Always challenged!

WOW…This week sure has gone fast! It has been a delight for me to have son-in-law Keith and granddaughter Calli visiting. Daughter Karin was not able to make the trip as planned due to a combination of a flare-up with Crones, a strep infection for grandson Gavin, helping him get ready to leave on a ministry ski trip to Colorado, and recording a video that he had to send off to a college before leaving. On Tuesday, Keith and I took Calli to Charleston to spend the balance of the week with friends who were vacationing there. Some of our best laid plans do not work out exactly as planned. Thankfully schedules adjusted and we will all soon be back to “normal.” Keith drove through last night to be home to take care of the dog being that Karin has to leave for Chicago to attend a continuing education seminar. When I last talked to him around 9 PM his GPS indicated arrival time to be around 1 AM today. (I hope that he is still sleeping) Karin called to let me know she was feeling a bit better and Calli is traveling back home with friends from Charleston today. Gavin will be driving back home from Colorado tomorrow with the group. Much to be praying about!

While praying for the family this morning I was reminded of a recent reading in Indeed titled “Live the Message” based on Jeremiah 1:17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you.” I am thankful for family members that do their best in discerning the Lord’s message for their lives and desiring to not only live the message but to also pass it on. Much credit for that comes from their mom and grandmother, Carol. I find that rarely a day goes by when we are together, that we do not talk about some special influence that she had in our lives and those around us.

In the reading I was challenged by the reminder that we all have a message that we are constantly delivering. It can be one of redemption or guilt, confidence or insecurity, faith or doubt…what ever we believe to be true. Those thoughts have caused me to think more often before making a quick response while at the same time attempting to be more discerning about the messages coming my way. I liked the way the writer summed it up; “God wants us to live the message He gives, not the ones we hear from ourselves or others. He wants us to be incarnations of truth.” Hopefully my response to that challenge will glorify Him!

I trust that you are each enjoying His rich blessings.

Love to you all,

Chuck