Be Refreshed!

All summer we’ve been looking at A Day in Acts in our summer sermon series.  Little snapshots of a baby Church as they went from 120 people in an upper room to a Church who “turned the world upside down.”  Miracles, persecutions, church squabbles, redeemed failures, and more.

As we transition into fall and 2 services we bridged the gap Sunday by looking at the big picture of Acts.  When you step back from those 28 chapters over 30 years you see one overriding theme.  Jesus.  Jesus physically ascended in chapter one but He is seen in every chapter.  Healing and miracles…Jesus.  Persecutions and martyrdom…Jesus.  On trial before Pharisees or kings…Jesus.  Missionary journeys and church plants…Jesus.

Things are about to get real busy around Bethel.  Wednesday nights are firing up for fall.  2 services are less than 20 days away.  Lots of little projects are coming together.  But we still have to ask that little 2 word question to ourselves, “So what?”  That’s not in a disrespectful tone, but a realistic question.  So what?  Fill time?  Look and sound spiritual?  Pat ourselves on the back?  Hide from “the world”?  Or is Jesus seen in everything we do?  Is He the focus of every chapter of our church?  So let’s be a Book of Acts church and make Jesus everything.

Be Refreshed!

Proverb of the Day:  Proverbs 28:1  The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Scripture of the Day:  Acts 28:30-31   ³⁰ For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹ Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.   [last 2 verses in Acts]

Quote of the Day:   “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.”   Augustine of Hippo

“The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time.”   Francis Chan

I’d considered blogging a little bit on vacation, but then thought, “nah”.  Sonya and I did go to church Sunday at Gulfway Church of the Assemblies of God, but that was about as close to work as I got.  So here’s the vacation picture dump and a little synopsis of Gulf Shores.

Ethan is heading into his junior year at college and with an internship next year, Isaac graduating from high School this coming May, and Jeremiah right behind him as a junior, we thought this may be a good year to get away as a family.  So we rented a house on the beach about 20 miles west of Gulf Shores for a week and set the cruise control on slow.

Ethan packed up his car for college and we left it at a friend’s house outside of St Louis on the way down as we hit the road for the gulf and 1000+ miles of highway.  We rolled into Gulf Shores Saturday morning and loaded up with groceries and supplies for the week.  Then it was 20 miles out the peninsula by Fort Morgan for a week at the Angel Sands house.

We scheduled a couple “touristy” days of go karts, miniature golf, Lambert’s, fishing, etc., but the main plan was sand, water, and relaxation.  (and 4 key lime pies).  God blessed up with wonderful weather, safe travel, and the grace of His love.

So here are a few shots:

Be Refreshed!

Proverb of the Day:  Proverbs 24:14  Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Scripture of the Day:

1 Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Quote of the Day:  “A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card.” –Farmer’s Almanac

I was going to post a note that the blog would be down for a few days for vacation and then I realized it’s been off for a week already just getting ready for vacation.  VBS was a crazy week and then the post VBS pre-vacation/Ethan back to college week wasn’t much better.  But excuses aside this week it’s off to the gulf coast for a week with the family before school gears back up.  In fact we left Ethan’s car packed for school at a friend’s house in Granite City and he’ll hop out on our way home and continue on to CBC for his junior year.

So the blog may be a little light this week.  I’ll post a few pictures but try not to brag too much.  Facebook and blogs are adults way of trying to tell others how cool and how awesome their lives are so I’ll try to keep it down.  Keep us in your prayers though.  We’re getting to the time in our lives when you start thinking in the back of your heads “Is this the last time…”  Ethan will most likely be doing an internship next summer and then getting ready to graduate from college.  Isaac graduates high school in 9 months and Jeremiah is right behind him as a junior this fall.  Life will be taking some major changes sooner than you know.  Hopefully it’s all good stuff, but still different.  I’m going to stretch this week out as long as I can and hopefully that won’t involve  laptop.

It’s even a little more precious this year too.  A classmate and teammate of mine from high school lost two kids in a car accident last week.  I went to Payson/Seymour High School and our graduating class was a little under 60 so there were no strangers after 12 years.  Chad’s 16 year old daughter was in a single car accident and her and her 12 year old brother died.  One of my other classmates said he told them at the visitation to “hug your kids”.  That thought ran through my mind last night as Elizabeth and I went out to lay on the sand and watch for falling stars during the meteor shower.  On the way back she hugged me and said, “thanks for coming out with me dad.”

Why am I still on my laptop?

Be Refreshed!

Proverb of the Day:  Proverbs 12:9  Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Scripture of the Day:  Psalm 148:7  Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

Quote of the Day:   A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in.  Robert Orben

The Bethel VBS officially went off the charts today with an offering of over $1000.  Nor for the week.  For the day.  Thanks to them and you 60 kids in Managua, Nicaragua will be  able to attend school this fall.  WOW!

Jake the Snake and Sidekick Sal finally were wrangled up by the sheriff and got their lives together.  Jake the Snake could have been hung for horse thievin’ but we just dunked him instead.

A HUGE THANKS to the leaders, workers, teachers, crafty ladies, snack ladies, helpers, a big bunch of UTH, janitors, intercessors, inviters, drivers, babysitters, singers, and more.  Bethel Rocks!

Be Refreshed!

Proverb of the Day:  Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Scripture of the Day:   Matthew 25:37-41  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Quote of the Day:  Go, send, or disobey. – John Piper

VBS!  VBS!  VBS!

Another day is in the books and the finish line is in sight.  Have I mentioned that we have awesome servants here at Bethel?  Our offering project this year is providing uniforms for kids in Nicaragua.  Education is free in Nicaragua but you need a uniform to go to school.  In the second poorest country in the hemisphere this is impossible for the poorest of the poor.  We’re teaming up with the Doutts (the missionaries our Uth worked with) to provide uniforms, supplies and shoes for the kids they work with by the Managua dump.  $35 will give them all they need to get started in school and our VBSers have already “bought” 27 uniforms!!  One more day.  Finish Strong!

Be Refreshed!

Proverb of the Day:  Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

Scripture of the Day:  Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Quote of the Day:   “God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.” — Hudson Taylor, missionary to China