God Says..."Cast all your cares on me."

By Jason V (Ponderings of a Pilgrim Pastor)

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

As a husband, father and pastor, I face the constant temptation to worry.  At our church, with our church members and leaders, in our home, in my marriage- everywhere I face almost constant fears and anxieties.

I am tempted to worry about my children: Will they grow up to love the Lord?  Will they fall into trials and temptations that seem to plague so many “pastor’s kids”?  Have I messed up in my parenting? Am I too restrictive? Am I too permissive?

I am tempted to worry about our marriage and our household: Will we have enough money to pay for all of life’s expenses? Am I spending enough time with my wife?  Am I showing her how much I love her?  Is she feeling pressured and overwhelmed by the task of being a “pastor’s wife”?  Am I praying for her as much as I should?

At church, I am tempted to anxiety at every turn: Did the visitors like our church?  Was my sermon really any good?  Will our church grow?  Will giving increase?  Will we meet our budget?  Are our people really growing spiritually?  Are we reaching our community?  Should we be doing more?  How can we?

If I tried to carry the weight of all of these concerns and expectations, they would crush me.  Honestly, on some days, I carry too much and I do feel overwhelmed.  So what am I supposed to do?

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One Word At A Time: Down

By Ginny (MAD21)

"D-O-W-N, down!" You say that in my house and you'll hear a big round of giggles. And for those of you who understand why without me explaining... ya, I new we'd be good friends. For those of you in the dark here, these are among some of the famous words/phrases of Candace, the big sister of Phineas and Ferb in one of the best cartoon series currently on TV. Let me take a moment to enlighten you:

Candace is always on a mission to catch her brothers during their never-ending pursuit of building the coolest inventions each episode, and get her mom to see them before the invention disappears for one reason or another. One could say she is obsessed with getting her brothers in trouble, to the point that she misses out on things going on in her own life. In one episode, she has her best friend, Stacey, hypnotize her so she doesn't even think about what her brothers are doing so that she can go have a fun day with her boyfriend, Jeremy.

Focus on what you have, not on what you don't have.

While it's a lot of fun watching Candace's antics in her never-ending pursuit to "bust her brothers," I would offer this advice for those of us in real life who may tend to also lose sight of what is important. Choose to seek out the good in people and things around you instead of dwelling on everything that is wrong.

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Waiting

By Michelle (Graceful, Faith in the Everyday)

"Last year I used to think that maybe I didn't believe in God, but now I know I do." He announces it at the dinner table, and I pause, a spoonful of lentil curry soup poised halfway to my mouth.

"You thought you didn't believe in God last year?" I ask, trying to keep my voice light and bouncy.

"Yeah, but I'm good now. I feel better again," my ten-year-old son Noah says.

"So what made you change your mind?" I ask, soup spoon still steady in mid-air. "How did you come back to believing in God again?" I need to know how he did this. I want to be reassured it won't happen again. I need to know that my son won't spend his childhood mired in fear and unbelief, like I did.

"I don't know. I guess I just sort of waited," he answers. "And then, after a while, I felt like I believed again."

There is much wisdom in that little-boy answer.

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OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Mexico

By Ginny (MAD21)

"Mexico: "Gaby was a girl that lived by the church but would never assist our events because her family was part of the sect "Death Worshipers." When we started TGJ, she was allowed to come. At the beginning, she would stand up for her beliefs and say that the "holiest was taking care of her" and that "even though she didn't have meat and bones, she was good." During the classes she learned that Jesus was the one that love and cares for us. She told us that, during the nights, she was afraid to sleep because a dark person would appear at her and wanted to take her away. She would cry and ask her mother to turn on the light. Her teacher told her to remember what she had learned in the TGJ lessons: that God is powerful to care for us and protect us from all danger because her precious blood covers us. She started to pray and trust in Jesus that now is in her heart. The fear and the dark person disappeared from her life."

This post completes our Not Just a Shoe Box series. If you haven't already packed some shoe boxes for OCC, it's never too late. OCC accepts them all year long. Please take the time to bless a child.

 These are letters from some of the kids who received shoe boxes from Operation Christmas Child. My friend Stacey Wilson from OCC was kind enough to send them to me. This is the official shoe box collection week, however, OCC collects and delivers them all year long. I  encourage you to keep Samaritan's Purse, as well as all the children who receive these boxes in your prayers. That children all around the world will be led to the feet of Christ, one shoe box at a time.

OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Equador

By Ginny (MAD21)

Ecuador: "My name is Luisa and I am nine years old. I am happy to be part of the children club The Greatest Journey where I learned about the creation, Jesus' birth and that He is the only one that can give me salvation. I decided to accept Him in my heart. My parents aren't Christians but I know that someday God will touch their hearts like He did with me. My favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17-19. Now that we are with God, we are a new creation. God doesn't remember our old life style but He gave us a new life."

This post is part of our Not Just a Shoe Box series. Come back again tomorrow to see one more letter from  a child who was impacted by OCC Shoe Boxes, and The Greatest Journey discipleship program.

 These are letters from some of the kids who received shoe boxes from Operation Christmas Child. My friend Stacey Wilson from OCC was kind enough to send them to me. This is the official shoe box collection week, however, OCC collects and delivers them all year long. I  encourage you to keep Samaritan's Purse, as well as all the children who receive these boxes in your prayers. That children all around the world will be led to the feet of Christ, one shoe box at a time.