Encouragement

Good Morning!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1 NIV

There is one word in the above verse that my mind focuses upon … perseverance. Life is a marathon – not a sprint. Each new day brings new challenges … and new opportunities to see God work in our lives and the lives of those around us.

We had a business meeting at church last night. Under “old business” we discussed the final costs of the repair of the sewage system – including a surprise extra cost of over $600 for a dumpster to haul off asphalt and stuff. But the preacher remarked that except for the surprise extra cost, donations had been sufficient to cover the cost of repair. That’s a blessing!

Then we took up new business. The first item was the flooding that occurred when a toilet connection broke and flooded the children’s building. Insurance covers most of the cost … but the tile has asbestos … and there are three rooms that weren’t damaged but have the same tile. So the question was whether or not to fix those rooms at the same time … at a cost of $1,500 – which is a lot when the check balance at the end of the preceding month was $21.86. That’s a challenge!

The second item was we were informed that Head Start was moving to a building it had bought … and that the church was losing $3,100 in monthly rent. Sounds like another challenge … right? But then we began to talk about what was happening:

- Head Start had moved all of its stuff from rooms … so we can move the furniture from the building to be repaired to that space … saving rental of PODS for storage … allowing us to apply that portion of the insurance money to the $1,500 need.
- One of the men of the church has experience laying tile … saving labor costs for replacing the tile … and allowing him and others to use their skills for God.
- The preacher is touching base with all members of the congregation; “friends” of the congregation; and past members of the congregation asking them to Pray, Be Present, and to Give.

That sounds like an opportunity to see God meet a challenge.

I went to church last night with a sense of foreboding – and left with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Will today hold a new challenge? Probably … but remember, I am surrounded by witness after witness after witness of how God met the challenge of yesterday … so I can continue to run this marathon called Life with joy and with peace. And joy and peace are what I wish for you this day.

Agape’


Mr. Jim