Pastor Perry's Ponderings

Well it looks like summer is in full swing and what challenges we have faced along the way. From our AC unit deciding to throw a temper tantrum, in protest to the hottest weeks of Summer, to its flat-out rebellion by shutting down the circulating pumps right when we needed them most on Sunday morning. Boy oh boy, some things just push you to the limits of your wits and if we didn't have the power of God in our corner, just think the way some might have reacted to the heat being turned up at just the right time. (pun intended, lol) But we all sweated through it and survived and God was praised through our worship of Him and His word was proclaimed. 

 

You know when things like these happen at the most inopportune times, it does try our patience. How do you react to situations like this? When it seems like you are trying your best to just do what's right then everything falls apart. Do challenges like these add to your faith and others or take away from it. I have to admit if our focus is not where it needs to be, we can find ourselves looking down instead of up. We can find ourselves focusing on the problem instead of looking at it as a challenge and the opportunity to work together for a solution. I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work and dedication each one has shown during this trying time of Church services and VBS who got us through. We came through and now we have to focus on the next challenge facing us and we need to hit it head on. 

 

While it is summer and many are having barbecues, fishing, boating, picnicking and taking vacations and while some are just trying to get a few things done around the house, we must also remember the challenges coming our way this month. How we meet them will determine the outcome of them. Especially how we meet them mentally, physically and spiritually. What our mindset is will determine what others and ourselves receive out of them. You know a Sunflower drops its head in the darkness of night but its head is always raised and its face is turned toward the Sun when it shines down on it in the morning. When the Sun does shine it will keep its head raised and its face pointed toward it as long as the Sun is out. You know the "SON" is always shining down on us and He will never leave us or forsake us. Lets try lifting our heads and turning our faces toward God's Son and keeping focused on Him, even in the darkest of times:

 

After all the bible says in Psalms 118:24 

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. (that day also includes the night according to Genesis)

 

How about if we forget about what brings us down or what will make us happy for a moment and focus on what might brighten someone else's day. Like let's "smile at a stranger, send an encouraging text, Give someone a call, check on a neighbor, let someone in line ahead of you or simply invite someone to worship." Just those simple things might change someone's life forever. I gave someone a call recently and they were out in the heat doing "Honey-Do jobs". I needed to ask them something. It tickled them when I said it was no rush. They insisted we talk "RIGHT THEN"  while they were busy. WHY? Because it gave them an excuse to sit under the shade tree and cool off for a few minutes. I needed some information and they were excited to go into the AC to their computer to retrieve the information for me right away. You see, it provided them with an excuse to give their wife so she would give them a little "Grace and Mercy" and allow them in the house before the job was done. LOL. You just never know what a text or phone call might do to bless someone else. Speaking of that, I will leave you with this:

 

Noah probably was pretty depressed during the flood. I personally know a lot of people when they are depressed that they go fishing. I mean even Peter told the other disciples after the crucifixion when he was depressed that he was going fishing. They caught nothing. Then Jesus shows up and tells them to throw the net on the other side and they caught a lot of fish. That was Jesus showing Grace and Mercy to His disciples. But there is no record that Noah went fishing. Well if fishing puts a smile on your face you can thank Noah for "NOT" using the only 2 worms. LOL. For those who do not like to fish, try "fishing for men". I guarantee that will put a smile on someone else's face along with a smile on yours also. Oh by the way I heard this in a movie. ARK acronym stands for (1) "A"ct(of)"R"andom "K"indness". Let that sink in. Welcome to AUGUST 2026.

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In Love Bro Perry