Beloved,
Quickies:
1. If you'd like to
receive some awesomely helpful devotionals to increase intimacy with our Lord, go to the
bottom of the sample below and sign up. Pastor Coley is extraordinarily
blessed as a spiritual director;
2. I have never been
"into" marriage workshops, seminars, films, and other syrupy and
sentimental relational stuff that have always encouraged my feelings of
inadequacy as a husband/creature. Indeed, I became so tired of attending
'em and feeling guilty that I just stopped going. Besides, I've been
reading, studying, and practicing pre/mid/post-marital care and counseling for
nearly 4 decades and... Well, you know what I mean. But then my
wife made me watch a few of Mark Gungor's "Laughing Your Way to a Better
Marriage!" Excellent! I've never been more impressed,
educated, nurtured, and encouraged about marital amelioration than while
watching these films. BTW, what I really like about 'em is his incredibly
articulate and clear examination of gender distinctives - understanding the
female and male psyches. Unreal! Unless you're in a perfect
marriage or not considering marriage or have no interactions with the gender
other than your own, I recommend/urge your attendance this Saturday, February
9, in our Fellowship Hall from 9-Noon. Really, you know I rarely pump up
anything apart from our only indispensable
activity/opportunity/privilege/desire-more-than-duty-in-praise/gratitude:
worship! Catch my drift? See you there; and
3. Speaking of worship,
Sunday's coming and I hear that...
Blessings and Love!
P.S. I would like to
emphasize something about Gungormania on Saturday. This is helpful to
anyone - not just people thinking about marriage or in a marriage - who wants
to know how to relate better to the other gender as well as understanding
theirs. Have I been clear in saying how good...?
P.S.#2 BTW, you won't
stick out either! 40+ have alread signed up to attend! Call
815-544-6402 to let us know if you're coming, so we can have enough
refreshments. And if you forget to call, don't forget to come!
Thought for the
Day....Keeping Good Company
Psalm 23: "Surely
Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..."
Beloved:
Pride
is a bad companion to have around. So are unforgiveness, jealousy,
resentment,and bitterness. These "companions" will suck the
life out of us and rob us of our joy and peace. They are heavy loads to
carry and keep us chained to a past event of hurt or failure, and make life
pretty miserable.
The
Beloved Psalmist wrote of some other companions that I like to keep
around! Follow in Hebrew is the Hebrew word radaph — which means “to
pursue, to set off after someone in order to catch him. Goodness and Mercy
will chase us down as we follow the Good Shepherd! When we know Him and we
understand His ways, even the valley of the shadow of death brings us
no fear! Goodness will spread a table before us in the presence
of our enemies! Goodness will extend a hand of favor and help
to the down and out,and lift them up with the same grace and love
that lifted us. When mercy is our companion, we are empowered to forgive
and to show kindness to someone who wronged us. Mercy flows in and
through us, freeing us from those oppressive companions that beat us
down. When we know the Shepherd,life is sweet and full of joy.
Even
when God seems far away, His mercy and goodness are pursuing you to remind you
that you are engraved on the palm of His hand and nothing can separate you from
His love. When sin has separated you from His Presence, His Mercy steps in to
redeem you and says "I won't let you go!" When interruptions
and trials seem more distressing and discouraging than victorious, His mercy
and goodness will deliver you from the hand of the enemy and strengthen you in
the trial. When you feel overwhelmed and unable, goodness steps in to remove
the oppression and mercy relieves you of the heavy burden.
Life
is too short to keep bad company! Follow the Shepherd and become
acquainted with Him. As you do, you will take on His nature and the companions
of goodness and mercy will follow you wherever you go! Life gets sweeter when
you're hanging out with the right companions!
Keeping good company,
Pastor Ella Jane Coley
PO Box 507
Bixby, OK 74008
918-366-4415
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