Ringing In the New Year Pt. 3

Our church begins every new year with 21 days of fasting and prayer. I am sensing that the season of prayer in 2013 will be perhaps the most significant of them all. Our Lead Pastor has asked the congregation to join him in a Daniel fast. We are also going to be participating in a church-wide Bible study campaign called The Circle Maker.

Last night I received a call about yet another death in our congregation. Maybe it’s just my vantage point but it seems that all our world is shaking.  I sense deep in my heart it is not going to stop. Prayer is our solid ground. Let me encourage you to find your secret place of prayer with Jesus as  2013 dawns! For He is our hope and a mighty source of strength!  As Robin Mark has written “Though these are days of great trials, of famine and darkness and sword, still we are the voice in the desert crying “Prepare Ye the way of the Lord.” Days of Elijah

I appreciate those of you who have commented about praying for this season of mourning for our church. I sense the power of those prayers. Here’s the thing! I am determined to claim victory in the face of every enemy that confronts the church in Winchendon.  In this mighty battle we have the high ground for we have Jesus. Our Savior has defeated even Satan’s greatest weapon which is death. Those who have passed from this realm in the last months have gone onto glory according to their Christian testimony. Theirs is a mighty overcoming.  In the light of that, though Satan’s weapons sting in the moment of their release our shield of faith quenches every fiery dart.

In 2013 let the church raise up a constant praise to silence the foe and the avenger wherever he may gather against us to battle! Be brave my friends! Be brave and advance against this present darkness!

Share Your World With Cee Cee Pt. 35

I am so grateful to be able to come away from the work for a bit and just answer some simple questions. It has been a rather heady week and my mind is still spinning. Thank you Cee for giving me these queries to kind of bring me back to a normal space. It means more than you know.

• Do you make New Year’s resolutions, or not?  If so, what one have you made and kept from the past?  I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions as such. But our church has 21 days of fasting and prayer starting at the beginning of every year and I feel like these are times to gather direction from God about what I am to do in the year to come. I suppose the result is the same except if I don’t do what is set out from the fast I kind of feel it’s not just me I’m letting down but God. MAybe that’s better incentive 🙂
• Do you prefer Nuts or no Nuts?  Depends what it is in. I like nuts in my brownies and they are pretty good on Sundaes but I’m not a big fan of the nut sauce they make for spaghetti (pesto). But maybe you were referring to the emotional kind of nuts? Some days I feel a little nuts and I like that less than pesto. 😉
• Do you like winter, or not, and why? I love winter. It’s going outside during winter that I abhor.
• Do you prefer to receive gifts or give them? I like giving and receiving but I love gifts that have a purpose… things I can use and I like to give gifts that others find useful.

Brr