Yesterday was a wonderfully difficult day. Many a Sunday could be described in a similar manner. I loved the wonderful stuff and the difficult stuff was more on me than anyone else. As for my musings …

-One of the highlights of the day was having 5 people show up for a baptism class last evening. I am excited for our next baptism services.

-Another humbling and wonderful part of yesterday was standing near a middle schooler during the music part of our worship at the 10:30 church. He was so unashamedly worshipping while he sang that it both encouraged and humbled me. May that connecting with the Holy Spirit increase in our times of worship. 

-Once again we had some technical issues in both churches. It appears that we need to replace one of our projectors in my 10:30 church.

-I was battling myself throughout my preaching at both churches, but especially at my 9:00. That is not a rare thing but yesterday it was a real battle.

-I loved that a young student in my 9:00 church invited me to join him, and his family, for breakfast following the worship service. I thanked him for the invite but said that my 10:30 church was expecting me to show up and attempt to preach so I had to decline. I loved that he invited me.

-Yesterday was an emotional day. On Saturday our son and family who are missionaries in Africa left our place to begin traveling to share at a few churches and see some more family. The difficult part of that was that it likely was the last time that all of them will be with us for at least 3 more years. Some of them will be back with us for a brief time but not all of them together. The emotions of that seemed to hit me harder yesterday than it did on Saturday as they drove away. 

-Tonight we begin our Vacation Bible School at my 9:00 church. Praying for changed lives. Praying for all of our workers. Praying that the weather forecasts of rain 4 of the next 5 days is wrong.

-I loved hearing a little about each person’s journey of faith in the baptism class last evening. Learning about people’s story never gets old.

-The next couple of weeks will involve a lot of brainstorming and planning for this fall. God is up to great things in Canton. We have only just begun to see what God plans to do in us and through us. Buckle up churches, it is going to be an exciting ride! 

-We had new people in our 10:30 church and their response seemed to be very positive. In one case they were actually planning on trying a different church yesterday but they ended up with us instead. One of them told me that they couldn’t believe what I was preaching on because they just had a discussion about that at home. God is moving.

-The attendance was good at both churches. We have had a very positive month of July at both churches spiritually and numerically.

-School begins in just over 2 weeks.

-Our house sure seems quiet and I have not had to wait in line to get into the bathroom. I sure loved the noise, the pile of shoes by the door and beauty of family we experienced over the past week and a half. I sat back in awe as I watched and listened to all of our children and grandkids. We are blessed beyond what we deserve. 

-Thought for the day: Change your prayer life and you will change your whole life.

Here’s hoping that you sense God’s presence in your life today.

Dennis