Not even a Lamb

As we finish the month of November, we have most likely spent time giving thanks for what we have and whom we have in our lives.  It is a time that we make space to see family and friends.  And now we enter a time of preparation, for one of the largest holidays in America.  Malls are jammed packed and and roads are practically parking lots.  Most everyone is rushing around buying Christmas gifts for family and friends.  Black Friday has come and gone, likely made a huge impact in bank accounts and likely to impact under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.   But is there something more that we are preparing for?  

 Today is the beginning of a new year!  Today is the start of Advent, a time that we are preparing and anxiously awaiting the birth of Christ.  We are entering the time of a new year, as we slowly but eagerly reach one of my favorite times of the year....

On the night before Christmas, when all through the stable, not a creature was moving, not even a lamb.  The hay was all nice molded together, in hopes that the babe would soon be born.  Mary and Joseph were eagerly awaiting, while the comfort  of animals were snug all around them.  

WAIT, that is not how the story goes!  But it is how the story goes, the one that is my favorite time of year!  My favorite night is Christmas Eve.  No, it is not because I may get to open presents early or eat the best cookies ever, but it is because we celebrate the birth of Christ!  We remember and re-live the excitement of the baby Jesus being born.  We rejoice that Christ is coming again, he is coming to be among us!

Christ has chosen to come down from the heavens to be with us, to be with the people of God.  He calls us to FOLLOW HIM, Jesus says in Matthew 4, 'Come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men'.  Jesus wants us to FOLLOW HIM and to not worry about anything else, because he has a plan! Jesus is with us, he is around us all the time keeping us in line. 

In the wonderful world that we live in, there are people that are without.  I am sure you have seen people standing on street corners asking for money for food with some story as to why they are there.  You may have seen someone walking the streets, barely with a jacket on, noticing it is below 40 degrees.  But there are also people in our communities that are too proud to ask for help and do not want to be assumed they are in need.  All of these people  need our help!  They need a place to stay, a warm safe place away from the weather. 

This is a place that I feel god is calling me, he has said, 'Come, Follow me' and I am working hard on that!  It is not easy, it will not be easy, but I am eager and excited to see where he is leading me.  It is not going to be easy to remember to follow him, especially in times of struggle and let downs, but thankfully I have a wonderful support family that is hear for me. 

Lenoir has never had a place that homeless men can come and stay out of the weather.  Coming late this December there will be a place that men, women, and children without a home can stay in order to get back on their feet.  We have unaccompanied teenagers that need a safe place to stay, so that they can complete school.  I encourage you to read the article here: Lenoir Newstopic | LEOS Opening late December

In all that we do, in all that you do, in all that I do... we need to work on tending the fire of our faith.  As we sit by a campfire we want to keep it glowing, keep it burning and keep it growing so that the fire does not go out and we do not become cold.  Keeping a campfire glowing, burning and growing is not easy and is just as important as keeping our fire of faith doing the same!  Losing our fire of faith, will not result in any good thing.  Let's continue to glow, burn, and grow the fire of faith strong!

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER THE ONE THAT KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT US... I AM THANKFUL FOR YOUR CALLING US OUT TO FOLLOW YOU.  WE ALL NEED THE GUIDANCE IN OUR LIVES AND WHAT BETTER WAY THAN TO FOLLOW THE ONE THAT IS OUR LOVING LORD.  YOU HAVE A PASSION TO TAKE CARE OF US AND TEACH US HOW TO HAVE A PASSION TO SERVE YOU BY SERVING OTHERS.   I LOVE YOU LORD JESUS.  I THANK YOU FOR PLACING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE, TO BE HERE FOR ME WHAT I AM IN NEED.  THE LOVE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US IS INCREDIBLE AND ABSOLUTELY BREATH TAKING. IN JESUS CHRIST, HOLY NAME. AMEN!

Baptized and set free

As a Child of God, baptized and set free, I am clothed in Christ.  Without Christ, facing life is not possible.  He is with us through trials and struggles, through joys and praises, through discernment, through all our lives.  

"Give your life to God", "Hand God your concerns and struggles", these are phases that I have heard and I am sure you have too.  While it is often spoken with such absolute, the actual fact of doing such thing is not so easy.  I want to give my life to God, I want him to lead me in down the path that has designed for me.  

Ten years ago when someone asked me, where do you see yourself in 10 years?  At the age of 14, I most likely, responded with: teaching in an elementary school or teaching exceptional children or something to do with teaching in schools.  Would I have ever guessed then, that I would be preparing a resident policy for a homeless shelter?  Would I have ever guessed that I would be part of making crucial decisions for the coming soon homeless shelter?  There is no way, that 10 years ago, I would have ever guessed that now in 2014 I would have a important part in opening a homeless shelter in Caldwell County for men, women and children.  God has this plan for us that is breath-taking.  I hold to extreme value that everything I learned while studying to be an educator helps me each day.  I hold to extreme value that the road blocks that I hit in attempt to become an educator, has made me a stronger teacher.  I may not be a certified educator in the standards to teach in a school, but I teach everyday.  And I will continue to teach every day. 

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. - 1 John 3:23

God is with us in all that we do.  I am finding that in my world right now, so much is going on.  There is a lot of anxiety and feeling lost.  My congregation has reached a time of transition.  This past June, we said goodbye to our pastor of 12 years.  He accepted a calling to a new church, the opportunity to continue on the path that God is leading him. We have welcomed in a supply Pastor each Sunday for the past 5 months.  This past Sunday we welcomed in a Interim Pastor.  Pastor Mike Riley will lead us in worship, visit Shut-ins, and doing some of the workings of the church.  He is with us as we journey together to prepare for a new pastor.   

I posted on Facebook this week about entering this time of transition. We are beginning a time for our congregation to refresh.  In order to welcome someone in we must move on and not reflect on how it always has been done.  Change is good.  No one likes it, but it is good for our souls so we can refresh. We need to flatten our lives out.  Give our lives and our search for a Pastor to Christ.  Believe it or not, but God already has that person picked out for us!  He is leading us to the man or women that is going to be our new Pastor.  Most likely this is going to be a long road.  Possibly exhausting, a times we may feel lost or discouraged, we may feel that there is no hope, but we must remain to have faith in our LORD Jesus.  

LORD JESUS, MY LIFE IS YOURS.  YOU KNOW MY CONCERNS, MY ANXIETIES, MY STRUGGLES, MY THOUGHTS.  YOU KNOW HOW TO HELP ME HANDLE THINGS.  I WANT TO GIVE MY LIFE TO YOU LORD! WALK WITH ME AS I WALK THE PATH.  WALK WITH MY CONGREGATION AS WE ARE ENTERING THIS PHASE OF TRANSITION.   AMEN.