Notice: Zoom only church today at 10. With a foot of snow on top of piles of ice and snow, parking is a premium around the church. Join us with the choice to remain safe and warm at home (or wherever you may be). Thank you for understanding. Pray for pastor Mike as he brings the Word today 

Good Morning Giant-Slayers, Overcomes in Christ! Is that you? Maybe sometimes? Checkout our devos today. We all face giants. How we face them can fluctuate. Sometimes we can be like David with sling and stone. Sometimes we can be like ten of the spies that feared the giants in the promised land. Sometimes we forget that when we are weak is when we are strongest because God is strong for us. I've seen the fluctuation in approaching the giant in myself this week  I moved back and forth from standing firm with a few small stones to cowering in fear, to giving up and back again. Here's the thing though, God never changed and He was here with me through it all! PTL! And PTL for some friends and staff that were able to redirect me when my faith waivered or I got bound up in a pity party .

God is the Lord of my life! He has great plans for me, even sometimes taking me through a dark valley or three, He IS with me always! This giant is no match for my God! Amen! The having to change some diet things and lifestyle choices could be a giant that leads me way out of my preferences and comfort zone, but a really good thing to live a long and healthy life. Donald, stop fighting God and choose well, health, and life! Amen. Too bad it's not as easy as just saying it. Doing, requires, well, doing and choices--action. 

I'm starting to understand why God had me choose "earnest" and "agape" as my words for this year. And He's giving me great opportunities to choose to walk them out. PTL! And I'm praising for someone reminding me that I was slipping into running from this giant and a pity party. Shew...breathe out that junk Donald and breathe in a fresh breath of the Spirit and set your jaw earnestly, die to self, take up that cross and follow Jesus. Amen

You know God loves you and is with and for you --always! And no matter the giant or how weak you feel or how far out of your comfort zone, God is walking with you, before you, and upholding you in His strong right hand. Be strong and courageous. Let go of self, fear and doubt and step into that new bold and courageous giant slayer nature! God's plans will not be thwarted. And He has great ones for you and us! He has some others to walk with you and help you too! Really, the only giants God can't beat are the ones we won't let go of. What's holding you back? Let's be more like Caleb and Joshua who knew those giants were no match for almighty God. Let's leave Egypt behind and seek boldly after God's best this year! We are unstoppable in Christ as we link arms and stand firm with those few smooth little stones. Amen!

Thank you all for praying for and encouraging me and for respecting my request for privacy. I needed this time for introspection, correction and soul searching. God said rest and I was saying no again...think I'd learn! Hopefully, this time! And ahead lies, Lord willing, some healthy lifestyle choices. They have already begun ..well maybe after that one last cheese steak! 😄 

FYI, I was admitted Thurs with a fib and congestive heart failure. Thank God I came early, but should have come before shoveling Mon and Wed. (Note shoveling did not cause it, just heightened breathing issues) But I did choose to come... PTL! It has been determined that I have a hyper thyroid condition that caused the a fib that caused the fluid retention. Meds have already gotten rid of the water and are settling things down. PTL! I have the most mild and benign a fib. And now that they know why it started, we can address that. So several doc visits and medication adjustments await my discharge, hopefully this morning. I've calmed down, dyed to self, am choosing joy, and have asked God back to be the Lord of my stay. He used me yesterday to pray for and encourage my one doc and one nurse. Wonder what He has for me before I leave? Hope it's a legacy of faith well lived in Christ, no matter the giant!

One final thought.. please prayerfully ask God for your word(s) for the year and share those with Sarah, me, and your teammates. We want to pray, encourage, and remind when needed, like I was this week. Maybe like me, God hadn't released you fully from last year's word and will give you another that is the next step. Let us know. We are in this giant slaying journey together and it is an awesome adventure for sure! Come and see! And feel free to remind me when you see me slipping from dying to self, earnestly and living, loving and leading like Jesus more earnestly. Thanks! I can't wait to see what land flowing with milk and honey lies ahead for you and us! Come Lord! Be our Lord! Transform us more fully into Your best! Amen