Family Beach Trip 2012 :)

To my brothers and sisters in Christ

On the Other Side

(inspired in part by Psalm 139:9-10)

From sunrise to sunset,

                His hand will not let

                                The righteous fall.

From beginning to end,

                He is Master and Friend,

                                Alpha and Omega.

From East to West,

                He does cast

                                Sin from those who repent.

From North to South,

                He fills the mouth.

                                With His Words.

From cold to hot,

                He is not

                                Lukewarm.

From here to there,

                He is everywhere

                                And cares.

From now to then,

                He does send

                                Us out.

From near to far,

                He sets the bar

                                By His Son.

From first to last,

                He reveals the past

                                In truth.

From feast to famine,

                He created Salmon

                                And all things.

From heart to heart,

                He sets us apart

                                For His purposes.

From darkness to light,

                His truth shines bright

                                For all to see.

From me to you,

                He loves us too.

Written March 10, 2012, by Kaelyn

A poem

The Storm Beneath His Feet

Based on Psalm 18, particularly verses 9 & 12

Written by Kaelyn Pfenning on Sunday, April 29, 2012

One

Drop builds

Into many through the

Heat of the day until a cloud forms.

One cloud joins the others to form a dark

Covering for the King of kings. Out of the brightness

Of his presence, clouds advanced with hailstones and

Bolts of lightning. He parted the heavens and came

Down with dark clouds under his feet.

The Lord thundered.

Faith of a 17-year-old

Monday, December 27, 2004:

Father, I don’t (know) how to start. I’ll be honest. I feel depressed....I’m feeling overwhelmed and tired. Please help me to focus on you. You love me unconditionally. When I fall, you pick me up. When I’m down, you lift me up. When I’m lost and alone, you lead me home. When I’m afraid, you calm me. When I’m sad, you comfort me.

When I feel like giving up, you urge me on.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – Phil. 3:14.

“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” – Hebrews 10:36.

When I’m worried, you give me peace.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Phil. 4:6, 7 – “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7.

When I’m angry, you warn me.

“‘In your anger do not sin:’ Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” – Eph. 4:26.

When I am confused, you show me your clarity.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Prov. 3:5, 6.

When I’m concerned about the future, you show me that it is in your hands.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11.

When I feel like no one cares about me, you remind me of how much you care.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38, 39

You have a solution for every one of my problems.

Be Alert!

As I woke up this morning, I began to think about nothing in particular. Not too much later, I began to pray, and immediately, a darkness I had not noticed lifted.

Evil thoughts are not the devil's only tactic. Idol thoughts are just as--if not more--dangerous!

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5

Think about what you think about!

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." ~ Philippians 4:8

Be intentional about what you think!

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." ~ 1 Peter 5:8-11

Be aware of false teachings!

"Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." ~ Acts 20:30
"Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: 'Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.'" ~ Luke 12:1

Don't be deceived! (Know the truth.)

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Final Instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24:
Now we ask you, brothers,
to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.
Live in peace with each other.

And we urge you, brothers,
warn those who are idle,
encourage the timid,
help the weak,
be patient with everyone.
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,
but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Response to Blessings

Delight,

Pure and simple,

Emanates from the Father

On His children,

Beloved.

Sunshine,

Bright and cheerful,

Shines forth from above

On the land,

Bountiful.

Smiles,

Sweet and serene,

Uplift souls around us

To praise God,

Supreme.

Dances,

Pretty and pure,

Express joy in the Lord

To other people,

Precious.

The Leaf in the Current

Slowly, peacefully,

A yellow leaf drifts in a quiet pool.

Silently, imperceptibly,

The pace of the stream quickens.

Unexpectedly, frighteningly,

Rocks loom in the path.

Painfully, swiftly,

The rapids of the river churn.

Uncontrollably, unimaginably,

Falls plummet to the ground.

Surprisingly, sweetly,

The leaf re-surfaces to continue its journey

By the power of an unseen current.