Sunday was an outstanding day and this week is going to be epic. Yesterday was one of the most difficult days I have ever had in my ministry. I was awakened Monday morning at 1:30 am with a phone call. Since then a couple of other emergencies have arisen and my thoughts and emotions are exhausted. As for my thoughts (they can’t be musings because it is Tuesday not Monday) … 

-My 10:30 church had our Vacation Bible School last week and the kids shared a few songs, there was a lesson shared and I got to share that the 50+ kids who attended brought in $900. They gave enough to cover the school costs for the next year for a girl we support in Africa and they will be sending a good amount to help with a program that feeds 16,000 students a day in Kenya. Some of the kids brought in money they have been saving and one boy had been saving coins since last year’s VBS. He brought in gallons of coins. One day when I took the coins in to the bank’s coin counter, the machine was overwhelmed and stopped working!

-Many of the kids who attended VBS were here Sunday and we had a few parents who don’t normally attend our church here as well. Our attendance was good as was the energy and spirit in the service.

-My 9:00 church had a nasty rain storm arrive about 25 minutes before our worship began. It was dark as night and raining very hard as the service started. An hour later it had stopped and the sun peeked out. Our attendance was down but we worshiped with passion anyway.

-The reason this week is going to be epic is because my son, daughter in law and 5 of my grandkids are arriving back in the states tomorrow after serving the past 3 years in Kenya! My wife and I will pick them up at the airport tomorrow along with their 21 pieces of luggage. We are taking a vehicle just for the luggage and then a minivan that has been loaned to our kids as well. We are very excited. 

-The greatest part of this week is that all of our kids and grandkids will be at our house this weekend. That will be 18 of us. We have added 2 since the crew went to serve in Africa. Someone is allowing us to use their RV while everyone is here to give us some extra sleeping space.

-My heart is breaking over a couple of the emergencies that have come our way in the past 36 hours. I was already planning to begin a new sermon series this Sunday that focuses on going deeper, praying harder and living authentically.

-Prayers are appreciated as my planned study time has been destroyed yesterday and today.

-This morning my wife and I went out for breakfast and one of our kids who comes with someone other than his family came into the restaurant with some of his family. He came straight to us and gave each of us a big hug. We talked with him and his family a little and reminded the family members that they are always welcome to come to church with him. That was a nice little bright spot.

-With everything that has taken place the past 2 days here and the past few weeks around the world I have been reminded of the phrase my Dad continued to share in his 44 years of ministry. “No matter what is happening, God is still God”. I have been saying “God is still God” over and over to myself and to a few others. I am grateful for this truth and for a Dad who continues to live this out. 

-I recently wrote this during one of my prayer times “My inaction is an indication that my prayers are empty words. If I prayer with the desire to be surrendered to Christ and to see Him move in my life then I must follow Him. Following requires action on my part.” I pray that inaction will never again be descriptive of my life.

Here’s hoping that you find a bright spot today. I am praying that you will recognize and live with the truth that God is still God echoing in your life.

Dennis