There is an old hymn of the church, Grace, Greater Than Our Sin. Can you imagine something that is greater than sin in the world today? Yes there is, it is God's Grace! Grace that we experience and receive when we come to a place of knowledge that there is more to life than just life!
We find grace through our coming to God and asking for forgiveness of sin in our lives. We find grace in healing, and in growing more in our understanding of God's Word!
Grace is Greater Than All of Our Sin!!!
The month of June has so many things to remember and celebrate. We celebrate Father's Day, Flag Day, D-Day, summer solstice.
Foe some, these celebrations do not mean much. But, for those who are followers of Jesus, we remember and recognize what we believe to be the birth day of the church; Pentecost!
As we walk this month through many celebrations, we need to walk in the understanding that with this anointing that fell that day, we too can experience that same strength and power to bring forth the good news of Jesus, that He was born to a virgin, lived, died, and rose form the death in order to bering us new life for all eternity.
While you enjoy the warmth and sunshine, pray that God will use you to further His kingdom!
This past few weeks, I have learned to hold onto God's love for me in a way that is not new, just refreshing. Dealing with illness can be a struggle for everyone. It comes when least expected nor wanted. It interferes with well laid out plans. Illness wears the body and soul down to the point of needing God to provide the strength and comfort that our physical body needs.
REST!
Rest is vital to regain strength, not only in our bodies, but our souls as well. Sleeping gives us the opportunity to find such rest.
Yet I learned these past few weeks, that resting and being refreshed is something that we take for granted until it is all that we can do to get stronger.
Let's remember that God is the giver of all things, even the necessary rest and refreshment that we so desperately need without knowing it, until we have a hard time even crawling out of our bed to get a glass of water.
Let us be thankful to God, that no matter what we face, we face all circumstance with you; that you never leave us, that you are always present with us, even in the comforts of our warm and soft bed.
I have been thinking a great deal about reflections. We think of them when we look through the eyes of creation. The sun shinning on the water and it reflecting back to see the beauty in th colors that come through the rays of brightness.
My thoughts have been a place I write about Reflections From the Porch. I am an avid porch setting person. Does not have to be a special porch, it just has to provide a place for me to sit and be quiet with my thoughts, my prayers and my contemplation of what is going on in the world today.
I truly believe that every person should take time to sit on a porch and reflect on their life, their purpose in life and what you can give to make our world better. For me, as a pastor I think more about how I can share my thoughts and beliefs in God. The God that I know and believe to be the One who created all things, Jehovah!
Reflections From the Porch is a place where I share the things I have learned and who God intended me to be; a person who loves Jehovah and prayerfully walk this world in helping others to know that there is absolute truth in knowing God and acknowledging that God does exist. The Hebrew text or Old Testament tells the story of Moses: Chapter 3 vs 14a tells us who God is: "God replied to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM."
Hope you will join me on this journey!
This weekend we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice! Reflecting on this from my porch, I am thinking about what it costs for the ultimate sacrifice.
It means that a person lays down their life for the sake of someone else. This weekend we remember so many names of men and women who have completed their task! They have become who everyone should call a hero. So many hero's from multiple generations.
Another story of a person making the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the world! We find His story in Matthew 27: 45-56.
Let us remember the Ultimate Sacrifice given for each of us!
Remember the saying "April Showers Bring May Flowers"! It is that time of year again when the showers arrive, which brings forth the new beginnings of Spring.
With every new spring, comes a reminder that the Creator of the universe is active allowing the bulbs that went dormant to awaken and bring freshness to the earth.
Scripture tells us that we can find that new life... 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
The rain drops on the petals and leaves of every flower helps with bringing forth new birth. Just, as we find in Lamentations 3:22-23
Have you ever thought of a porch during the winter months?
I have!
What a beautiful place to find God.
No matter what season we find ourselves "sitting a spell"on the porch, he will speak!
Porches...Porches...Porches...My favorite spot to hear from God!
Challenges can be something we face, and don't believe we can ever overcome. Challenges may look and feel overwhelming, to a point where you want to throw in the towel!
The person was not willing to accept that report, they took on the challenge!! To regain what was lost. They learned to read again, and write academic papers for excellent grades. They never gave up, they worked hard and had a faith stronger than they realized.
You see,
challenges can either cause you to stop, OR it can help you grow where you never thought possible.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us, "Trust in the Lord, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your path straight." (NIV)
With all honesty, I know that God is always there in the midst of all our challenges!
Autumn brings a change in the colors of our environment. They change from the beauty of hues of green to those of red, orange, yellow, even brown. the change in color brings forth a new excitement as we see the sunshine on the leaves as they reflect the rays of the autumn warmth.
Colors bring forth smiles and laughter as children run through piles of fallen leaves. Do you remember the smell of Autumn, the fresh crispness in the air, the light frost on the leaves in the morning, the crunching under your shoes as you walk/hike in your favorite spot?
The changing of the colors is a great reminder in the church too, just because one group takes control of the colors of God's rainbow, does not mean that the meaning of the rainbow has changed...God's Promise... will remain the same throughout time!
Genesis 9:16 "When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
September is the month that we remember Labor Day. A day to recognize the accomplishments of the American worker.
I learned in Seminary that being a pastor was a calling, a vocation, not a job. Many days, it truly feels like a job! The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
Today, I began a new journey, one that has my heart full!
Some may think it is crazy, but I love porches. Every place I have lived, well almost every place, has had a porch. For me, a porch is a place of rest, comfort, tranquility and prayer. It is a place where I can go and find comfort for my heart and soul! I read, pray, take a nap, work on ministry. It is a place I find God!
So when we moved back to NY. I made my husband promise that I would have a porch. Well today, it came true, the porch is complete with windows and screens, furniture, and my treasures from friends.
Do you have a porch?
Do you have a place where you find peace and rest, a place to fill your soul after a long day, a place you can meet with God.
I hope so!
Jesus would either go out in a boat, go to the wilderness, or find a quiet place to talk to his heavenly father!
Find a "porch" and spend some time with God!
Celebrate...Come on Celebrate!
Remember the day you celebrate your birthday...!!!
Let us take time to remember the day freedom came to the world to give us a chance to be free!
Celebrate each day!!!
Each year we celebrate Father's Day. A day that we honor and reflect on the role model we had as a child from the person who was or is our dad. Many of us have great memories, others do not!
BUT
We can all experience the kind and compassionate role model that is given by God who is the Father of all persons!
Pentecost is a time in our lives that the Holy Spirit will bring a freshness to our heart and soul. Pentecost is a time where we can engage with the Holy Spirit to release the things of our past that needs to be put behind us once and for all.
Pentecost is a time where we can call out to God for an infilling of the pockets in our hearts that are not filled with God's love and forgiveness.
Pentecost was the birth of the church, the followers of Jesus gathered together in the upper room, male and female waiting for the fullness of what God had for each as they were being sent into the world to spread the teachings of Jesus.
Pentecost is a time when we open ourselves to what God has for us, to learn, love and grow in the love that only God can provide.
Pentecost, the day of release!
We walk paths every day of our life. Some come in the brightness of light, like the summer sun.
Some come in the cold harshness of winter. 
And, then there are paths that bring forth the bright beautiful colors of Autumn.
Waves are something of beauty. They can be gentle and soft or they can be rough, loud, and dangerous!
There is just something about waves that can make a heart beat softly and bring calming to an anxious soul
OR
waves can create tension, anxiety and fear!
Whatever way you experience waves,
always remember they were created by God. Genesis tells us:
10 "God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good." (NLT)
No matter what you experience when you see waves, God is always present with us, to give joy to a peaceful heart or a calming presence in the midst of strife or anguish.
God told us through the prophet Isaiah:
Chapter 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Today, let us ponder the waves in our lives, will they bring calmness or fear?
Ask God to reveal Himself to you as you reflect on the waves in your life!
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As I sit on my porch and contemplate the beginning of hurricane season here in the southeast, I am consumed with thoughts of the chaos and pain in our country these past few weeks.
Pain and suffering from senseless acts of harm towards others; adults, children, people from all walks of life!
I think about the chaos that is happening around the world; death, illness, disease, war, crimes against humanity.
My thoughts bring me to contemplation about what is happening to my denomination that I came to call home. Such pain and hurt happening amongst people that call themselves brother and sister.
These thoughts take me back to the time of Jesus and the chaos and pain that existed at the hands of the Roman government against the people of other countries. Countries that were overrun by a leader that wanted ultimate power and control.
Today I am thankful that in the midst of chaos, I can turn to the ONE that has brought HOPE. Hope only found in the ONE who brings PEACE, the Eternal One! Let us take time as we sit on our PORCHES to talk to the ONE who brings us comfort, JESUS, the Son of the ONE who breathed life into darkness at the beginning of time!
We are now completed 2 years of a world pandemic. We were forced to recluse into our homes, away from the world. Away from others words, only to listen to the ones who lived in the same physical structure. We were forced to only listen to words that came through electronic means. The cold computer was not able to reflect back to us the warmth of words spoken by other human beings.
Now where do we go, do we go back to the way it has always been? Not growing with what we have learned these past 2 years, or do we grow forward, take what we learned and make life better.
One final question, did we use this quiet time to hear God's voice in the midst of panic, or did we get mad, sad, and lonely? That is the question each one of has to ask and answer!
Let us not forget the quietness of a walk in the forest on a snow covered path, or the soft babble of a brook through the land that takes us to a place of washing away the old and refreshing our soul!
Sometimes words are not verbal, but found in the
quietness
of the heart and soul!
I have had the privilege of having another new porch. As we have moved to a part of the country that is warm and generally no snow. I had been able to redecorate!
Many times in our lives we have made decisions to redecorate a room or two. Have you ever thought of the need to redecorate our heart and soul? Many have, many have not! I always like to redecorate and rearrange. For me this pattern of decisions has allowed me to experience things in a new way. Could use the same furniture or basics; but movement of things gives a different perspective.
So then, How about taking some time to redecorate and renew our soul. Take time to move that negative thinking in our lives to a place of no return. That place is at the foot of the cross. A place of forgiveness where we find grace!
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Isaiah 43: 19a (NLT).
Now go start redecorating!!!
A new year means we flip the calendar and begin a new time. Have you thought about your calendar for this new yer of 2022. Some people check their calendar more than one time a day because the days activity could change often. Some people use a calendar to remember birthdays and holidays. I remember my mom used a pocket calendar to write each January everyone's birthday, so she would send them a card. This task was very important to her every January. It could be considered a ritual.
Are our rituals as important as writing important things to remember?
Some people use this new calendar to begin a new journal or maybe a new book list of reading ideas and accomplishments to be completed.
For me, it is a time of remembering what occurred the previous year and what I look forward to in the freshness of a new calendar.
So let's get a new calendar, fill in the important dates to remember and believe that God will take care of the rest.
