Don't Wanna!

I have to admit that blogging is a real effort for me today.  Do you ever feel this way?  

Sometimes even the very things I enjoy doing become an effort.  I like all things artistic - photography, painting, graphics, but some days its a real struggle to make myself get interested.  Usually when I get feeling this way I simply DON'T do these things.  When it comes to artistic stuff its almost impossible to FORCE creativity.  And if one has a choice then perhaps its best NOT to push yourself.  

However, this said, if you have chosen to use one of your talents as a ministry, that's different.   When its a ministry you WILL be attacked.  Sometimes it will feel like its an uphill bat  All your thoughts will be elusive, scrambled and you will feel so weak.  Your mind will be muddled and you might feel doubts about what you are doing.  Whereas when you began your ministry feeling energized, inspired and excited - you might now be feeling weary, discouraged and dry. 

This is when you must push forward in the knowledge that if you pray and walk in faith that God WILL supply.  Be confident that there is purpose in your ministry! 

No matter how dark it seems - He will provide light.  

 

Genesis 1:3 (New International Version)

³ And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

And no matter how heavy your burden seems - He will help you carry it.  

Psalm 68:19 (New International Version)

¹⁹ Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
       who daily bears our burdens.
       Selah

And no matter how weary you feel - he will give you rest.  

Matthew 11:28 (New International Version)

²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Imagine what it might be like if everyone who had a ministry gave up when faced with adversity?  

I often think our our Pastors in this situation.  Though I am certain they too must get tired of the same-old, Sunday in and Sunday out, but they carry on.  They cannot afford the luxury to choose not to come to Church one Sunday because they are too tired or disenchanted.  How challenging it must be to deliver a heartfelt message when they themselves are experiencing a lassitude.  It happens to all of us.  Even Jesus became weary of us humans - how could our Pastors be any less at times?  

I made myself blog today.  I'm ashamed to say that but I think its best to be honest.  Sometimes you wonder who will read it - will it really make a difference to someone?  

But the most important reason that I am here today, writing this to share it with you is because I have NO doubt that the Lord allowed me to do this for my ministry.  Therefore I KNOW that this blog is of value.  Just because I cannot SEE the results does not mean they are not happening.  And sometimes ministries are like this.  They are not here for ME to see, they are here to PROVIDE a service.  If one takes on a ministry its imperative that one keeps it current.  I'm not doing this for ME, I am doing this for the Lord. 

And being discouraged has opened my heart to want to be an ENCOURAGEMENT to others.  It causes me to wonder how others get through these dry times and it makes me want to be a help where I am able.   

I'd love for you to leave a comment if you are able - no need to register, simply click on the word COMMENTS below and you will be able to type a message.  Tell me what you would like to see here.  I'd love for you to share your thoughts, poems, photos etc as well.  

I still have a couple of entries which did not get published over the summer - provided by Elaine, and I will post them in the coming weeks if I am able.  I was unable to attend church this past Sunday as our daughter was visiting and I won't be this coming Sunday as my sister is visiting - but I will try to have my Mr. bring home the bulletin so can add some upcoming events and news.  

As always, I will be online on MSN Messenger Chat this evening between 7 and 8 pm if you are able to join us for an hour of 'sharing and prayering'   If you would like to join us, send me an email at occwomenonline@gmail.com and I'll give you instructions on how to get set up! 

~ Barb

WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO YOU HAVE & PASTORS TRAVELS

We have been enjoying visitors at our church services and in turn our own Pastors Jim and Elaine have been visitors to other places.  Firstly Jim travelled down to Columbia, Maryland, USA a workshop on Pastoral Crisis Intervention and Grief Following Trauma.


These courses were three days long and included Pastors, Mental Health Practitioners, Chaplains and Military Trauma Counsellors.


Pastor Jim's reason for attending is so he can teach this to other Pastors and the community as well.  He arrived back in Kelowna on August 2nd and was picked up by Elaine - and promptly headed off to Sorrento, BC for another event.


Sorrento is a small beautiful community near Salmon Arm, BC and they were there to take part in a Pastor's Camp.  They enjoyed the speakers, Darren Latham and David Shepherd - two outstanding and well-known leaders in our fellowship.


The emphasis for the morning sessions was on the Holy Spirit, knowing and being lead by Him.  Evening sessions included ways to get to know the will of God.


We thank the Lord for the earnest hearts of love our Pastors Jim and Elaine have to continue learning and connecting with the larger church community outside the walls of our own church!


*****


Our church continues to be blessed with funds coming in to cover costs of the many repairs and projects needed for our building.  The most recent is repairs to the roof.  We are seeing miracles of our costs continued to be covered when each time we think it would be a stretch to cover just the costs of running our ministry.  Thank you, Lord for allowing us to witness Your hand upon our finances every day.  We also lift up the generous and obedient person(s) who have been moved to supply!
Speaking of finances... (time for some humour!)

The Sermon

A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"

Church Announcement

There is the story of a preacher who got up one Sunday and announced to his congregation: "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we have enough money to pay for our new building program. The bad news is, it's still out there in your pockets."


*****


This week's message was titled "What kind of faith do you have?"  and it was delivered with the following scripture which you may like to refer to:


Mark 11 - 14, 23, 24
Romans 12:3
1 Corinthians 12:5-8
Romans 4:16-25
Ephesians 3:20-21
Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 11:1-2
Ephesians 6:11-17


To sum it up - act in the gift of faith that has been given.  God has given us power.  We each  have power over all through the faith that was given us by God.  Live in this faith - its an ACTIVE thing!


*****


Why not join our Women's Online LIVE chat session on Wednesday nights on MSN Messenger?  If you would like instructions on how simply email us here at occwomenonline@gmail.com and we will provide you with instructions on how you can join us!


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OCC WOMEN'S WEEKLY BLOG RESOURCE


If you appreciate listening to, or creating worship music then you will love the WORSHIP TOGETHER site.  Besides offering loads of the best worship music CD's for sale, they also feature artists in their "live Cafe" where the artists show you how to play and sing their particular songs.  You are also invited to sign up and then you can download FREE sheet music each week.  There are many other wonderful features to this site!  Just click on the graphic below to be taken to the Worship Together site!

Thanks for visiting our blog and we welcome your comments and suggestions.  Just click the COMMENTS button below this text to "talk" to us!

VACATION

 

I looked forward to going to church this weekend.  My husband and I have been away on vacation for the past month.  I've enjoyed the time away though I did miss my church family. 

Its a funny thing about my time away.  Part of me felt actually a bit guilty for going.  So many of my friends have to work through the summer.  I feel so undeserving we can afford to take one (even though we have super-frugal vacations) and I feel a twinge that I have chosen to be a stay-at-home wife who can pick up and go whenever it fits with my husband's schedule. 

I don't think its BAD to feel this way, for this very thing gives me compassion in thinking of others - making me aware the very thing I am enjoying might be an unattainable luxury to someone else, therefore I will be praying for them.  And I also know where do draw a line in my mind where I can at some point let go and enjoy the time away - to know that I've prayed to God to use me no matter where our travels take us. 

As we all know, many studies show that taking vacations are good for us.  They give us much needed rest and refreshing.  I looked up the word vacation in the dictionary and it defines it like this:

1: respite or a time of respite from something

2: a scheduled period during which activity (church, for instance) is suspended. b a period of exemption from work granted to an employee

3: a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation

4: an act or instance of vacating

Upon this definition I would count our time away as a bit of the three, though it does not define WHY we have vacation.  My mind was caused to ponder the times that Jesus spent "away" from people.  I believe he wanted his disciples to take that time away so they could rest too.  There's no doubt that a true vacation is a refreshing experience.  I'm not talking about an over-organized 4 star hotel sort, it could be something as simple as staying in your own home for a day with no phone calls!  For the 'vacation' part is opening up some UNPLANNED, uninterrupted time to relax.  Especially in this day and age we busy ourselves SO much that our minds are constantly being pulled this way and that way.  We need time for reflection.  There are special thoughts that blossom only when we still ourselves.  So we are told to make that time happen.  Jesus took that time now and again and so clearly we can follow His example in this in freeing ourselves up for refreshing and using the time to reconnect with Him, to ponder His word and sometimes just to appreciate WHERE we are at any given minute.  We can take a vacation in HIS presence.

I can tell you that I did a lot of thinking on my holiday.  My mind was opened to things I'd never have allowed my imagination to wander to.  It caused me to appreciate His creation in it's beauty and wonder at how amazing it was.  It gave me time to appreciate the wonderful husband I've been blessed with.  It allowed me to rest.

And now I have joy in re-connecting with my Church family and friends.  Thank you Lord, for blessing us with the wisdom to value "vacations"

Thank you to each of our church's visitors who dropped in this past Sunday. 

*****

As I post today, our Pastor - Jim Caruso, will be arriving home after having spent time down in Columbia, Maryland taking two instructor's courses in the area of "Pastoral Crisis Intervention" and Grief Following Trauma"   No sooner will he arrive home then he and Elaine will be leaving to take part in Pastor's Camp held in Sorrento, BC.  Won't you please pray for them as they travel?  We wish you both well and thank you to have a heart to cultivate outside connections which we all benefit from!  Is this sort of a vacation from regular office work?

*****

Thanks:

Our church was blessed with the funds enough to cover the cost of much needed roof repairs.  AMEN!  Things like this have been happening to our church over this past year and it continues to amaze me. 

*****

Prayer Requests:

Marie - unnamed needs

Congregation of the church in Keremeos - the new Pastor, Jason Weibe and his family.  This past Sunday was their first service. 

Our RCMP, border security, ambulance paramedics and fire department who keep our communities safe.  As you know, there are fires burning all over our province - please pray for God's hand of protection for both the personnel and for the evacuees as they deal with the many fires.  If you are reading this from somewhere outside BC you can learn more by visiting CHBC and watching the video by clicking on the fire picture (not taken at these fires)

 

 

Pray for a young police officer from Oroville, Washington who was seriously injured in a vehicle accident while on duty.  Pray for healing and strength for his family.

Please pray for Donna - medical needs.

*****

Betty delivered the sermon in Jim's absence this Sunday and she shared the story of Joseph's life.  She drew our minds into his situation as he was taken from a position of esteem, stripped of all his possessions, thrown into a pit and how further he is rescued merely to become a slave and then how he wins favour in the courts - then winds up in prison... She told us to focus on his manner through all the hardship.  Was he bitter?  Was he angry?  Did he lash out?  Would you? Would I? 

She reminds us to know that God IS with us, WHEREVER we are.  Here.  Today.  HE has a purpose for you right where you are.  It may not seem like it, but it is so.  So if we waste time in complaining and resisting then we might miss the opportunity to find the blessing in just where we are! 

Joseph's story is a message of HOPE, Betty tells us.  I enjoyed hearing this message through the mind and heart of our sister.

*****

I hope to be online this coming Wednesday evening for a MSN Chat meeting - If you would like to join please send an email to our church blog address occwomenonline@gmail.com

May you have a great week!