Sunday's Coming

Good morning,

We are still in Arizona, but we are sight seeing on our way home. We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we travel these next few days.

Our season at Suncape RV Resort was a great experience can't wait to share with many of you in person how God used us and how this great park blessed us. I didn't feel good (physically) most of the time there, but God in all his glory strengthened me. Many times He used one of you when you called or sent an email to encourage me. I was able to continue God's work. This reminds me of a story. I know, that shocks you. It follows below.

Thanks for your prayers, emails, phone calls and your financial support.

Have a great day,

love you,

pass it on,

Don

How Much Music Can You Make?

Imagine this. A concert violinist is performing a difficult piece in front of a large audience.

Suddenly there is a loud snap that reverberates throughout the auditorium.

The audience immediately knows that a string has broken and fully expects the concert to be suspended until another string, or instrument, is brought to the musician.

But instead, the violinist composes herself, closes her eyes and then signals the conductor to begin again.

The orchestra resumes where they had left off and now the musician plays the music on three strings.

In her mind she works out new fingering to compensate for the missing string.

A work that few people can play well on four strings, the violinist with the broken string plays on three.

When she finishes, an awesome silence hangs in the room. And then as one, the crowd rises to their feet and cheers wildly.

The violinist smiles and wipes perspiration from her brow. When silence returns to the great room, she explains why she continued to play in spite of a broken string.

"You know," she says, still breathless, "sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

We know what she means, don't we? Maybe we've lived most of our lives and we have only a little time left.

Can we still make music?

Maybe disease has robbed us of our capacity to work.

Can we still make music?

Perhaps a financial loss has left us impoverished.

Can we still make music?

Or maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and we feel alone in the world.

Can we still make music?

There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like the violinist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can still make with what we have left?

How much good we can still do?

How much joy we can still share?

For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the music only you can make.

And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many will applaud your effort.

For some people have lost more than others, and these brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights.

Just how much music can you make with what you have left?

Let the Music Begin.....

With thanks to KH Marolia

Sunday Is Coming

Good morning for the last time from Arizona....

This is our last week here. We have one more service on Sunday, then we head out Monday. I urge you to keep us in your prayers as we travel the next two weeks. We are going to do a little sight-seeing and visiting on the way home.

The time here has been great. God has used us in several ways. As the scripture says, we have finished the race here for this season and we kept the faith. We also shared our faith every day with all to see and hear.

Thanks for your encouraging words, prayers and your financial help. Without these we couldn't keep doing this.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.

Don

This is from David Jeremiah:

Faithful to the End

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7
Recommended ReadingHebrews 12:1-2

During the 1992 Olympics, British runner Derek Redmond posted the fastest time of the first round of the 400 meter race and won his quarter-final. In the semi-final race, he started out well, but about 250 meters from the finish line, his hamstring tore, sending him to the ground in agonizing pain. When stretcher bearers came to carry him off the track, he refused their help and determined to hobble to the finish line. Soon after, his father pushed past security, joined him on the track and helped him finish the race. Despite a crushing disappointment and a dream lost, Derek Redmond, with the help of his father, finished; and that's all that mattered in the end.
Sometimes we get crippled with distraction by all that's going on in the world; injustice, sin, materialism and war. But if we are faithful to the end, it doesn't matter what trials and tribulations the world experiences because we have a Heavenly Father who is always beside us, helping us run the race. Through Him, the race has already been won; all we have to do is remain faithful until the finish line comes into view.

"The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur." Vince Lombardi

Sunday's Coming

Good morning, once again, from sunny Arizona,

I pray all is well with you and your families. Please, tell us how we can pray for you today.

The ministry here is still very rewarding. We had a tremendous service on Easter. Even with so many gone back to their homes, we still had 166 in church.

We have two more services, then we are off to Oklahoma for the summer and looking forward catching up with so many of you.

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel and that God will use us even as we are on the road.
Thanks again for your prayers, phone calls and especially for your monetary support... without either of these we could not continue.

Have a great day,
Love you,
Pass it on,

Don

Making the Most of Today

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. —Psalm 118:24

Today you were handed from God, 24 hours to live life to the fullest. That's 1440 minutes or 86,400 seconds. Sometimes we get so busy and distracted we miss the fact that each rising, sun brings new opportunities and adventures on this planet we call Earth. God gives us one new day at a time so that we aren't distracted by the future or paralyzed by the past. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Make the most of today. Enjoy God's gift to you. You can accomplish a great deal with the 1440 minutes in a day. Today, stop and take advantage of all that God has provided for you. Here are a few suggestions:

Tell someone you love him/her.
Write a kind note to a friend.
Stop and enjoy the sunset.
Take 20 minutes of the 1440 you have today and talk to God.
Memorize this verse: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Sunday's Coming

Good morning again from sunny Arizona,

I pray all is well with you today.

As we prepare for Easter, I joked last Sunday that Easter is the one service that the house is full. This year, I'm afraid we are going to have a small congregation, since so many have left for their summer homes. You know, though, we will praise the Lord no matter how many are here and we will remember each one in our prayers that have made their way home.

Let me ask you a question this morning, What is Easter?

Send me a note and let me know what your answer is.

As I think about Easter, a song comes to mind... one of my favorites of all time, "Victory in Jesus!"

While I was reading this morning I read the following from Max Lucado. Enjoy and have a great Easter.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on.
Don

A Cry of Victory by Max Lucado

“It is finished.”

Stop and listen. Can you imagine the cry from the cross? The sky is dark. The other two victims are moaning. The jeering mouths are silent. Perhaps there is thunder. Perhaps there is weeping. Perhaps there is silence. Then Jesus draws in a deep breath, pushes his feet down on that Roman nail, and cries, “It is finished!”

What was finished?

The history-long plan of redeeming man was finished.
The message of God to man was finished.
The works done by Jesus as a man on earth were finished.
The task of selecting and training ambassadors was finished.
The job was finished.
The song had been sung.
The blood had been poured.
The sacrifice had been made.
The sting of death had been removed.
It was over.

A cry of defeat? Hardly. Had his hands not been fastened down I dare say that a triumphant fist would have punched the dark sky.
No, this is no cry of despair.
It is a cry of completion.
A cry of victory.
A cry of fulfillment.
Yes, even a cry of relief.
It’s over.
An angel sighs.
A star wipes away a tear.

“Take me home.”
Yes, take him home.
Take this prince to his king.
Take this son to his father.
Take this pilgrim to his home. (He deserves a rest.)
“Take me home.”
Come ten thousand angels!
Come and take this wounded troubadour to the cradle of his Father’s arms!
Farewell manger’s infant.
Bless You holy ambassador.
Go Home death slayer.
Rest well sweet soldier.
The battle is over.

From "His Name is Jesus" © (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009) Max Lucado

Sunday's Coming

Good morning again from Arizona,

It has been another busy week. Just like back home, people get sick, have to go to the hospital, so we get to visit with them and their family. We pray and show the love that Jesus commands us to have.

We also have people coming by our house to talk, and also meet people out and about that need to share with someone.

There is a lot of hurt in our world today. People say things to each other that is hard to get over, they hurt one another. So what are we to do?

I read the following this morning and just felt I needed to share with you.

Thanks again for your suport, prayers, emails and phone calls. It is so encouraging.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on,
Don

Forgiveness,

Corrie Ten Boom in her excellent book "Tramp for the Lord” tells of a time when some close Christian friends hurt her. Forgiveness was hard; it took time. Finally, it happened and she was able to move on.

Many years later, she was now past eighty years old, a friend paid Corrie a visit. As the two of them sat in her tiny apartment in Holland, he asked about those people who years earlier had taken advantage of her.

"It is nothing," Corrie said, "It is all forgiven."

Then she continued, “They say there is nothing to forgive! They deny it every happened. No matter what they say, though, I can prove they were wrong."

I want to continue the story now using Corrie’s own words: I went eagerly to my desk. "See, I have it in black and white! I saved all their letters and I can show you where...."

My friend slipped his arm through mine and gently closed the drawer. "Corrie! Aren't you the one whose sins are at the bottom of the sea? Yet are the sins of your friends etched in black and white?"

For an astonishing moment I could not find my voice. "Lord Jesus," I whispered at last, "who takes all my sins away, forgive me for preserving all these years the evidence against others! Give me grace to burn all the blacks and whites as a sweet-smelling sacrifice to your glory."

I did not go to sleep that night until I had gone through my desk and pulled out those letters--curling now with age--and fed them all into (the fire.)

“Forgive us our trespasses,” Jesus thought us to pray, “as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In the ashes of those letters I was seeing yet another facet of His mercy....”

She went on to write, “Forgiveness is the key which unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 simply notes that love “keeps no record of wrongs suffered.”

If you want to truly and completely forgive, drop the matter. Let it go.

Desert Beauty

Sunday Is Coming

Good morning from Suncape RV resort in Arizona,

It has been another great week. Our service Sunday was so moving as the Spirit of the Lord was truly present.

We, as a church body, reached out to a local church to help send their youth to camp this summer. I was told there was no way apart from God that these kids could come up with the money to go. The youth minister brought seven youth with him to be a part of our service. We, as well as the youth, were blessed. God used us to collect enough money to send all 15 of their youth to camp. Around $2500 has been given and people continue coming by, leaving money for "our kids." What a great God we serve.

Will you join me in prayer, thanking God for putting us here for such a time as this.

Thanks again for your support. Without you guys giving to our ministry, we wouldn't be able to continue the work. I also want to thank you for your emails, prayers and phone calls. They encourage us and keep us from being so home sick.

Have a great day, love you, pass it on,
Don

Giving to Others

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."— I John 3:16-18

A little boy was told by his doctor that he could actually save his sister's life by giving her some blood. The six-year-old girl was near death, a victim of disease from which the boy had made a marvelous recovery two years earlier. Her only chance for restoration was a blood transfusion from someone who had previously conquered the illness. Since the two children had the same rare blood type, the boy was the ideal donor.

"Johnny, would you like to give your blood for Mary?" the doctor asked. The boy hesitated. His lower lip started to tremble. Then he smiled and said, "Sure, Doc. I'll give my blood for my sister."

Soon the two children were wheeled into the operating room-Mary, pale and thin; Johnny, robust and the picture of health. Neither spoke, but when their eyes met, Johnny grinned.

As his blood siphoned into Mary's veins, one could almost see new life come into her tired body. The ordeal was almost over when Johnny's brave little voice broke the silence, "Say, Doc, when do I die?"

It was only then that the doctor realized what the moment of hesitation, the trembling of the lip, had meant earlier. Little Johnny actually thought that in giving his blood to his sister he was giving up his life! And in that brief moment, he had made his great decision!