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Dear people of Grace, Holbrook, Pine Creek and Shields Valley,
I am enjoying a week away in Idaho, exploring the Sawtooth mountains and studying the Beatitudes. This week is renewing my spirit and soul and preparing me for the months to come. It is good to get away from the daily grind of life occasionally in order to hear from God in new ways. I am sitting here by the Salmon River and golden Aspen leaves are falling on me as the wind picks up. Fall. This transitional season as the leaves change color and eventually fall off stirs me to reflect on my life. What do I need to let go of in this season? We tend to collect commitments, resentments, stuff, worries, etc. The cumulation burdens us and prevents us from the new life God has for us. Fall is a good reminder to let go as seasons come and go.  The 72nd annual Pine Creek Harvest sale will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26. In light of COVID-19 restrictions, masks wearing and social distancing practices will be adhered to. The auction will take place a 1 p.m. following complimentary ice cream at noon. Don't forget to wear a mask and be sure to bring your friends and family! One of the items up for auction is a handmade quilt (Below) made by the Carol Beadle.  Dear Family of Faith,
“Hope is our superpower.” I love that statement. Life is hard these days. Layer upon layer of distress and anxiety. And now the smoke casts a din over everything. It is easy to fall into discouragement. Take good care of yourselves and one another. Hold on to hope! God is with us. Scripture tells us to draw near to God and God will draw near to us. (James 4:8) God gives us strength when we feel weak, God gives us hope when we feel discouraged, God gives us comfort when we mourn. God gives us wisdom when we are confused. Whatever it is, God will find a way to encourage us…just maybe not on the quick timeline we create. Hebrews 6 tells us hope is an anchor for our soul. So, when you feel tossed about by the waves, put out that anchor of hope. Dear Family of Faith,
These are challenging days. We are “in the middle” and that is a difficult place to be. We are in-between the COVID19 shut-down and whatever life will be like when we overcome this virus. It is especially difficult because we are tired of the disruption, we are ready for things to get back to normal! The problem is we aren’t going to go back to they way things were. Our lives and society are forever disrupted. We need to continue to be careful in order to care for the vulnerable ones in our community. It is difficult finding that space between being paralyzed in fear of COVID19 and living carefree. But in that in-between space is faithful living. Instead of focusing on “going back,” let’s dream about what can be! It is my hope we find new ways to live and be the church. Ways that are more connected, more inclusive, more compassionate, more like Jesus. It is in this in-between that God brings forth new life, just like butterflies emerge from a chrysalis. So let’s hold on to that hope! Happy September! The latest edition of the Upper Room devotional began this week. The first one spoke to my heart. I’ve shared it with a few other people, and it resonated with them. I share it here as a word of encouragement. The apostle Paul writes about having a thorn in his side. We don’t know exactly what it was, but some kind of physical ailment that caused him pain. In 2 Corinthians 12 he talks about asking God to remove the pain, but instead God answers, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” God doesn’t always take away our pain, but God always meets us at our point of pain and gives us grace. Grace to endure. The author of the devotion writes, “Our weakness elicits God’s compassion. I left the chapel reassured that God’s strength and power within me – not my weakness – would prevail. God doesn’t ask us to be strong on our own. God asks us to pray and believe that God’s power is with us. We can trust God to fill us and to equip us for any task the day brings.” No matter what each day brings, God is with us, giving us what we need to face whatever comes our way. Thanks be to God
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