- Mar 20, 2018Day 35: Tuesday, March 20th, 2018
- Mar 19, 2018Day 34: Monday, March 19th, 2018
Day 34: Monday, March 19th, 2018
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2The Million Dollar Highway
My Dad was a truck driver. He did long hauls mostly, and I remember as a little girl I knew when dad was home because I had to be quiet and play outside. I remember one of the stories he told was about driving the Million Dollar Highway. This highway is in the state of Colorado, it was built in 1880, and it is part of the San Juan Skyway. It is one of the nation’s most spectacular drives. It is also one of the most dangerous, so if you are driving you will want to watch the road. Forget standard driving safety measures like guardrails and shoulders; there aren’t any on this stretch, so swerving off the road is not advised! The weather on this highway is harsh and highly unpredictable, and it does not take much time for the sunshine to change over to moderate to heavy snowfall. Large eighteen wheel trucks often travel in both directions. My dad said it was the most sobering drive of his career with the hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs and no guardrails or anywhere to go if you found your truck picking up speed and your brakes just weren’t slowing you down enough. On most highways going through mountains, the truckers have places where they can run off the road into barrels of sand and get the truck stopped, but not on The Million Dollar Highway. My dad said it was the one highway where EVERY trucker prayed, even the unbelievers.
While remembering this story and my dad and what he said about what he called “Praying The Million Dollar Highway,” I wonder why it is that it took a dangerous stretch of highway to get my dad and other truck drivers to pray and turn to God. I also wonder why some wait until Easter to bring their families to church or for us to invite our neighbor or friend. Why is it some only come when life’s hairpin turns, lack of guardrails and shoulders are causing them to turn to God for help? But when the highway of life is smooth and the guardrails are up, they leave the church and we don’t see them until next Easter or when life throws them a hairpin turn they need help with. The “weather” on the highway of life can be harsh and highly unpredictable, and it does not take much for the sunshine to change over to stormy weather. Do you know if your neighbor, friend or the person you see at the local diner every morning is facing the most sobering times in his or her life? Is their life full of hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs with no guardrails or anywhere to go? You wouldn’t know unless you talked to them, sat down and listened, and maybe, just maybe invite them to church. Be the Hands and Feet of Christ this Lenten season by slowing down and noticing who hasn’t been to church that used to come, and call or send a card. Pick up the phone and call someone you know who doesn’t attend church and invite them to come with you. May you always feel God’s love and presence when dealing with life’s hairpin turns!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Guide us through life’s hairpin turns and dangerous drop-offs so that we always know You are there for us. Lead us through the tough times in life so we may come out stronger and more able to help those who need us to support them in their faith. Amen.
Contributed by Laura Winckel
- Mar 18, 2018Day 33: Sunday, March 18th, 2018
Day 33: Sunday, March 18th, 2018
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2The Million Dollar Highway
My Dad was a truck driver. He did long hauls mostly, and I remember as a little girl I knew when dad was home because I had to be quiet and play outside. I remember one of the stories he told was about driving the Million Dollar Highway. This highway is in the state of Colorado, it was built in 1880, and it is part of the San Juan Skyway. It is one of the nation’s most spectacular drives. It is also one of the most dangerous, so if you are driving you will want to watch the road. Forget standard driving safety measures like guardrails and shoulders; there aren’t any on this stretch, so swerving off the road is not advised! The weather on this highway is harsh and highly unpredictable, and it does not take much time for the sunshine to change over to moderate to heavy snowfall. Large eighteen wheel trucks often travel in both directions. My dad said it was the most sobering drive of his career with the hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs and no guardrails or anywhere to go if you found your truck picking up speed and your brakes just weren’t slowing you down enough. On most highways going through mountains, the truckers have places where they can run off the road into barrels of sand and get the truck stopped, but not on The Million Dollar Highway. My dad said it was the one highway where EVERY trucker prayed, even the unbelievers.
While remembering this story and my dad and what he said about what he called “Praying The Million Dollar Highway,” I wonder why it is that it took a dangerous stretch of highway to get my dad and other truck drivers to pray and turn to God. I also wonder why some wait until Easter to bring their families to church or for us to invite our neighbor or friend. Why is it some only come when life’s hairpin turns, lack of guardrails and shoulders are causing them to turn to God for help? But when the highway of life is smooth and the guardrails are up, they leave the church and we don’t see them until next Easter or when life throws them a hairpin turn they need help with. The “weather” on the highway of life can be harsh and highly unpredictable, and it does not take much for the sunshine to change over to stormy weather. Do you know if your neighbor, friend or the person you see at the local diner every morning is facing the most sobering times in his or her life? Is their life full of hairpin curves and dangerous drop-offs with no guardrails or anywhere to go? You wouldn’t know unless you talked to them, sat down and listened, and maybe, just maybe invite them to church. Be the Hands and Feet of Christ this Lenten season by slowing down and noticing who hasn’t been to church that used to come, and call or send a card. Pick up the phone and call someone you know who doesn’t attend church and invite them to come with you. May you always feel God’s love and presence when dealing with life’s hairpin turns!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Guide us through life’s hairpin turns and dangerous drop-offs so that we always know You are there for us. Lead us through the tough times in life so we may come out stronger and more able to help those who need us to support them in their faith. Amen.
Contributed by Laura Winckel
- Mar 16, 2018Day 32: Saturday, March 17th, 2018
Day 32: Saturday, March 17th, 2018“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope - never forget that.”Jeremiah 29:11 (The VOICE)
Today, you are probably wearing something green so you won’t be pinched and watching others to see if they too are wearing green and perhaps pinching them if they are not. Some may be out celebrating at a local pub, and others are preparing corned beef and cabbage for dinner. There may even be someone out there looking for a four-leaf clover.
But who needs that four-leaf clover when you have God on your side and He has plans for you?
Three years ago, my life was slowly falling to pieces, after a 14-year Army career. As my marriage was falling apart, I was inundated with schoolwork and caring for my two toddlers, and I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing with my life.
After not attending church since we joined the Army, my husband suggested that he wanted to return to church and I agreed although I had reservations, as I was raised Catholic and he was raised Methodist. However, we agreed that the Methodist idea was best, so we scheduled a meeting with the pastors to discuss the church and what it could offer to us. The meeting went very well, and we agreed that we would join the church the following weekend. One week later, the strings holding our marriage together broke, and a custody battle ensued, lasting for about six months. It was indeed a trying time for my children and me, but joining this church truly made the stress much lighter.
This church was the four-leaf clover that has eluded me for my entire life -- God had a plan, executed in His own time, leading me to this amazing church. I, along with my children, could not be more blessed!
Prayer:
Loving God, please allow us to see You at work in our lives in all situations, good and bad, and to never lose faith in You. Give us the patience and the wherewithal to wait and see what Your plans are for us. Amen.
Contributed by Lauren Moffatt - Mar 16, 2018Day 31: Friday. March 16th, 2018
Day 31: Friday. March 16th, 2018
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness”
2 Corinthians 12:8-9
It was a cold winter morning, and she had been home sick for three days. My little girl had been fighting off the flu, and this was to be her first day back to school. I understood this could be a challenge, so I woke her up with happy kisses, soft music, and breakfast already on the table. I said my morning prayers and affirmations, had my cup of coffee; “Today was going to be a good day!” That was, however, until we walked to the bus stop, tears streaming down her face, and an adamant, “I don’t want to go to school! Mommy, please! I don’t want to go to school!” Naturally, the only thing I could do was to beg and plead that it was, in fact, going to be a great day, she could do this! As I explained all the wonderful things that were going to happen, she planted herself on that last step going up the stairs to the bus, sobbing words of resistance to go to school. With the bus driver staring at us, making his passive attempt to coax her, the negative thoughts began to pour into my psyche: “I HAVE to go to work today; I’ve had three days off already. I HAVE to do homework and a few chores before work. I HAVE to take a shower and get myself ready. I don’t have time to get her in the car, calm her down, drive the mile to the school, wrestle the monstrosity that IS the traffic at elementary school morning drop off! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!” But I can’t just leave her on that step. I can’t have the bus driver sitting there staring at me, hoping I make a decision quickly before he’s late on his route. So I grabbed my child, and we walked back home. The blood began to pool in my face as the negative thoughts and rage began to make my head spin. I was MAD.
What did I do from there? I sat my daughter down, gave her a simple task to keep her busy for five minutes, and I took that shower. Despite it being reduced by a good ten minutes, I said a prayer, and I felt myself begin to calm. I had an option. I had the choice to yell, belittle, maybe even spank my child because of the inconvenience she caused me, or, OR, take a moment of self-reflection and understand that this was just one of many times my little girl is going to frustrate me. And, most importantly, it wasn’t personal. It was her own struggle. It was her still not feeling 100% healed from her illness. It was fear of going back to school and facing her friends after three days off. I could have been negative, feeding on my own anger, but I made the choice to understand and to take a positive approach. After my shower, I calmly explained that I was frustrated, and told her why. I then gave her the floor to express her own feelings. At the end of it, she made it to school, I made it to work, and our relationship was stronger because I chose to be loving and kind, instead of spewing anger. I showed her grace.
God experiences moments like these, probably on a daily basis with me. He has a plan for us, but because we are human, we fail Him constantly. However, He shows us mercy when we disobey Him. He certainly showed me His grace and mercy both on that morning with my daughter. He forgave me for the anger I felt toward my daughter, and then He gave me the gift of sharing that forgiveness with her. Paul experienced a similar moment of clarity when he asked God to remove a thorn given by Satan. God replied with “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).
Prayer:
God we thank You for Your patience with us. We thank You for your Grace and for Your Mercy on us. We pray that, despite the discomforts we experience in life, we always turn to You. We pray that we can learn to have mercy on others, the same way You do with us. It’s in Christ’s name we pray, Amen.Contributed by Brittany Diaz
- Mar 15, 2018Day 30: Thursday, March 15th, 2018
Day 30: Thursday, March 15th, 2018
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:16)
“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff protect me.” (Psalm 23:14)
Alone and Unafraid
Being on a submarine is a lot like being an astronaut. You live in very tight quarters, you’re away from loved ones for months at a time, and the environment around you is constantly trying to kill you. Submarines patrol the world’s oceans alone and unafraid, often times with no nearby friendly ships to help them if something goes wrong. They live and operate every day in one of the most dangerous environments known to man, relying on their equipment and their training to perform their missions and live to the next day.
At times the world feels like it’s full of evil. Vicious political rhetoric. Terrorist attacks. That guy who cut you off in traffic last week. It can feel overwhelming or even hopeless. Even in this dark world, God is always with us. He tells us He will never forsake us, and even in the darkest of times, He is by our side. So when the world starts to get to you, there is no reason to fear because God’s got your back.
Prayer:
Lord, we know that fear is a natural part of being human, but we often need help to move past our fears and be the people
You want us to be. Help us to conquer our fears and place our trust in You. Amen.
Contributed by Matthew Charlton
- Mar 14, 2018Day 29: Wednesday, March 14th, 2018
Day 29: Wednesday, March 14th, 2018"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.”Philippians 4:6-7This is my favorite verse in the Bible. Just reading it seems to bring me a peace beyond understanding. There is one word in this verse that I believe is the most important – and that is the word “everything.” Sometimes I hesitate to pray about something because I think it is too unimportant, too trivial for God. But then I remember this verse and realize that Godwants to hear from us in every situation, and that nothing is too trivial.
I drive to Austin every day to work. I have a lot to be anxious about driving back and forth on I-35 every day. There have been many days when traffic is bad or there has been a wreck, I have a lot to do at work, and my thoughts just go everywhere.
I remember this verse. I may not experience peace at that moment, but later in the day, I’ll get a nudge.I realize that I have indeed had a peaceful day, and I thank God for that.We should all remember that God wants to hear from us in all situations and give us that wonderful peacethat passes all understanding.Prayer:
Our most gracious God, thank You for listening to our most trivial prayers and petitions and granting us Your wonderful peace. Amen.
Contributed by Anne Hoel
- Mar 13, 2018Day 28:Tuesday, March 13th, 2018
Day 28:Tuesday, March 13th, 2018“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 hopeand a future.”Jeremiah 29:11
God’s Plan
I knew from a very young age that “service” was my calling. I knew that because my mother and father both served willingly and selflessly. What I didn’t always realize was it was actually God’s plan all along. He continually put me in position to serve, not necessarily to lead, but to serve. He also put me in position to grow, to mature, to test my limits.
Many times I wondered how much more I could take and then quickly realized I was being selfish. I realized I could take exactly the amount God had intended, and I knew all along that He was right beside me.
I think many times we all get caught up in the moment and forget that God has a plan--the ultimate plan. It’s up to us to decide if we believe and are willing to put ourselves out there and see that plan through.
Prayer:
Lord, I thank You for Your plan, I thank You for being beside us at all times. Be with each and every person who is
part of this great congregation. May we glorify You each and every day. Amen.
Contributed by Glenn Morrison
- Mar 12, 2018Day 27: Monday, March 12th, 2018
Day 27: Monday, March 12th, 2018
A couple of years ago we visited Savannah, Ga. for the happy occasion of our eldest son’s wedding at the historic Oglethorpe town square. Knowing that this beautiful city was the destiny of John Wesley’s first missionary trip to America in 1735, we visited the Anglican Church that was his first pastoral charge in the former British colony. We know that after Wesley had come in contact with a group of Moravian immigrants who were traveling in the same ship fromBritain, he felt they had something he was lacking in his Christian experience. Back in England in 1737 he found the Moravian church in Aldersgate Street where for the first time he understood salvation and forgiveness of sins. After listening to a reading of Luther’s commentary of the book of Romans, he felt “a strange warmth in his heart” that caused peace indescribable and faith in his life.
I was particularly interested in tracing Wesley’s steps in the city since on his second visit to Savannah we found he preached in what was going to be the first Methodist church in the American colonies and the first parochial school adjacent to it. His brother Charles kept busy writing hymns, teaching and serving as chief of staff for the governor of the Georgia colony.
Sitting in the Wesley Square overlooking his monument, we met two fellow Methodists from California who were just as thrilled as us to remember his legacy. During a time of silence and meditation under the shadow of majestic trees, I thanked the Lord God in tears because He gave the ladies of the Methodist Women Societies in New York the heart and the resources to send the first missionaries to my native land of Mexico right after the Civil War. The first pastor assigned to my country was a young man, John Wesley Butler, named in honor of our founder, who led the challenge to open congregations and schools throughout our nation. General Ulysses S. Grant attended the inaugural service of the first Methodist church in downtown Mexico City. Today, we have around 800 churches all over Mexico supervised by a College of Bishops in charge of seven ministerial conferences; I am proud of the fact that we are the only mainline Protestant denomination there that has not splintered because of our adherence to the Holy Scriptures and to the Doctrine and Social Principles of our Book of Discipline. I also thanked God because as the vision and strategy of John Wesley and his brother Charles took hold, in America, my country, and those around the world, millions have been able to know the Gospel, sing the Gospel, and thus repent and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. My ancestors, my siblings, yours truly, and our three boys were all educated at my beloved Iglesia Metodista de Mexico’s churches and schools.
May our sense of identity as Christian Methodists be deepened in this sacred season of Lent.
Prayer:
Thank You Father for the missionary efforts of Methodist women around the world. Amen.
Contributed by Victor Orozco
- Mar 11, 2018Day 26: Sunday, March 11th, 2018
Day 26: Sunday, March 11th, 2018“…Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”2 Chronicles 20:20
What do YOU Believe?
Classmates in the Small Group Disciples II Sunday School class at 11:00 know that each year I select a word as a focal point of the year. This year the word is BELIEVE. This word causes me to think about what I DO believe. The Apostles Creed immediately comes to mind. I BELIEVE in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth... etc. All too often I say things by rote memorization. Recently at a Gideon/Auxiliary Small Testament sidewalk distribution a student asked me, "What do you believe?" Well, as a teacher, parent, and Christian I was compelled to give a truthful, accurate answer to this young lady.
I believe I am a daughter of God by the power of His name.
John 1:12: "But as many, as receive him to them he gave power to become sons (and daughters) of God even to them that believe on HIS name."
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts 8:37: "...If thou believes with all thine heart, then Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
I believe when I confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and made my righteous confession that is salvation.
Romans 10:9 -10: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
A small testament was given, and I asked if she had a church, Sunday School or a Good News Club at her school. Her grandmother did, and she would talk with her. They did have a Good News Club after school, which she could check out. The APS in the front of the testament were shown where she could find help if she was afraid, or worried, or sad. Also the GPS was shown in the back of the testament, which is God's Plan of Salvation. I told her God Bless and sent her on her way. The seeds were planted for her and clarified for me (in case I am asked at another time.) What do YOU believe? All people need to know the truth.
Prayer:
Dear God, continue to be with me and each of us as we are called to share what we believe with others. May we tell the truth when asked about our faith, not only to share it with others but also to strengthen each and every one of us in our calling. Give me the words and strength to share when the opportunity arises to empower boldness Amen.
Contributed by Roz Honchul
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