From the Pastor's DeskPastor Marlene Ciranowicz
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September 2018
Challenges!
Life is full of challenges, isn’t it? Recently I was in Tulsa and witnessed first hand what it was like to get two children up and out the door for school at the beginning of a new school year. I had forgotten just how challenging that could be. After all, most of us don’t want to let go of the lazy days of summer and adjustments are sometimes hard. Children are no different than adults.
On my way into the church this morning I heard on our local Christian radio station about a woman who fell overboard on a cruise ship and was in the water for ten hours before she was rescued. How she survived was quite a challenge. When asked how she did it, her answer was not what everyone was expecting. She said she chased her fears and anxieties away by singing! If it were my voice out there in the ocean I wouldn’t have to worry about a shark attack as they all would be going the other way!
But the person telling this story reminded us of what Paul and Silas did when they were severely beaten and thrown into prison with their feet fastened in stocks. What did they do laying there with horrendous bruises, bleeding from open wounds (they were flogged which usually is done with a whip that has sharp pieces of stone on the end of it), unable to move, in much pain and for many of us much worry if we were in that situation? Acts 16: 25 records this: “About midnight (of course they couldn’t sleep!) Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Wow!
There is the very answer for us when we are in the midst of our own life challenges. How do we handle the situation? How do we keep from getting depressed? How do we keep from overwhelming feelings of panic of what is going to happen next? The answer: pray and sing! But don’t sing just any song. Sings hymns to God! What are hymns? Many of them are songs of praise (How Great Thou Art) to remind us of who God really is, many are songs about deliverance (Victory in Jesus) to remind us of God’s power, many of them are songs of comfort (Standing on the Promises) to remind us we can count on God, and many are songs about faith (Great is Thy Faithfulness) to remind us we can trust God even in the worst of circumstances.
And, let’s not forget that prayer is the other key component in facing the “Giants” in our lives. There is a reason scripture tells us to “pray 3 continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances” When we sing and pray, it uplifts us and gives us the strength to keep going. Remember we only need to get through one day at a time.
We taught the children in VBS this year that “Jesus Rescues”! We can turn our worry card in and pick up a trust card instead. By doing that we will be able to give thanks and sing, even in the midst of the storm. But only we can make that choice. We can hold unto our anxieties, worries, and pain or we can let go and let God. What will you decide today?
Come on Sunday prepared to sing for God deserves our praises!
Blessings,
Pastor Marlene
On my way into the church this morning I heard on our local Christian radio station about a woman who fell overboard on a cruise ship and was in the water for ten hours before she was rescued. How she survived was quite a challenge. When asked how she did it, her answer was not what everyone was expecting. She said she chased her fears and anxieties away by singing! If it were my voice out there in the ocean I wouldn’t have to worry about a shark attack as they all would be going the other way!
But the person telling this story reminded us of what Paul and Silas did when they were severely beaten and thrown into prison with their feet fastened in stocks. What did they do laying there with horrendous bruises, bleeding from open wounds (they were flogged which usually is done with a whip that has sharp pieces of stone on the end of it), unable to move, in much pain and for many of us much worry if we were in that situation? Acts 16: 25 records this: “About midnight (of course they couldn’t sleep!) Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Wow!
There is the very answer for us when we are in the midst of our own life challenges. How do we handle the situation? How do we keep from getting depressed? How do we keep from overwhelming feelings of panic of what is going to happen next? The answer: pray and sing! But don’t sing just any song. Sings hymns to God! What are hymns? Many of them are songs of praise (How Great Thou Art) to remind us of who God really is, many are songs about deliverance (Victory in Jesus) to remind us of God’s power, many of them are songs of comfort (Standing on the Promises) to remind us we can count on God, and many are songs about faith (Great is Thy Faithfulness) to remind us we can trust God even in the worst of circumstances.
And, let’s not forget that prayer is the other key component in facing the “Giants” in our lives. There is a reason scripture tells us to “pray 3 continually, give thanks in ALL circumstances” When we sing and pray, it uplifts us and gives us the strength to keep going. Remember we only need to get through one day at a time.
We taught the children in VBS this year that “Jesus Rescues”! We can turn our worry card in and pick up a trust card instead. By doing that we will be able to give thanks and sing, even in the midst of the storm. But only we can make that choice. We can hold unto our anxieties, worries, and pain or we can let go and let God. What will you decide today?
Come on Sunday prepared to sing for God deserves our praises!
Blessings,
Pastor Marlene