Day 158 - Caring for Community Connections

Here I sit a couple of days away from my flight and vacation and my thoughts drift towards things I will miss while I am gone. Community Connections is a ministry I have come to know and love. This food distribution ministry; which helps more than 200 people weekly, is more than just doing something good and handing out food to those in need.

It's about connecting with the community and people and it's about serving a need and spreading the Love of Christ through actions as well as words. APC has had the privilege of partnering with the Daily Bread Food Bank and is grateful for all their support.

Times are tough and I know that a lot of people are stretching their dollars to make ends meet. Lately the donations we have received have been a little lean and we need more help. In response to this circumstance our Church is holding a food drive to make up for this short fall.

This is one of the reasons I love my church APC, they are always willing to hang in there even when it is tough and help out anyway they can. So if you want to contribute like I do, feel free to contact Pastor Jeff Hackett or donate online.

And until I return I will continue to pray for those who have become my friends. May the Lord fill your hearts and minds as well as nourish our bodies.

Day 157 - Bags are packed.

I am all packed and ready to go. We really need this vacation. Traveling to the Holy Land is a dream trip come true. Visiting with family and friends is an added bonus. I feel like we are on our second honeymoon. Looking forward to the sights sounds, smells and tastes of travel. Wishing that all our friends could come, but alas we need some folk to stay behind so when we come back there will be stories to tell. Goodnight and sweet dreams, travel comes soon.

Day 156 A Reason for Hope & Joy

Only to clarify and make fast my own mind do I write for a remembrance and reference; what is the reason for my hope and joy.

Those who have known me in my teenage years would attest to the fact that my own merit would never be reason enough for my acceptance into heaven. For God who is Perfect, Holy and Good in all ways would not be able to look at me never mind commune with one of such great sin.

And so my hope is found not in myself, but in one thing, that the God of this world would forgive my sins and remove them from my account, both in the past and future. This monumental show of compassion was accomplished through his Son, whom he sent as a ransom for many and an example to the world of what we were made to originally be.

It is for this reason I rejoice, Jesus spanned the gap, God removed my sins and accounted his Son’s redemption to me at the time of his death on the cross. This however is not the end but the beginning of my reconciliation to God. I have been bought with a heavy price, therefore we who have freely received are called to also freely give.

And so it is with great joy I tell you do not lose hope. Judgment can be averted even if you are as unworthy as I. Christ’s righteousness can be yours if you except him as the Son of God and your redeemer. You can be saved.

Matt 11:28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

That question we all have in our beings, “What is my purpose or Why am I here,” is answered simply. We were designed to commune with our creator; God, and this is now possible again thanks to Jesus who died to pays for our sins. Only when we are spotless; can we come before him and so to the one who paid the price, to him be the Power, Glory, and Honour now and forever. Amen.

Day 155 Mothers Day

Although I try not to follow the worldly trends and celebrate when others tell me to. Today is special to me. I have always enjoyed mothers day simply because I love my mother. Mothers are protectors, educators, providers, friends, confidantes, sharers, story tellers and your conscience when you are small.

Mine sacrificed to make sure my brother and I had what we needed growing up. She gave up a lot in order to improve our lives and living conditions. Her one motivation until we became typical rebellious teens was to provide a good home and living environment. And so today I honour my mother by letting her know that I love her very much and would not change any of our past together. Memories of the beach and picnics with to much pepper in the potato salad, grandma sitting helplessly on the beach in a broken chair and movie night with the Co-op group and The Lord of the Ring readings are just a few that makes this man a child who thinks often of you. Happy Mothers day mom, your the best!

Day 154 - Grateful For Prayer

When I am troubled and distressed you are there. When I need comfort or strength you are there. When I am tired or restless you are there. When I need words of wisdom and guidance you are there. When no one else will listen you are there. Truly you are a faithful God which is why I am so grateful for prayer.

Psalm 139

¹O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
 ²Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
 ³Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
 ⁴For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
 ⁵Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
 ⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
 ⁷Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
 ⁸If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
 ⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
 ¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
 ¹¹If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
 ¹²Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
 ¹³For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
 ¹⁴I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
 ¹⁵My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
 ¹⁶Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
 ¹⁷How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
 ¹⁸If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
 ¹⁹Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
 ²⁰For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
 ²¹Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
 ²²I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
 ²³Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
 ²⁴And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Day 153 - Tired

Today I have been really tired and it seems as if everything is coming at me head on. I think it is because I am wound up about tomorrow. Thank God that he gives me strength, for the words of encouragement from unexpected places, ears to hear and eyes with which to see. I have a great treasure and no one can take it away from me, I am in Jesus' hand and no one can pluck me from it. My righteousness is not of self but of the father, so I praise his name even though I feel low. Faith in myself is futile so I put it all in Jesus and do what I can and wait on him to do the rest. God has never under delivered and this will be no different. One day I will no longer be tired, but for today there is still truth, God is good, true and faithful. To him be the power, glory and honour. Amen.

Even at the end of the day he has shown me he is with me and will never forsake me.

Day 152 Converge

I will be speaking at my Church Friday night and giving my testimony. I am a little nervous but they are a great group of people and I am privileged to call some my friends. I just hope that what I have prepared and will be sharing can speak to them. I pray that the Holy Spirit is actively preparing them right now for what is to come. I have faith that the Lord has brought me to this time and place for a reason, hopefully I can keep it together during the story. Revealing ones faults to others is not the easiest thing, but God has stated that he will use the bad and the ugly in our lives to help others. Converge is one of the best young adult church groups I have ever encounter and I hope it will continue to grow and help others in the community as well as it's members. May we all strive to be more like the early church where the people shared, exhorted and strove with one another, so well that no one had lack for anything. Praying for Converge and all it's members today and everyday. 

Day 151 - Work is Hard

Just finished the work day with a 3.5 hour business meeting. To say I am a little frustrated would be an understatement. I have so many ideas and marketing concepts that others don't seem to get or share that sometimes work is hard. Trying to explain a fluid living breathing concept to people who are not involved in social media or even unwilling to learn or try new things can tax your patience.

Still I am glad I even have a job and one that is so challenging, I would probably be bored somewhere else. I love what I do and selling and marketing is now in my blood after 15 years at the same company, Datcom treats me good like a family member and all I want is to help the company and employees prosper and move into the new mobile generation.

We will get there, I just have to learn how to convey my concepts to them in a more positive light. After all if I can't sell them on the idea then how can I sell my clients. I think that like all things, results will be the deciding factor for them. My new blog and Youtube channel coupled with facebook and my twitter accounts will do more for them in one year than our own website. I have already proven that the blog is more visible to the search engines and helps me generate quotations and backing articles for the sales team.

With continued efforts and accumulation of relevant information these vehicles will reach a critical tipping point and will trigger and avalanche of traffic to our site. For now I thank God for my job, the people I work with, and the generosity of my boss, who gives me vast creative feed back and a voice in the company meeting. I remember what he said just last week, if he had 5 of me he would be set. Nice to hear that you are valuable.

Now I need to recharge and come back stronger tomorrow and maybe with a new game plan. So for now I am thankful that I have work and one that stretches my capabilities and helps me grow in skills.

Day 150 - Cooking And Food For Thought

Anyone who knows me, knows I like to cook. Fresh ingredients, the exploration of tastes plus the usual enjoyment of the eater all bring me a great satisfaction. Cooking something new is normally the best part of the job, seconded only by the dance of the cook. Were one minute your frying, the next spicing and then the service, orchestrating everything hot and to the table all at the same time, fantastic. Along with the meal comes of course great conversation and fellowship. Creatively I like to break all the rules, following the recipe seldom occurs and I am not afraid of making a disaster too. This lack of barriers allows me to come up with some interesting dishes on the fly. Although I have had my share of accidents, the majority of my dishes have been a success. I guess this brings me to the real blessing of today's topic, the Lord has always provided for me and my family. I cannot remember a time when I was really and truly hungry. Want has not really ever invaded my daily life style and for that reason I thank God for all that I have and recognize that it is not mine, but a gift from his gracious hand.

I had the pleasure of eating lunch with Pastor Jeff Hackett today to discuss the Community Connection Ministry and find out how I might help in other ways. One of the things we discussed was how we can collect food in other ways for this outreach. For those not in the know, Community Connections goes into the community serving hot food and delivering groceries provided by the Church and the Daily Food Bank. As of late the supply has been dwindling so APC will be having a food drive in the upcoming weeks. If you are blessed like me I urge you to help out by bringing some dry goods we can share with our fellow neighbours. What a great way to thank God to give back and share what blessings we have. I think that is what he envision and portrait in his ministry on Earth. Mimic the Son today. Thank you in advance for your support and may God continue to bless you.

Day 150 -Sundays

Sunday is the day I look forward to the most during the week. Fellowshipping with my fellow church members always sends me away from church with a smile. The sermon as usual wash relevant and on point, it seems that it doesn't matter who the speaker is each week. To the staff at APC I send love and prayers for the continuation of their good work. I am looking forward to when the church celebrates the opening of the new construction addition.

Such a great thing they are doing opening up the doors to the next generation and planning for the years ahead. I am truly blessed to be apart of a church which is full of good stewards. May the Lord continue to watch this flock and draw people from all over the city by the Love we show to the Community.