Celebrating My Friend: Kenny Cuccia

Today I wish to celebrate a good friend, Kenny Cuccia. In fact he is a good life long friend. I’m blessed to have many friends. Serving in churches for the past 23 years has allowed me to spend time getting to know and love 1000’s of great people, and many are still folks I am able to stay in touch with from time to time (thanks facebook). Most of these friendships, however, lasted just for a certain season of life.  On the other hand, my friendship with Kenny has stood the test of time, moves, and life changes.

With my recent job loss and subsequent job search, Kenny has reached out to me and offered great encouragement. He has also signed me on as a consultant for Ambit Energy and has done all the work helping me to make some quick commissions, which have been of great help this month especially.

Good friends are of great value, and Kenny has been a good friend to me since I was a 6^th grader. We attended church together at Sawdust Road Baptist Church in Spring, TX. We started a bible study together on Saturday nights while we were in HS. We went to college together at Dallas Baptist University, and he even did me the honor of standing in as the best man at my wedding. Since then we’ve communicated mostly over the phone and email (which works because we are guys and guys are low maintenance…right!?!!), but it is a great joy when I get to meet up with him in person.

I’m proud to be his friend; his life long friend. One way I’d like to celebrate him is to refer him to you if you are looking for a great rate on a new energy plan for your home. Ambit offers great rates for new customers and Kenny can help you there. Also, if you would like to start a business from home, maybe Ambit is a great option for you like it has been for Kenny. So, if you are interested just follow the links I’ve provided here and check it all out for yourself. And, thanks Kenny…you’re a great friend!

Check Out Energy Rates From Ambit Energy: http://cucciaenergy.myambit.com/rates-and-plans

Start Your Own Ambit Business: http://cucciaenergy.myambit.com/start-a-business/energy-526

Stuff Sucks...the life out of us!

(a Full-of-Faith Friday blog post)

Charles Spurgeon -- "prince of preachers"(cool shades may or may not be original to the picture :D)
Spurgeon Quote -- "it is not how much we have but
 how much we enjoy that makes happiness"

Today I find myself thinking about all the stuff I own, and particularly, how much it is worth. If I sold my truck, how much would that make? If I sold some books, how much could that make? These aren't the normal daydreams of a Friday morning for me. On the contrary, these are brand new in light of the need I presently have for finding a new job. Opportunities are unfolding, yet, the possibility of running out of money before the pay from a new job kicks in is a real dilemma for me, as it is for many Americans today. Thus, today I find myself considering what I'm willing to let go of to meet the needs of my family, which is essentially "paying the bills."

So I found my way into the Gospel of Luke and found at least two pocket-book punching parables that seemed relevant today: the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) and the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19-31). Apparently, Jesus had a lot to say about our stuff (money and possessions) and each of these parables sculpts a two-sided image of the influence of "stuff" on our lives (and destinies). According to Jesus, our stuff has a great deal of positive potential and also a shockingly amount of hazards as well. I want to focus on three ideas I see in these parables because because I'm a preacher and that is just what preachers do and because I don't want to bore you with the fourteen things I actually see here, so be alert and consider: stuff is temporary, stuff corrupts our vision, and stuff sucks morality right out of us.

As Jesus tells it here, money and possessions are not evil; instead He does teach here that stuff is temporary. He teaches that it can disappear much faster than it comes to us. The farmer (Luke 12:13-21), spent his whole life storing up (saving) so that he would have plenty for retirement ("ample goods laid up for many years" v. 19), ends up losing everything in a single night because he dies much sooner than he expects (v. 20). Similarly, the good things the rich man (16:19-31) enjoyed during his life disappear upon his death as he suffers torment in Hades (Hell; apparently not a happy destination; "you can tell the terribleness of Hell by the price He had to pay to keep us from going there," Ray Comfort, Hell's Best Kept Secrets). So, according to Jesus my possessions can provide a "good life," but they are temporary and wholly untrustworthy, thus I shouldn't hold to tightly to any of them. Check.

Jesus also teaches in these parables that stuff corrupts our vision, much like wearing sunglasses at night or developing a severe eye infection (shout out KC; glad your eye is healing brother)! However, in this case, the vision that is corrupted is not optic but moral. Through the lens of his life of luxury the rich man (16:19-31) sees Lazarus as an ugly stain on an otherwise beautiful front gate near his home. Likewise, the farmer (12:13-21) thinks of no one but himself when he is devising a plan for retirement and wondering what he should do with all that supply (money). Sharing their wealth with those who have need isn't even within the scope of their thinking; instead, they both do everything they can to only provide security for themselves. Jesus declares this is selfish, wasteful, and definitively short-sighted. The wealth and desire for financial security (aka the American dream) has blinded these men. Now their vision is corrupted and they fail to see the needs in the world around them.

Since stuff corrupts our vision, leading to immoral decisions with our stuff (money), it isn't a big leap to now see that clinging to our stuff sucks morality right out of us. In fact, Jesus introduces the story of the farmer (12:13-21) with a stern warning of the hazards of holding tightly to things (greed): "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed" (12:15). When considering the context of the story Jesus tells here the implications of this warning are clear. If we spend our lives worrying about possessions, saving up huge nest eggs (bigger barns), or simply devoting tons of energy to constantly protecting our "bottom line," then we are literally in danger of losing our souls (moral decay) to our stuff. The ultimate image of this moral decay of our souls comes most clearly in Jesus' warning to His disciples in Luke 16:13 where He says, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and [stuff]" (my emphasis and translation). Thus, in the end the greatest danger for me in holding tightly to my stuff is the possibility of the corruption of my ability to serve and worship God. This, as Jesus emphasizes, is the direct result of serving and servicing my stuff.

In the end, I fully realize that my stuff is also a blessing and is good ("every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father..." (James 1:17).  It's not all Cheetos and Twizzlers though, for my stuff can also be hazardous material if I don't heed the warning to "watch out!" So, if you are reading this and you know me, don't come over and try to make me an offer to buy my truck...it is not for sale. It is a good gift. It is a blessing. Yet, I won't hold too tightly too it. If you need to borrow it, it is yours. If you want to buy a book, now that is another story for when I moved out of my office it took about 20 boxes, just for my books (maybe I need to downsize the library). So join me in "watching out" today and evaluating whether or not your stuff is sucking you away from God or toward Him. It's an important thing to consider. I fear many Americans...many of us...have fallen into the same trap as the farmer and the rich man. I pray not!

Let us be sure, and deal with it!

World Missions Day is near!

Special Offering—Dec. 6^th

A special thank you for giving in Sept/Oct to the Ingathering Offering. We received almost $50,000 in gifts to Ingathering Offering, all of which helps us toward the goal of paying off our building mortgage.

One member recently told me, “my favorite offering of the year is the World Missions Offering (aka Lottie Moon Offering). I have always loved giving to missions.” I agree. Though the majority of ministry needs are met through the faithful monthly contributions of tithes, our Special Offering Sundays are also very important, and especially the WMO Sunday. Every penny given to the WMO offering goes directly to the mission field and helps our missionaries around the world to share the gospel. Churches that give well to the WMO are unselfish and Kingdom focused, so I challenge you to prepare to give well on Dec. 6^th for missions.

Today I also wish to focus on saying thank you for giving well. Keep it up! Yes, it is so important, and it pleases the Lord when we give generously from a heart of thanks and praise!

“Be generous,” the wise author of Ecclesiastes declares (Ecc. 11:1-2).  “God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done” (2 Cor. 9:7-8, The Message). 

Celebrating the McKinney Family

Tyler McKinney was officially voted in last Sunday night as our Interim Youth Pastor. We are thrilled to have Tyler on the team and ask you to pray for him, his wife Lindsey and son Cooper. Also, pray for little baby McKinney #2 who is “on the way” right now.

Let us also celebrate the great team of volunteers who have supported our youth over the past year and helped keep our Youth Ministry (YM) going well. Alongside Tyler, Danny Himmel, Galen Beck and Bre’anne Northcutt have made major contributions. Also, our summer intern Patrick McGowan and present intern Kaitlyn Baker have been wonderful for our YM.

Youth Ministry is hard work and time consuming work, and extremely valuable to our church’s mission. 85% of people who choose to follow Christ do so on or before the age of 18. This makes YM critical for the church and makes outreach to children and youth in our community an absolute necessity.

Tyler has a great vision for leading our YM toward accomplishing the mission of sharing the gospel and serving the youth of our city. He has a great team of volunteers who are also big believers in this mission. Therefore, the future is bright for our YM. So, as Tyler transitions from volunteer to the important role of leading our YM, I urge you all to support him, pray for him, and help him wherever and whenever you are able. Keep in mind that Tyler has accepted this role because He has a call on His life that is from the LORD. He recognizes this and recognizes that God’s calling on His life is for this time and this place, at Shadycrest Baptist Church. We glorify God by recognizing this and agreeing with the LORD. May the LORD continue to bless the work of our YM.

Why Trunk or Treat?

I had never heard of a church based Trunk or Treat until I became a youth pastor (a long time ago). To be honest, I wondered if the idea was blasphemous to encourage trick or treating at the church facility. I found out quickly that it was an excellent outreach event to our community and that I should probably get over my legalism and celebrate every chance to share Jesus with people.

October 31^st is not an evil day. It is the Lord’s day, just like every day is. Trunk or Treat sees our parking lot become a location for hundreds of kids and their parents to safely experience the American tradition of Halloween. If you have never been to our Trunk or Treat, here is what you can expect:

On the lot you will find cars, trucks and vans that have been transformed into candy distribution locations. Many of our vehicles have been morphed into fun booths where the kids play games to earn their “candy prizes.” Each vehicle is decorated in a fun theme which makes it tons of fun. We serve food and drinks as well and we love to get to know the families that are visiting with us. Each family registers at the entrance for a door prize and that empowers us to follow up with them and encourage them to visit Shadycrest for worship services, bible study groups, and other events.

We believe in this event because it fits directly into our “Mission.” We are called to glorify God together (side by side—Phil 1:27) through gospel sharing and serving others. Trunk or treat is a bridge ministry that helps us do just that. If you aren’t already involved, join our Trunk or Treat team today. Yes, we all can have a role at the event. Sign up today!

Sponsor a Child - El Salvador

One of my goals is to add value to someone’s life every single day. I believe this was the heart of my Savior Jesus. Everyone He visited and everyone He spoke to and everyone He touched were blessed.

I work hard to accomplish this and at the end of every day I ask myself, “who’s life did you impact today for the Kingdom of God?” One thing I do know is that my family’s picture is sitting in the family room of the child I sponsor through Compassion International. I believe that not only does my sponsorship help meet his needs every day, but it adds value to his life every day too! That makes me happy, and it glorifies my Father in heaven.

Today there are many children to choose from. In our church foyer there are dozens of kids from El Salvador that need a sponsor family. Will you consider sponsoring one of them? Our goal is to see 20 children from El Salvador sponsored by Shadycrest families. Added to this we pray God will open the door for us to travel to El Salvador in the future to do mission work amongst the people we are praying for and sponsoring through Compassion.

One important thing to note about Compassion International is that you can trust them. Compassion consistently receives the highest ratings for financial accountability and integrity. Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity evaluator, has awarded Compassion its highest rating—4 stars—each of the past 14 years. This consecutive run places Compassion in the top 1% of all charities. 

This Sunday, October 18th, the El Salvador children will be in the Worship Center Foyer. If you have not gotten a chance to sponsor a child, you can do it then.

Preparing for the Compassion Experience

Poverty Facts

·         About every 30 seconds a child dies of malaria, a preventable and treatable disease.

·         An estimated 67 million primary-school-aged children worldwide do not attend school.

·         About 2.4 billion people live on less than $2 per day, making them extremely vulnerable to natural disasters, illness, food shortages or instability of any kind.

·         19,000 children die each day due to conditions of poverty.

·         1 billion children (nearly half the world’s population of kids) live in poverty. Many of them are in extreme poverty.

·         Each day, 10,000 newborns in developing countries die within a month of birth due to poor conditions.

·         640 million children live without adequate shelter.

·         There are 1.1 billion people in developing countries without access to clean and pure water.

·         For more facts on poverty you can go to: www.compassion.com/poverty/poverty-quick-facts.htm

Our chance to make a real difference in the world of poverty is here. Are you ready for the Compassion Experience?

Proverbs 28:7 – “whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eye will get many a curse.”

Matthew 19:21 – “Jesus said to him, ‘if you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’”

Pray for Compassion / Missions

For the past 40 Days we have been praying for Ingathering. Today is the day. We will give well. We will give sacrificially. Then what?

Our mission is to glorify God by sharing the gospel and serving others. So, that is what we must continually refocus toward, and missional opportunities lie before us we must all get behind. Join us in praying for and serving in the success of these opportunities:

The Compassion Experience—2-weeks from now the Compassion Experience will be here for a 4-Day event. Presently we have over 1,800 registered attenders (Fri – 428, Sat – 745, Sun – 488, Mon – 152). We expect 50% of people to RSVP and 50% of people to simply walk up. Therefore, our estimate of seeing 4,000+ people on our campus for the event is certainly realistic. You can sign up today to help at our Hospitality Center or to work in the Compassion Experience on any of the days they are here, Oct 9-12. Our goal is 100 prospect families and 200+ children sponsored. My prayer is that 20 of those children are sponsored by Shadycrest families. Pray & Serve with us! 

Kids Hope Mentors—we will have 10 trained mentors this year. Pray for them and pray they are matched up with the kids God wants us to help!

Operation Christmas Child—our world missions ministry to care for needy kids at Christmas. Pray for success. Begins in October.

Angel Tree—our local missions ministry to care for needy kids at Christmas. Pray for success. Begins right before Thanksgiving (Nov.).

Break Our Hearts, Oh God

When God looks down on the greater Pearland community He sees two kinds of people. It’s not black and white. It’s not rich or poor. It’s not Republican or Democrat. He sees lost people and saved people. He sees people on the way to heaven and people on the way to hell.

The words “lost” and “hell” are no longer politically correct. We want to say people are “unchurched” or “unsaved” or “spiritually challenged.” But the Bible says they are lost. Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).

We don’t sing, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound; that saved a wretch like me; I once was confused” or “I once was unsure” or “I once was unchurched.” We sing, “I once was LOST and now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.”

According to the Apostle Paul, he really was a man of constant sorrow. He was broken-hearted because of the lost condition of his fellow Jews. He wrote, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel” (Romans 9:2-4).

Are we broken-hearted for the lost in our community? We must be! Our mission compels us to be! If we are not, then we must seek God, change our ways, and pray daily for a broken heart…until it comes!

Humpty Dumpty’s Mistake

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again.

Can you see it? I would bet when you read this old nursery rhyme that visions of an egg sitting on top of a wall fill your mind…right? That is a story your mom or dad likely read to you out of a nursery rhyme book, but the original author probably found the idea for this rhyme in the old New England Primer.

Author David Anderson suggests this as the most likely origin of our Humpty Dumpty rhyme. He says that children learned their grammar from books like this and that children picked up ideas from the couplets used in that primer for the letters A and X. In the NE Primer it reads, “In Adam’s fall we sinned all; Xerxes the Great did fall and so must you and I.”

This little couplet, therefore, not only teaches the letters A and X, but also an important spiritual doctrine. That truth is that in the Fall (Adam & Eve’s sin), we all sinned. You see, the author of our Humpty Dumpty rhyme was not originally talking about an egg that fell, but a man. And yes, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men, and every king and every horse since then, still cannot put Humpty Dumpty back together. We were lost, all of us, when man fell (sinned). Yes, it was Adam who fell originally, and it was a mighty fall—a fall from fellowship with God. Who can put us back together again?

Moms Are Awesome

The phrase, “working mother,” is redundant. 

Of course she works, and harder than we men and we her children fully realize! We know our mother’s work hard and we often wonder why they don’t complain more than they do? This answer is obvious too…because they are too busy to have time to complain! We all can learn a lot from this example. Proverbs 31 describes her well when it says, “She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

Have you ever wondered what it is about your mother’s house that makes you feel like you can fully relax? Let me help you with the answer…it’s your mother! Even the memory of your mother there is comforting and helps you feel at home, helps you relax, and helps you think everything will be okay. In other words, moms are kind of like superheroes. They should be given super hero capes upon leaving the hospital after giving birth to each child.

Quite possibly my favorite quote about moms is this: “you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool your mom” (anonymous). Oops, shame on me for trying all those years.

Washington Irving once said of mothers, “A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” 

Share the Gospel: Heaven—Am I Ready to go There?

How can a person be ready for  heaven? How do I get into the presence of a Holy God? God has already done for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Jesus said "...unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:1-8). He explains that the second birth is to be born spiritually. Those born just once will die physically then will die spiritually at the second death (following the Great White Throne judgment—Revelations 20:11-15). Those who are born twice (both physically and spiritually) will die physically, but will live spiritually forever and be given new and transformed bodies (1 Cor. 15:43; 2 Cor. 4:13-18).

How are people born again spiritually? Jesus said: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). By faith we trust in the work Jesus did on the cross to pay for our sins, and through God’s grace we are born again (Eph 2:8-9).

When you commit to follow Jesus as Lord you become righteous (by faith taking on the righteousness of God through Christ—Romans 3:22), by faith, before God. This forgiveness of sins is a gift given by God alone, not based on your good behavior, but based upon the righteousness of Christ—Roman 5:8; 6:23. By accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, we give Him permission to change us into a new creation—2 Cor. 5:17. We grow closer to Him daily as we seek Him and experience His presence. If you choose not to believe, you will be judged on the basis of your sin and will be separated from God forever (the second death). God will not allow sin to live with Him in Heaven.

Celebrate to Replicate

It doesn't matter if you are leading people forward in their relationship with God or in potty training, what's celebrated is replicated.  If we acknowledge and applaud progress, progress will continue.  If we ignore it, enthusiasm will wane and progress will stop.

Perhaps this is why God designed baptism as a visible and outward expression of an inward reality.  When life change is celebrated within the church it becomes contagious and it inspires people to consider their own lives, often resulting in conversations with God that lead to their own personal change. Don’t you get excited when one of our church members tells their story to you? Don’t you get excited when we have baptisms and the candidate shares their love for the Lord on video? I do!

Therefore, today help me celebrate the great work of our Children’s Ministry. Our Children’s Team are all volunteers and they do amazing work. Last Saturday a great team of Children’s leaders and kids were out at Independence Park serving at the “Paws in the Park” event. Yesterday, our Children’s Team was at the Chic-fil-a meeting hundreds of kids and their parents and providing a fun and adventurous Easter egg hunt. And, today you witness the great work of our Children’s Team as our Kids Choir sings in the Easter Service!

Kuddos to our Children’s workers. Join me in celebrating a great team! If you see one of our Children’s workers this week, pat them on the back and tell them how proud you are of their great work!  

Today, I celebrate with you these great servants of Jesus! 

Our Palm Sunday King is Near!

The Psalmist declared the coming of the King of Glory to Jerusalem, and He came:

Psalm 24:7-8 -- “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and might, the LORD mighty in battle.”

This whole Psalm was likely penned during the time of the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem (Zion). Yet, it speaks forth a great prophecy that was true in the day of the Ark of the Covenant’s journey into Jerusalem and the presence of Yahweh (God), was true when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey 2,000 years ago, and will soon be true again at the 2^nd Coming of Christ.

“The LORD mighty in battle,” speaks unashamedly of a warrior-God, who went out and fought for His people, who subdued the nations, and spread His name that His glory might be known all across the earth. Christ is “the LORD mighty in battle.” It is also true that He is the Prince of Peace, but He is also the better Joshua, the victorious warrior, in whom dwells the powerful and conquering might of the living God. Christ is the Commander of all the forces of the universe.

Revelation 1:7 – “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him.”

Christ is coming! Our King draws near!

What if we disappeared?

The Great Commandment to love God and love people is a powerful and foundational statement from Jesus. 

If the people of God faithfully obey this Great Commandment the unchurched in our communities will take notice. Loving God with ALL our heart, and loving others as profoundly as we love ourselves…yes…that makes a powerful statement in a community.

Church congregations see themselves as placed by God into particular communities. Our Pearland churches worship together, learn and serve together, and try to teach others to be more like Jesus. But, what if we disappeared? What if Shadycrest disappeared?

If we disappeared, would our community miss us? If we disappeared, would our community grieve? Would they feel a deep loss? These are good and profound questions to ask. The Great Commandment from our Lord Jesus Christ, upon which “all of the Law and the Prophets hangs,” compels us to ask such questions.

I wish to challenge you this week to pray about loving your neighbors. I want to challenge us all to dig deep and evaluate where we are with this profound command to love our neighbors. I want to continually challenge us to identify those in our personal sphere of influence whom God is inviting us to reach. Truly, we might be the only Jesus some will ever meet. God is moving!

Will you let Him move in you?

Making Disciples—Youth 101

Some of the most common questions pastors and youth pastors discuss when we conference together are:

“How can we equip teenagers to truly live out their faith in today’s world?”

“What is the secret to mentoring kids to own their faith by the time they leave home?”

“How should we actually disciple teens today?”

The truth is, we can use words like “disciple” and “mentor” all day long, but that doesn’t mean we are truly making a difference in their lives and increasing their faith.

I’m proud of youth leaders in our church like Galen Beck, Bre’anne Northcutt, Tyler McKinney, and Danny Himmel that are investing significant time to build relationships with our youth…for relationships are key! Youth Pastors have known for decades that the biggest players in a young person’s spiritual development are their parents. The reasons for this are simple—relationships, relationships, relationships.

Over 85 percent of Christians in America send their children to public schools (The Harsh Truth About Public Schools by Bruce Short, page 199). Imagine the alarm that would sound in these Christian homes if parents learned their children had graduated from High School without learning how to read, write, or to calculate simple math problems. I imagine you wouldn’t be able to hold back the flood of parents working to overhaul the education system. In the same way, imagine how the alarm should sound in the church and in Christian homes today with the knowledge that over 70 percent of our Christian youth are graduating High School without the ability to clearly articulate their own faith and belief system. In fact, studies show most of them (70-88% depending on which region they attend college in) will drop completely out of church by the end of their freshmen year of college (Battle Cry for a Generation by Ron Luce, page 34).

Most churches and Christian homes today are producing “moralists” but not “followers” of Jesus Christ. This means that our students may be successful at identifying right and wrong behaviors; however, when asked to articulate the fundamentals of our Christian faith, their answers are unimpressive and sometimes simply wrong. Christian Smith, a sociologist and expert on America’s Christian youth, argues that this inability to articulate their faith is crucial to discovering why so many Christian youth are deserting their faith upon leaving their homes (Soul Searching by Christian Smith, page 131).

The bottom line is: we need more people spending time with our youth, loving on them and earning trust through relationship. We must be proactive and tackle this problem head-on and urgently. And, we must pray for, support, and encourage all you parents to set a godly example for your teens at home. For, it is certainly true that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” (quote from every grandparent who has ever quoted anything)!

What are you doing to make disciples of our youth?

Oh Yes, God is Faithful

Thomas Chisholm wrote “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as a testimonial song about his life. Thomas was born in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. He became a Christian when he was 27 years old and at age 36 he entered the gospel ministry. Unfortunately, poor health forced him to retire from ministry after just 1 year. Throughout the rest of his life he worked as an insurance agent and wrote nearly 1,200 poems, including several hymns.

Chisholm explained near the end of his life, “My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the early years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

Maybe you are a little like me. Life has thrown you some ups and downs; you’ve been knocked down a few times but you still found a way to recover and climb to newer and higher heights. Maybe you’ve truly seen some struggles that I haven’t yet seen, but one thing we do have in common is that God has been faithful to each of us. His consistent support and steady hands have guided our lives.

I pray my children learn of God’s faithfulness as they hear me tell them stories from my life. I pray they remember the song from their mother’s lips (and heart) as she sang over them this song of God’s faithfulness as she put them to bed as small children. I pray the LORD finds us faithful here at Shadycrest to follow Jesus, accomplish His will, surrender our wills, and serve Him with a passion for faithfulness.

Every new day is the opportunity to prove God’s faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning…for HE is faithful!