Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Saturday!!  All is well here at 811. We had a second celebration of Bruce’s birthday tonight with the kids.  We had a wonderful time and Bruce has been so touch by the outpouring of birthday wishes he has received through cards and wishes on FB. It has kind of blown him away.  Thank you all so very much for your love and kindness.

The candle is lit…

Dear God, thank you for seeking me out no matter where I am or how far that is from you. Thank you for stretching my faith in you and making it real. Thank you for always loving me and comforting me in every circumstance.  Thank you Lord that your Word brings me comfort even when it is a difficult Word to accept. It is difficult when you tell me I must get out of the way so you can do your work. Sometimes trust is really hard, but you demand it to live an obedient life. So Lord, I trust a difficult situation to you and ask for your help to remain in your shadow because your instruction to me is to watch and see what you will do. Help me to practice spiritual trust and allow me to be witness to your promise to do immeasurably more that all I ask or imagine according the power of Jesus that is at work within each of us. I love you Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.

As I have been a teacher all of my adult life I know the value of practice. In a classroom most children have to practice only so long before they have mastered a skill. Then they call upon that skill when the need arises. I wish it was that easy in our spiritual lives. I do not know about you, but I have to practice spiritual lessons every day and I am not sure I will ever master them. There are times I think I know most of what I need to know about faith or trust and then something happens to call those lessons into applications and what I have learned is really put to the test. My head knows just what I need to do and my mouth can say the words, but my heart doesn’t follow especially if it has been hurt, damaged or broken. 

I am so grateful that God does not give up on me and does not scold me, but continues to train me in the ways of spirituality. And God doesn’t give up on you either.  It is through spiritual training that the power of God through the Presence of the Holy Spirit strengthens us for the situations of today and prepares us for the situations to come.  So my friends let us claim the Word from Ephesians, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power (Not our power, His power) that is at work within us.”

“How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word.”

Psalm 94: 12

“The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33: 14

Take joy in the journey praying and trusting as you go. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep.  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene