Happy Monday! 

What a fun day!  I kept our one year old goddaughter, Asia, for a couple of hours.  We had such a wonderful time.  She is walking everywhere, smiling, talking wonderful “baby talk” and knows to say “Uh Oh”  when she drops something.  She sings and dances and warms my heart.  She is completely delightful.

Now as to Geni...  She walked into her classroom this morning only to find it had been broken into. Her room and one other teacher’s room were the only rooms vandalized.  Her room was a mess with cabinets emptied everywhere and her room basically torn up.  The good news is that she had brought her school laptop home with her over the weekend.  The bad news is that the thieves/vandals stole her school IPOD.  This is the device she is issued to test the children in reading three times per year.  She tried to file a police report online today.  I don’t think it worked because later she got an email from the Fort Worth PD and will have to call it in to them tomorrow.  Please say a prayer for her as it will be a while before she walks into her classroom again feeling completely safe. 

Prayer:  “Lord, help me to walk in a balance of grace and truth today.  Strengthen my health so I may serve You.  Give me this day my daily needs and prosper my finances so that I may serve You with the first fruits of all You have given me. Amen”

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

3 John 2

I think some of the preachers we hear on television preach a prosperity gospel that is only a twofold gospel. If you have good financial health and you give to their ministries then you will have the blessings of God.  The part that is left out is that God has not removed suffering and pain from our lives no matter what our financial state is or how much faith we appear to have.  I believe God cares about our finances, but more than that I believe that God cares far more for how our souls are prospering that how much we have in the bank. 

How do we make our souls prosper?  We go back to what we have learned about leading a life in piety. Our souls prosper when we read and study God’s Word each day, when we are in communion with God each day through prayer, when we worship God on a regular basis with other believers, and when we share what we have with others and with the church.  It is living a life in piety that helps us to get through pain and suffering because we are in continual communion with God.  Living a life in piety allows God to grow Himself within each of us as we become less and God becomes more.  Living a life in piety means our lives are dedicated to His glory and our souls prosper. 

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  God doesn’t sleep so there is no reason for both of you to be awake.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com     

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.