Just five more minutes of church.... Really!
Happy Memorial Day weekend...
It's rather a nice weekend to say the least. It is usually rainy and cold if I remember correctly. This is the first year I remembered to schedule myself to work because Labor Day weekend is so much nicer - and that was the weekend I was always scheduled to work. However, forgetting about the 'five more minutes of sleep' I was able to enjoy some of the nice weather this weekend.
We were pleasantly surprised at our church service today. It made an EXTREME impact on our lives - both my husband and myself. I even thought several times this morning before getting out of bed (finally) - 'just five more minutes of sleep' and 'hey - what about going next week instead of this week....' (NOT). So - up we got at the horrible hour of 0700 to make it to Willow Creek in South Barrington. This is not our 'home' church. On the days I work 3P to 3A I am unable to make our church so we trek out to Willow for bible study or service. Our home church - which you will hear more about - is Chicagoland Community Church.
The service itself had wonderful deeply moving praise and worship time intermixed with testimonials from 'special needs families' on how God has helped them, given them strength or they have seen God's love in their special needs child. Then they interviewed two parents of special needs children. Unbelievable the faith they have in God and the strength God has given them through every trial and test. The sermon was how we can pray for special needs families - and I was moved even more.
As a nurse in a peds hospital I encounter special needs children every day. I am immune to their 'condition' and truly see them for what they 'can do,' and 'who they are.' However, I was convicted and reminded that I "remember" them by their 'condition', 'sydrome', 'issue' and/or 'disability.' One of the mom's stated that she wanted her child seen for "not what he had, what he couldn't do, but what he could do and who he was in God's eyes." HELLO!
I found myself, as the pastor was wrapping up his sermon - we were standing to pray - linking arms, that I wanted just five more minutes. Five more minutes of God's Word, five more minutes of reflection time, five more minutes in prayer, five more minutes just there......
I would like to share some of the scripture that was in today's sermon because it was extremely touching to me. There was a prayer that goes with the scripture that I have also posted. I encourage you this week to take just five more minutes to include some of these scriptures in your studies, prayer, discusion with friends..... I know I plan on it. Even if you are just reading this and have no "time" for discussion or prayer - think about what it means to you as you are reading it. They are all posted in Message version. If you would like to see a different translation please feel free to go to Biblegateway.com
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 2 Corinthians 4:16
Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 13Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 14You'll be--and experience--a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned--oh, how it will be returned!-at the resurrection of God's people." Luke 14:12-14
Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Romans 12:15
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. 10Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Romans 12:9-10 Romans 12:16
These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. Galatians 6:12
To pray for these families - use this guide from the word "SPECIAL"
S - Strength: to deal with others, their own feelings, life challenges and the child's challenges
P - Patience: to wait for progress or when they don't have alot to celebrate
Peace: Over no progress or back slides, celebrate the little things, not to envy other peoples lives.
E - Energy: to deal with all the special needs of the child.
C - Courage: to watch their child struggle, in sickness, broken milestones, to say "no."
I - Intimate Friends: who will walk closely with you through good and bad times, who will lift you up, who will intercede for you.
A - Ability: For God to give us this to see each other as who we are not whatthe condition is. To see them for what they can do and not what they can't. NO ONE IS LABELED BY GOD AS THEIR CONDITION!!
L - LOVE: The bible says - Love ought to be our highest goal - Faith is expressed by LOVE.
Have a Blessed weekend!
B
It's rather a nice weekend to say the least. It is usually rainy and cold if I remember correctly. This is the first year I remembered to schedule myself to work because Labor Day weekend is so much nicer - and that was the weekend I was always scheduled to work. However, forgetting about the 'five more minutes of sleep' I was able to enjoy some of the nice weather this weekend.
We were pleasantly surprised at our church service today. It made an EXTREME impact on our lives - both my husband and myself. I even thought several times this morning before getting out of bed (finally) - 'just five more minutes of sleep' and 'hey - what about going next week instead of this week....' (NOT). So - up we got at the horrible hour of 0700 to make it to Willow Creek in South Barrington. This is not our 'home' church. On the days I work 3P to 3A I am unable to make our church so we trek out to Willow for bible study or service. Our home church - which you will hear more about - is Chicagoland Community Church.
The service itself had wonderful deeply moving praise and worship time intermixed with testimonials from 'special needs families' on how God has helped them, given them strength or they have seen God's love in their special needs child. Then they interviewed two parents of special needs children. Unbelievable the faith they have in God and the strength God has given them through every trial and test. The sermon was how we can pray for special needs families - and I was moved even more.
As a nurse in a peds hospital I encounter special needs children every day. I am immune to their 'condition' and truly see them for what they 'can do,' and 'who they are.' However, I was convicted and reminded that I "remember" them by their 'condition', 'sydrome', 'issue' and/or 'disability.' One of the mom's stated that she wanted her child seen for "not what he had, what he couldn't do, but what he could do and who he was in God's eyes." HELLO!
I found myself, as the pastor was wrapping up his sermon - we were standing to pray - linking arms, that I wanted just five more minutes. Five more minutes of God's Word, five more minutes of reflection time, five more minutes in prayer, five more minutes just there......
I would like to share some of the scripture that was in today's sermon because it was extremely touching to me. There was a prayer that goes with the scripture that I have also posted. I encourage you this week to take just five more minutes to include some of these scriptures in your studies, prayer, discusion with friends..... I know I plan on it. Even if you are just reading this and have no "time" for discussion or prayer - think about what it means to you as you are reading it. They are all posted in Message version. If you would like to see a different translation please feel free to go to Biblegateway.com
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 2 Corinthians 4:16
Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 13Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 14You'll be--and experience--a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned--oh, how it will be returned!-at the resurrection of God's people." Luke 14:12-14
Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Romans 12:15
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. 10Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody. Romans 12:9-10 Romans 12:16
These people who are attempting to force the ways of circumcision on you have only one motive: They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. All their talk about the law is gas. Galatians 6:12
To pray for these families - use this guide from the word "SPECIAL"
S - Strength: to deal with others, their own feelings, life challenges and the child's challenges
P - Patience: to wait for progress or when they don't have alot to celebrate
Peace: Over no progress or back slides, celebrate the little things, not to envy other peoples lives.
E - Energy: to deal with all the special needs of the child.
C - Courage: to watch their child struggle, in sickness, broken milestones, to say "no."
I - Intimate Friends: who will walk closely with you through good and bad times, who will lift you up, who will intercede for you.
A - Ability: For God to give us this to see each other as who we are not whatthe condition is. To see them for what they can do and not what they can't. NO ONE IS LABELED BY GOD AS THEIR CONDITION!!
L - LOVE: The bible says - Love ought to be our highest goal - Faith is expressed by LOVE.
Have a Blessed weekend!
B
posted by B at 14:11
1 Comments:
Wasn't that an amazing service? After the father and son video I was all weepy and was kind of relived I was sitting up in the nearly-empty balcony because I thought I wouldn't have to link arms and let anybody see my puffy, tear streaked face, but then a guy a few rows ahead turned around and he was crying too! So I went down and linked arms with him and another guy looked back at us, and he was crying as well! So we waved him back and the three of us linked arms and sniffled together. It was a beautiful experience.
Post a Comment
<< Home