Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

We are in Apache Junction, Az.  I can say we are already at work:  had a Monday morning park meeting and a hospital and home visit already. Thanks for your prayers as we traveled and for your continuing support and prayers. This season is going to be a challenge.

In my reading this morning was this that I would like to share with you:

AN ATTITUDE FOR GRATITUDE

James and his grandmother were having a wonderful day at the beach. The wind was gentle, the sun warm and the crowd friendly. It was a delight for her to watch James as he splashed in the waves not far from where she was relaxing. Suddenly a large wave came crashing over James and pulled him into the water and out of her sight. In fear and anguish she shouted, "Oh, God, I'll do anything You ever ask me if You will only save my grandson and return him safely to shore. Please God - help me."

The very next wave brought James back to shore safely, but a bit frightened. Standing up and walking toward him, his grandmother gave a sigh of relief knowing he was safe. Then she put her hands on her hips and said,

"O.K. God. What happened to his hat?"

Paul wrote,

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."

It seems to be much easier to "devote ourselves to prayer" than to "devote ourselves to a thankful heart." Giving thanks to someone means we are indebted to them for something.

Our God is a gracious and giving God and all that we have is the result of His goodness and grace. He stands before us with outstretched arms and open hands waiting to draw us close to Himself to protect us and provide for our every need, beginning with our salvation. Yet, too often we fail to be grateful!

Prayer:

Forgive us, Heavenly Father, if we have been forgetful in expressing our gratitude to You for all You have done for us. May our thankfulness be equal to Your gifts. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today:

Colossians 4:2  Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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

Sunday’s Coming

Good Morning,

We are just outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. It rained last night and may rain today, as well. I think we will stay put a few days and enjoy.

In my reading this morning was this:

The Tip

By Leslie Snyder

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Consider the following story:

Years ago, a 10-year old boy approached the counter of a soda shop and climbed onto a stool. “What does an ice cream sundae cost?” he asked the waitress.

“Fifty cents,” she answered.

The youngster reached deep in his pockets and pulled out an assortment of change, counting it carefully as the waitress grew impatient. She had “bigger” customers to wait on.

“Well, how much would just plain ice cream be?” the boy asked.

The waitress responded with noticeable irritation in her voice, “Thirty-five cents.”

Again, the boy slowly counted his money. “May I have some plain ice cream in a dish then, please?” He gave the waitress the correct amount, and she brought him the ice cream.

Later, the waitress returned to clear the boy’s dish and when she picked it up, she felt a lump form in her throat. There on the counter the boy had left two nickels and five pennies. She realized that he had had enough money for the sundae, but sacrificed it so that he could leave her a tip.

A generous heart is a rare gift indeed. How often is it easier to hold on to what we think we need instead of remembering to be generous? The child in the story above could easily justify buying a sundae, running over with his favorite toppings and topped with frothy whipped cream and a cherry. After all, he’s just a kid. Nobody expects him to leave a tip. But somewhere, someone taught him to think not only of himself, but of others, and to show that thoughtfulness in a tangible way. Generous living invites those around us to pause long enough to notice something different. It is the way of the believer and it is the way of Christ.

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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

Don

PS.. Don’t miss the post “In Response, below.”

In response….

… to last week’s Sunday’s Coming, LaVon received an email from her cousin in Texas.  What a blessing and encouragement this was to us and we pray it will encourage you, as well.

LaVon,

As I was reading Don's message in Sunday's Coming this morning, it reminded me of a simple thing that happened to me about 20 years ago, but I will never forget it because it impressed on me the same message Don was telling us.

As a country girl that had never experienced a true 'big city' environment, when I had to leave this small town and go to work in downtown Dallas, it was more traumatizing than I expected (or showed to anybody else).  I would spend most of my lunchtimes eating my sandwich at Thanksgiving Square which, even though in the heart of downtown, was set in a small valley surrounded by waterfalls, grass & trees, birds chirping, and a chapel at one end.  It also had Bible verses carved into the high walls that surrounded the 'valley'.  The 'valley', walls, and waterfalls shut out all the sounds of the city traffic.  It gave me peace to be there.

On the days that weather or time constraints did not permit me to go there, I would sit in a corner of a small waiting area outside in the hall next to the elevators.  People would come and go, but didn't bother you.  What I haven't mentioned yet was that I almost always had my Bible with me and would read while I was there.  This was part of the peace I mentioned earlier.

Among the approximately 300-400 people that worked in the same area, I knew the people who worked in my immediate group, but few of the others.  One day I was sitting in my cubicle and a complete stranger came in.  She said, "Some of us were discussing something from the Bible and couldn't agree on it and we knew that you had your Bible with you and were wondering if you would mind if we borrowed it for a few minutes?"  Of course, I gave it to them.  After that, there were a couple of other times when people I didn't know would ask to borrow my Bible for a while.

The point is ... I felt alone, a stranger in a strange place, wondering why I had ended up having to come to that place.  I was so touched by the fact that complete strangers had thought about me, sought me out when they needed the word of God, by having simply seen me reading my Bible. 

Over the next ten years, I had other opportunities to witness to people who had life problems that were so much more difficult than anything I could imagine.  The saddest was a young man who came to talk to me because he couldn't talk to anyone else at work.  He was leaving to go back home to his family ... he was dying of AIDS.  I held his hands, we cried together, and we prayed together.  Maybe I made a difference in their lives, maybe I didn't.  But had I not been there, I like to think that there are some people that would have had a more difficult time in that part of their lives.

Don's message is so true .... you never know who you may touch, no matter how small or how much.  We are all a witness to others of what we believe, or don't believe.  And, when God puts you somewhere or in some situation that makes you wonder 'why?', if we put ourselves in His hands, we have nothing to fear.

God Bless You Both!

I love you,

Jan

[Printed with permission.  Thank you, Jan.  We love you.]

Sunday’s Coming

Good Morning,

We are just outside Colorado Springs.  The evenings are cool but we are still having trouble breathing in this altitude. Pray for us.

In my reading this morning was this, by A Word for You Today:

“What you say can mean life or death.” Proverbs 18:21 NCV

To honor her students, a teacher gave each a ribbon that stated, “Who I am makes a difference,” and asked them to pass it along to someone who’d made a difference in their lives. One kid gave his to a young executive who helped him plan his career. He in turn gave it to his boss, who was hard to get along with. He told him how much he’d been influenced by his creativity, and asked him to give the ribbon to somebody he admired. That night the boss told his fourteen-year-old son, “I’ve thought about who I want to honor—and it’s you. My days are hectic, and I’m always complaining about your grades and your messy bedroom. Tonight I want to let you know the difference you’ve made in my life. Besides your mother, you’re the most important person I know, and I love you.”

Fighting back tears, the boy replied, “Earlier today I wrote a letter explaining why I’d taken my life, and asking you to forgive me. I was going to do it when everybody was asleep. I didn’t think you’d care. I guess I won’t need the letter now.”

Upstairs in his son’s room the father found the anguish-filled note beside a loaded gun.

God can help you to “speak a word in season to him who is weary” (Isa 50:4 NKJV). Words change lives: “What you say can mean life or death.” So go out of your way today to speak words of encouragement to somebody you don’t normally think about. “A word spoken at the right moment—how good it is!” (Proverbs 15:23 AMP).

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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

Don

Sunday’s Coming

Good Morning,

We are just outside Colorado Springs. The evenings are cool but we are having trouble breathing in this altitude.  Please pray for us.

In my reading this morning was this, by The Sower:

DIG DEEPER!

Henry was caught up in the gold rush. Shortly after arriving in California he found a mine, staked a claim and began digging. One day he found some ore, became excited, and believed he had struck it rich. He knew without any doubt that fame and fortune would soon be his. He kept digging for a few weeks but eventually became discouraged and wanted to quit. Finally, a stranger approached him and offered to purchase his mine. In a moment of frustration he agreed to sell his rights for $11,000.00.
The new owner was excited about his purchase and began to dig where Henry stopped. And he kept digging for years and years. Eventually the Comstock Mine produced 340 million dollars of gold!

Wanting to encourage the church in Galatia, the Apostle Paul wrote, "So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up for we will reap a harvest of blessings at the appropriate time."

We have all faced those times in our lives when we become discouraged and distressed at doing what we believe is the right thing to do. No one offers a word of thanks or encouragement and there are no visible results to accompany our hard work. But Paul reminds us to keep on doing good and to trust God for the results. Giving in or giving up or giving out is the sure way to forfeit the blessing that God will award us for being faithful.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may we be faithful to You in what You ask us to do. Protect us from allowing discouragement to destroy us and doubt to defeat us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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

Don

Sunday’s Coming

Good Morning,

We are just outside Omaha. We leave tomorrow headed west, keep us in your prayers as we travel.

In my reading this morning was the following (if you have ever been in church with us you will recognize the scripture): by The Sower:

LET GOD BE THE JUDGE

Young Anthony was ending his prayers before leaving for school. “And, finally God, thank You for this beautiful day that You have given us.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
“But, Anthony,” protested his mother, “this is not going to be a beautiful day. There are large thunderstorms approaching.”
“I know, Mom,” replied Anthony. “Never judge a day by its weather,” he said as he ran out the door.

The Psalmist proclaimed, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!”

Sometimes when we get half way through a day we feel that there is nothing to rejoice about or to be thankful for. Our problems mount and their solutions evade us. Our plans are interrupted by meaningless demands that make no sense at all. Our decisions seem to be wrong no matter how hard we tried to get them right. Our sorrow overwhelms us and our guilt appears beyond His forgiveness. What then? Rejoice?
Makes no sense to most people.
But according to the Psalmist, that’s the thing to do.

Prayer: Thank You, God, for always being with us in all of our difficulties. Help us to hear Your voice and to accept Your grace as a solution to our problems. May we Praise You Today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today:

Psalm 118:24-28 ~ This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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

Don

Sunday's Coming

Good Morning,

We are in Kansas City, Kansas, visiting great friends we met in our first park in Arizona. They have been the good host and hostess and showed us the sites of Kansas City. We leave tomorrow for Omaha and then west. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel.

In my reading this morning was this by The Sower:


I can't help but think of our friends in Norman that lost everything in the fire

GOD BLESS OUR BUMPS

Little Martha was in a hurry to run out the door so she would not be late for school. In her haste she tripped and fell, hitting her head on the floor. Immediately, a bump appeared and frightened her. As the
tears ran down her cheeks she climbed into her mother’s arms to be comforted.
Her Mom, holding her tightly, placed a cold pad on the lump and said, “Let’s pray and ask Jesus to heal you so you can go to school.”
Soon the tears stopped, Martha left her mother’s lap, stood up and said, “Jesus healed me. Now I can go to school.”
That night when they knelt to pray the mother asked, “What do you want to thank Jesus for tonight.”
“My bump,” answered Martha quickly. “Because now I know He loves me because He made my bump go away.”

“Whenever trouble comes your way,” wrote James, “let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has an opportunity to grow.” 

In the life of every Christian, there is always a connection between the problem and the promise, between the hardship and the hope.
James reminds us to turn our difficulties into optimism and to have a positive outlook for life. Troubles are not an end in themselves. If we are willing to work with God, He can teach us perseverance.

Prayer: May we understand and accept, Father, that “whatever comes our way” is for our good and that we can profit from every hardship as we learn to trust You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: James 1:2 -- My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (title of this blog)

LaVon and I are truly thankful to God for each of you. Thank you for your continual support and interest in our ministry by investing yourself in many ways as partners with us: by prayer, e-mails, phone calls and your financial gifts. Without any of these we could not continue what God has called us to do and that is to share the living water with the world through the RV ministry.

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