Happy Friday! 

I have spent the day working on my final skills assessment for Pastoral Care.  I had to write a theology of prayer and how I would express the diversity of God.  I think my brain hurts just a bit!  It was actually really great to examine these two thoughts and in truth, thinking like this, I have begun to realize the importance of thinking theologically in so many areas of my life and ministry.

Update:  The memorial service for Pastor Susan Rodriguez will be held on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Dallas, Texas at 3:00 in the afternoon. 

Prayer:  Divine One, You know what is ahead of me today. I ask You, Lord, to fill me with the Holy Spirit so I can be the witness You desire me to be. I ask You to give me opportunities to share Your love with others.  Amen.

“I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.”

1Timothy 6: 13, 14

One of the reasons I love scripture so much is because of the stories. Have you ever considered that each day God adds a chapter about each of us?  God’s story as written in the scripture begins with Adam and Eve and ends with the creation of the new heaven and the new earth.  Somewhere between these two bookends is our story of redemption and a life lived with God.  Our task is to keep on writing our stories. 

How do we keep ourselves in the “sight of God” and “before Christ Jesus?”  Jesus was able to confess before Pilate and kept His story faithful to His Father in heaven.  We are Christ’s storytellers here on earth.  Not only are we called to tell the stories of Christ as written in the Holy Scriptures, but we are to tell the story of Christ in our lives each day. 

We are called to a mighty responsibility to tell a good story, to give a good confession to all we meet so as not to discredit Christ.  We do not have to be perfect, but most importantly we must allow Christ to keep writing His story through us.  Each day a new chapter in our lives is written and our prayer should be that each chapter aligns more and more with the story of our Lord and Savior.  This story should be a real page turner!!

Take joy in the journey.  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Count your blessings and say your prayers.  Love you all so very much, 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.