Love with Action

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18 (NIV)

 

What is the difference between loving with words and loving with action?  Why would loving with action be truth?  How have you loved with action and in truth?  How has your life been affected by those who love in these two ways?

 

The following story can be found at: http://www.wow4u.com/gift-of-love/index.html

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak." He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret" said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. "But I must know!" He urged his father. "Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him."

"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet." The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come . . . one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?"

 

Love is action and is the most beautiful of all!  God loves with action and in truth.  We witnessed this on Christmas.  With the approaching New Year let us pray that we become those who love with action and in truth so that all may truly understand the words, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”

With hope and joy,

Garrett

God is Close in Surprising Ways

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

 

What are many ways you have been brokenhearted?  Did you feel alone?  Did you know that God was with you?  How has your spirit been crushed in the past?  How has God saved you in the past?  What are different ways you have felt God close, and have experienced God save?

 

The following story was e-mailed to me:

Mother's father worked as a carpenter.  On this particular day, he was building some crates for the clothes his church was sending to some orphanage in China.  On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone.  When he mentally replayed his earlier actions, he realized what happened; the glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the crates, which he had nailed shut.  His brand new glasses were heading for China!

The Great Depression was at its height and Grandpa had six children.  He had spent $20 for those glasses that very morning.  He was upset by the thought of having to buy another pair.  "It's not fair," he told God as he drove home in frustration.  "I've been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this."

Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on furlough in the United States.  He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him in China, so he came to speak one Sunday at my grandfather's small church in Chicago.  The missionary began by thanking the people for their faithfulness in supporting the orphanage.  "But most of all," he said, "I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year.  You

see, the Communists had just swept through the orphanage, destroying everything, including my glasses.  I was desperate.  Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses.  Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my coworkers and I were much in prayer about this.  Then your crates arrived. When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on top.  The missionary paused long enough to let his words sink in.  Then, still gripped with the wonder of it all, he continued: "Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me!  I want to thank you for being a part of that."

The people listened, happy for the miraculous glasses. But the missionary surely must have confused their church with another, they thought.  There were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas.  But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.

 

When we are heartbroken or crushed God is still with us, using us to ensure that good is accomplished!  We can never know how God will save us in different situations, but we can be sure that we will be surprised how the Master Carpenter puts it all together.

With hope and joy,

Garrett

What We Say

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger.  Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. – Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)

 

How have you been hurt by what others have said?  What have you said in anger, depression or sadness that has hurt someone else?  Who has said words that have helped you become stronger?  What did they say, and why did you need to hear them?  How will you say things to make sure you will do good to those who listen to you?

 

The following story is called the Wise Sage and was e-mailed to me:

There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside.  One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child. 

So the sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight.

One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.
 "Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.



"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man. 



The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?" 



And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

 

Words can heal people!  Words can also hurt people.  This Advent season prepare your hearts to accept the Word of God made flesh in Jesus the Christ again!  When you do everything you say will have Christ in it, and everything you say will heal others, will make others stronger, and will do good to all who listen to you!

With hope and joy,

Garrett

Christmas Family Miracle

Showing a Family That God's Hope and Joy is Real!

This family consists of parents of a boy, age 13, a girl, age 11, and are raising their grandson, age 11.  He works as a painter and recently lost his job.  Without the money to buy basic necessities Christmas does not look to be a possibility.  No tree to be decorated, no Christmas meal to eat, no gifts to be given, no...  When the wife and mother was asked what she and her husband would like for Christmas she said that they wanted the children to have a good Christmas.

And they will have a good Christmas!!!  First Pres, the church that is devoted to becoming God's hope and joy, will be ensuring that hope and joy rein supreme in their household this Christmas.  Should you feel so called to help make this family receive a Christmas gift they shall never forget please send an offering to:

First Presbyterian Church

220 N. Jackson St.

Albany, GA 31701

c/o Christmas Family Miracle

Please write the check to First Presbyterian and in the memo write Christmas Family Miracle!  Join us in working together to become God's hope and joy!

From First Pres, where community happens,

Garrett

Hope for the Hungry and Homeless

This is a great ministry opportunity.  Check out www.missionchange.com for more information.  You can help create awareness of the huge homeless and poverty problem in Albany, GA and in the process help support organizations that fight to combat such demons.

Before, during, and after the Christmas Parade on Saturday make sure to come by the Fellowship Hall to warm body and soul!  We will open the church up at 5 p.m. and serve appetizers, desserts, and warm holiday drinks like cider and hot chocolate.  Invite everyone you see at the parade!

With hope and joy,

Garrett

December's "Minister's Minute" from The Journal of Hope and Joy

Merry Christmas everyone!  O where must I begin this minister’s minute?  First off let me begin in the spirit of thanksgiving.  I am aware that Thanksgiving was celebrated last month, but that does not mean we cannot and should not be continually thankful throughout the year!  I am thankful for each of you who are reading this letter.  “Pastor,” some might be asking, “why are you thankful for me?”

The last month of my life has been a whirlwind of experiences.  As Melinda’s pregnancy progressed, I took comfort from the multitude of you all who told me you were praying for us.  As we found ourselves in the hospital a couple of weeks ago, I was reassured by the calls many made before hand to make sure we were holding up well.  As we stayed in that hospital looking at our son and wondering where life would lead us, I was blessed by many of your calls, visits, and gifts as you each became a part of our joy.  As we arrived home, I was honored to have so many bring us food and gently demand we call should we need anything at all.  And as I sit here today, writing this to you all, I am overwhelmed with gratitude that God would see it fit to allow the life of my family to intersect with each of your lives, and I am grateful for each of you!

While the gift of my son is undoubtedly one of the greatest gifts I will ever receive, the gift of being able to know each of you is also one of the greatest gifts I will ever receive.  As I immerse myself in Advent preparation and consider the greatest gift God has ever given anyone, Jesus, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the wealth of gifts God has bestowed upon me.  So to each of you who has felt so called to bless my family, and me I thank you!

The first Sunday of December will mark the one-year anniversary when Melinda and I drove into Albany realizing that this place is our new home!  We have been here a year, wow!  We arrived in the midst of Advent, in the midst of preparation, and I declared to the church upon my arrival that not only were we preparing to accept our Savior again into our lives, but we were preparing to be made new by God.  There can be no doubt that in this last year our church has been made new.  Membership has nearly doubled, attendance has increased by 500% on average, papers have written about us, seminaries are studying us, and God has declared with emphasis, “Behold, I make all things new!”

To meet the needs of our incredible growth we have reestablished the Deacon Board and expanded the Session.  Leaders are being put in place to ensure that the newness, which God has begun, has not been done in vain.  My brothers and sisters, whatever you think about what God has done, we enter into this new season of Advent with the expectation that nothing is done!  We have laid the foundation of success, but the foundation alone does not constitute success.  There are bricks and mortar to be laid, let us build upon this foundation and let our light shine brighter and more fervent.

My hope is that by the time my family’s second anniversary in this land arrives, by the time my son’s first birthday is celebrated, we might be able to celebrate Advent 2009 with 150 members, with church services averaging 150 people, with new ministries for children, shut-ins, the needy, and many others.  In the spirit of preparation and thanksgiving, let us prepare ourselves for the work to be done in this next year to witness how much God will continue to do in our midst!

Riding the wave of the Holy Spirit,

Garrett

You Are My Life

 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13 (KJV)

 

What does it mean to lay down one’s life for one’s friends?  How does Jesus demonstrate this “greatest love”?  Who do you believe loves you in this way?  Who do you love in this way?  How do you want to grow in order to love in the greatest way love can be?

 

The following story is a true story by Viraj Bhandare found athttp://www.inspirationpeak.com/cgi-bin/stories.cgi?record=131

There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school. Before being sent away this boy was the brightest student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. He was a champion. 

But the boy changed after leaving home and attending the boarding school. His grades started dropping. He hated being in a group. He was lonely all the time. And there were especially dark times when he felt like committing suicide. All of this because he felt worthless and that no one loved him.



His parents started worrying about the boy. But even they did not know what was wrong with him. So his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him.



They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him casual questions about his classes, teachers and sports. After some time his dad said, 'Do you know son, why I am here today?" 

The boy answered back, "to check my grades?" 

"No, no" his dad replied, "I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don't care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE." 

These words caused the boy's eyes to fill with tears. He hugged his dad. They didn't say anything to each other for a long time.



Now the boy had everything he wanted. He knew there was someone on this earth who cared for him deeply. He meant the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad! 



Thanks a lot dad. YOU ARE MY LIFE.

 

Laying down your life for your friends is as simple as letting a friend, a family member, any loved one at all know that he/she is your life!  Open your heart to the Spirit’s presence that surrounds you and listen.  Can you hear Jesus softy whispering in your ear, “You are my life.”  He has saved your life with his love; imagine how many people you might save with yours!

With hope and joy,

Garrett