REST

     Rest! It's something we all need. It is said that we sleep 1/3 of our life span. I am 57 so that means I have slept for 19 years. That's a long time. There were a lot of milestones I celebrated in the first 19 years of my life. I will not list all of them but I will say that each night before I went to bed I needed my rest and sleep. I don't know if you have ever tried to stay up all night without any sleep. I did when I was in my first year of college. It was New Years Eve. After our New Years Eve Watchnight service our church family would all go ice skating. We had the Ice rink to ourselves and we wouldn't finish until about 3 a.m. Usually afterward we would either find a diner that was open or hang out at a friends house. That night I went to bed at 6 a.m. Boy did I sleep all day! I also stayed up 80% of the night when I hosted a Preteen Lock in. It was January 1992. Although it was a great night of ministry, I was totally worn out after a night of games, basketball, more games, sharing with our 5th graders and more games. Both nights are nights I will never forget!

     The older I get, it seems to me the more I need my rest. I have to keep reminding myself I am 57 not 27! Both jobs I have are very physical and I am proud to say I have been keeping up with the "kids." The one thing I have learned lately is how much I need to not only rest, but to rest in God. Psalm 91 comes to mind especially verse one. "He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." God has been teaching me so much about how much I need to rest in Him. All I can say is that without his help and direction I would be lost. I love God so much and I am so glad I can always rest in Him! 

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!!

 

I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET AWAY FROM IT!!

     It's been a part of my life since 2015. I never expected to be a part of it. If you told me in 2011 I would be doing it I would have told you that you were crazy. I was pastoring in a large church so that thought of it never occurred to me. I didn't really know much about it. It didn't exist on Long Island until 2015. I saw it in Orlando and didn't really think much about it. Little did I know that it would become a huge part of my life. In reality, I just can't seem to get away from it! What am I referring to you might ask? Chick Fil-A!!!

     If you know me you know my heart is in ministry and serving God. My hope in 2020 was to start my own ministry but as we all know a year ago we were in the beginning stages of a global pandemic. I found myself working more at Home Depot and less at Chick Fil-A. Chick Fil-A was forced to shut down for 3 weeks because a team member tested positive. I honestly tried real hard to find another job besides Chick Fil-A. I felt as though I was going nowhere. It didn't seem as though the leadership there had any plans for me to advance in any way. I had my feelers out and was looking for a "new career." Churches were not hiring and I want so desperately to climb out of debt. I had a huge decision to make. My plan a year ago in February was to stay full time with Chick Fil-A and part time with Home Depot. Like I said before the pandemic changed that! By the end of 2020 I could not find any other opportunities or jobs that fit my gifts and talents. I was frustrated! January 2021 changed all that and I thank God and give him the praise.

     Every June and January, Chick Fil-A gives you a review. The owner/ operator decided he wanted to do my review. He gave me a good one then asked what my plans were as far as working at Chick Fil-A. I told him I wanted to advance with Chick Fil-A and was hoping to move up in the company. I have been with the company for over five years and served as a manager at the Port Jefferson store. I prayed and asked God to show me what His will was for my life. To be honest I was stressing out over it but deep down I knew God had a great plan for my life. I was not wrong! The owner offered me a leadership position full time with benefits, vacation and personal days and a pay raise. I accepted! So for the past few weeks I have been opening Chick Fil-A each morning with my new role as a Shift Captain! 

    So in conclusion, I just can't seem to get away from it. Chick Fil-A! Even when I try, God still has me serving and working there. I am not complaining because It has been a blessing to me. Maybe someday I will serve at a church, but in the meantime it truly is MY PLEASURE to serve at Chick Fil-A. I feel in my heart of hearts that 2021 is going to be a great year!

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK! 

 

LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM NOAH

 

     I have read through the bible many times in my life. I enjoy reading the One Year Bible because it keeps me disciplined in reading God's Word. As I started 2021 and my reading plan, I noticed something in the account of the story of Noah that I never noticed before. I have read that story a gazillion times over and over. I have seen it on video and in the movies. I have read the story to my own kids as well as the kids in my ministry. I even use an object lesson in my programs called "The Noah Bag" to tell the story of Noah.

     Noah had an amazing journey. He was well over 500 years old when God told him to build an ark. The people were corrupt and full of violence. Sin was running rampant. God told Noah to build an ark and told him exactly how it needed to be built. So with the help of his 3 sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth they got to work. They gathered gopher wood and started building. God told Noah because of the sinful nature of the earth, He would destroy the earth with a flood. He then told Noah ne needed to gather two of every animal that has breath on place them on the ark. After the ark was complete, Noah was obedient and put the animals on the ark. Only Noah, his family and every animal were on the ark and then the rains came. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. The earth was covered with a flood and mankind was destroyed. Noah, his family and the animals were all safe and sound on the ark. Noah was the only righteous man on the earth. We all know the end of the story how God saved Noah and allowed the ark to land on dry ground. We also know that God provided a rainbow as His covenant to say that He would never destroy the earth ever with a flood.

     This account is found in Genesis 6:9 to Genesis 10:16. What I never noticed before is a phrase that is mentioned twice. In Genesis 6:22 and in Genesis 7:5, both times we read "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." Imagine if Noah was lazy and never built an ark. Imagine if he was not obedient and only gathered animals he liked. I'm sure he would have avoided putting two skunks on the ark! Imagine if he stopped building the ark in the middle of the construction and gave up. None of that is true. Noah did everything he was told to do. In mentioning this twice, it is obvious that Noah was obedient. He did what he was told to do. In his obedience, he was rewarded. God protected him and his family! Noah was an obedient man. He was a godly man. 

     After reading this story for the one thousandth time, I realize in my own life I need to be obedient to God every single day. When God tells me to do something, I need to do it. I know God is certainly not calling me to build an ark but I do know he does have a plan for my life. I do know he wants me to be a light in the darkness in this crazy world I live in. Let's all continue to be obedient no matter what we face every day!!        

SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!!