Sunday was a much better day than last Sunday feeling better had a lot to do with that fact. It has taken a week and I am almost back to normal. Whatever the bug was that bit me early last Sunday morning it knocked me down for 2 whole days and has kept messing with me all week.. As for my musings …

-I preached the “New Year’s Day” message I had prepared for the week before. It was well received though I did not feel like I delivered it well. As always God came through, in spite of me.

-Early Monday morning I traveled 3+ hours to take my oldest grandson to the airport so he could return to college. It was great to have him around for a few days and to hear stories of him staying with both of my daughters and their families over Christmas break. I am so proud of the Godly young man that he is and am humbled by all that he is planning to do for God.

-Our attendance was not good at either church.

-We have had a lot of people in both churches with very serious physical issues the past 2 weeks. Not sure what is going on but as far as I am concerned it can stop.

-Over Christmas all our stateside family, minus one son in law, came to our house for a couple of days. On one of those evenings we skyped with my son and his family in Africa. Since they are now serving in a very rural area the connection was very slow and somewhat fuzzy. But it was great to see their faces and hear their voices for a little while.

-This Sunday I will begin a new series that will introduce our focus/theme for this year. We are going to be looking at the power of God. In recent weeks, I have become very disgruntled with the lack of God’s power in my life and in the life of my churches. It is not because God is no longer powerful. It is not because God is no longer willing to work powerfully in and among us. That leaves our side of it. This will be our focus.

-It took about 8 days for whatever I had to completely get out of me. I am hoping that this is my total illness for the winter.

-Going through another Christmas season with family on the mission field has come and gone. I support what they are doing and agree with their call to missions. However, it always creates an ache at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our family always has such a great time when we are all together and though we are very competitive with each other and though we never hesitate to laugh at each other we know we are loved by each other. I pray for them each day, even multiple times a day. If you think of it pray for those who are serving a long distance from their families.

-I was encouraged on Sunday because there were a good number of people who took a Bible reading plan. I always encourage people to attempt to read through the Bible in the year. This is the largest number of people I have ever had say they are committing to it. Only good things can happen when we read God’s Word.

Here’s hoping you are feeling good and that you see some evidence of God’s power this week.

Dennis