d like to see something happen!”

But it wasn’t my idea to call for Doomsday.

    I never wanted trouble.

You know what I’ve said.

    It’s all out in the open before you. Jeremiah 17:14-16

*all The Message paraphrasing

Words from Proverbs

Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble, Proverbs 3:23 NIV 

Words from Psalm 27

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 

Celebrating Juneteenth

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” – Isaiah 61:1

“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” – Amos 5:24

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

Today we recognize Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States, celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, is a portmanteau of the words "June" and "nineteenth", referring to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.

For a fictional take on this historic event, read Paulette Jiles book, Simon the Fiddler.

For more information, click here: The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth | National Museum of African American History and Culture

Fishers of Men

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”.

Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 18-22 

Recently on a picnic by the lake, I observed two little boys, one about seven and the other about three. Their father was close by. All three of them were fishing. Dad had a nice rod and the boys both had children's rods. All of them were casting out into the lake and slowly reeling in their lines. Dad had a nice sideways cast and the boys’ casts mimicked dad's. The younger son usually cast only a few feet out but enthusiastically did so time after time. The older son kept trying to cast further out and of course dad cast out the furthest. Nobody was catching any fish when the smaller boy suddenly announced that he had a fish. Dad hurried over and lo and behold under a bunch of seaweed on the line there was a little fish. It was too small to keep so after holding the fish and touching it all over, the little boy threw it back. Over the next twenty minutes the smallest boy caught two more small fish which he returned reluctantly to the lake. The older boy and dad had switched over to using worms which were on the smaller boy's line. Finally it was time to go home for supper and they dragged their heels for about twenty minutes hoping to catch that last fish.

I was very impressed by the dad teaching his sons how to fish. He showed them how to stand on level rocks at the edge of the lake, how to cast further out, how to put lures or worms on the hook, how to take the fish off the hook, and how to hold the fish, identify it, and return it to the lake. Of course, a picture had to be taken of the fish. Dad remained patient and calm throughout this whole process and it was reflected in the boys patiently waiting to catch a fish. It was obvious the this was a precious time between dad and the sons.

I was reminded of the above Bible verse as well as the song "I Will Make You Fishers of Men" that I had learned at the Presbyterian Church Camp at Okoboji.  Jesus called the fishermen to make them fishers of men. He taught them patiently by using parables. He displayed his love for everyone - both Jews and Gentiles. He talked about God and the kingdom of heaven. He encouraged them to preach the gospel and take risks trying their new skills in healing and caring for others. Even though the disciples frequently did not get it, Jesus did not give up on them. This was a very precious time between Jesus and his followers.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the loving relationship you model between father and son. Thank you that we have the opportunity of sharing that love in our own families. Thank you for those who take the time to teach and learn from each other. Help us remember that Jesus loves us all and we should love one another. Remind us that we are to be fishers of men - sharing the gospel with those around us. Amen.

Nancy Hall