Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Wednesday!  All is well here at 811. I hope this writing finds you all warm and happy this night.

The candle is lit…

Dear God, thank you for teaching me about your healing and forgiveness. I don’t want to sin against you; I want to have a loving reverence for you that You have placed your strength in me. The strength that I find when I need it comes from the joy I have in being your child and in Your promises found in scripture.. By myself I know I am not strong, but you are strong enough for all of us. Thank you for Your comfort and letting us cry when we are sad or hurt or grieving. For You who created tears also created laughter. When times come for strength in me or any of us I/we trust you to be strong enough for all of us.  Thank you Lord for all of these things. I love you Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.

I have always believed in God and in my mid-teens I came into personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.  I began to learn more about God by reading the Bible.  I read some scriptures that disturbed me and I did not understand about fearing God. I had met and fallen in love with Christ and learned about God’s unfailing love and saw no reason to fear God who proclaimed love for us so passionately through the stories of Jesus.  This seemed very contradictory to me!!  How could a God who loved and forgave me be someone to be feared? 

As I began to mature in faith and knowledge I began to understand that godly fear is not fright or terror, but reverence and respect.  Godly reverence means honoring God with our life in piety; study, service, prayer and worship practices.  These practices help us to maintain our relationship with God. When we tell God much we need help in our weakness then we can trust that God will give us the strength to do what we cannot do on our own.  When we are honest with God confessing our sins to God causes God to heal us and forgive us teaching us that God is one to be loved, respected and revered. God is our friend and a better friend we will never have.  God is good and love wins!

“With all my heart, I am waiting, LORD, for you! I trust your promises…Trust the LORD! God is always merciful, and God has the power to save you.”

Psalm 130: 5. 7

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, laughing and encouraging others as you go. Super cold tonight so throw on an extra blanket (we used my beautiful TCU quilt!) tonight and warm clothes for the morning. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Tuesday!  All is well here at 811.

The candle is lit…

DearGod, I never want to be without you. I know you will always love and help me. God, your flawless character and wonderful name always perfectly provide for all my needs. You name is above every other, and I praise you forever!  You are the God who defends us. You are the God who heals all of our wounds and provides for all of our needs. You forgive us completely and perfectly and provide tender mercies. God you are peace. You are grace and have named each of us highly favored and filled us with your grace in Jesus’ name. You are love. Thank you Lord Jesus for being our all in all. I love you so much, in Jesus’ name, amen

When I was living at MD Anderson with Casey while he was receiving treatment it occurred to me that I could not imagine trying to fight cancer without God in our lives. To my way of thinking when it comes to that disease if you do not have faith in God who heals and sustains then you have no tools with which to fight.

After reading my meditation tonight I came to the realization that I never want to be without God. In times of plenty or want, sickness or health or  good times and adversity God will always be there to take care, to heal, to provide and sustain. While other people even those we love will fail us God will never fail us. It takes a lot of life events to experience God’s faithfulness and understand how God is unlike anyone else we know and will never let us down. 

Trust is not easy for most of when we start out in a relationship with God. I give thanks that God is a “patient and wise teacher.”  But as we continue to set our hearts on learning more about God each day through the life and character of Jesus, we begin to learn and understand the truth.  We begin to understand that God loves us and wants to help us in all the ways we ask no matter what we need. 

“O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people; visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation.”

Psalm 106: 4-5

Then they believed his words were true and broke out in songs of praise.”

Psalm 106: 12

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, thanking God and encouraging others as you go. Throw an extra blanket on the bed because baby it’s cold outside!  Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday!  All is well and in recovery from a very busy and spirit filled weekend. I served as a Spiritual director at a Vic De Cristo Weekend and we attended the TCU vs. KSU football game in Fort Worth.  Frogs Won!  It was a great weekend. I think one more good night’s sleep and I will be ready for the children tomorrow!  Thank you for praying for this weekend; the participants and staff felt the powerful  presence of God through the prayers from here in the Metroplex and around the world.

The candle is lit…

Dear God, I praise you for your holy loving ways. Thank you that I can always count on you. You are so wonderful. Thank you for your wonderful provision. Thank you for your perfect grace that covers, and comforts us completely. And Lord, when we don’t understand what is going on in our lives and life seems to be doing a turnaround help us remember that even we turn around you are there. Help us to remember that when our plans have fallen through and when our strength is nearly gone that there is nothing left to do but just depend on you and the power of your name.  I love you Lord, in Jesus’ name, amen.

We think of God as one who can see all, do all, be all and is all powerful.  But God, because of His perfect character has some things that God will not do.  God does not break promises to us. God will never use  His knowledge for evil, but will only use wisdom to help us.  It is not in the mind or heart of God to every, no matter what, stop caring about us, but cause at the heart of God’s perfect character is love.  And if or when we start down a path of destruction we are offered salvation to seal our eternal relationship.  Life is not a linear journey. Sometimes predictable things happen and sometimes we are blindsided by life.  But here is the good news…no matter what,  God is with us and loves us with unfailing and everlasting love. Let us trust our God with all our heart and soul because God can’t fail!!

“Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”

Psalm 96: 7

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, laughing and encouraging others along the way. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Wednesday!  All is well here at 811. I really like sweatshirt/sweater weather!  I have worn boots every day this week. Yesterday when I got out of the car and the school to cast my vote it was cold wet and rainy. But I was warm and dry from the feet on up. My friends, I will be leaving for the via De Cristo Weekend tomorrow afternoon and will not be able to write again until possibly Sunday night.  Please pray for the weekend, the staff and participants. I know that you may not even know for whom you are praying, but remember that the power of the prayer does not lie with the one who prays, but the One who hears the prayer.  Thank you mighty and faithful prayer warriors!

God, How awesome it is to communicate with You in prayer. You are the King of the universe and creator of all and you desire communication with your human creation above all others.  Thank you that we can come before you for help, praise, thanksgiving and forgiveness and receive all of what we have asked and praise You not for what you do, but for who You are.  Thank you that we may delight in You and that we may approach Your throne of grace receiving mercy and finding the grace we need in time of need. I love You Lord, in Jesus name, amen.

I was raised on two television shows on Saturday night growing up. I knew if I was at home or at my Mamo’s (if Mom and Dad had gone out) that I would watch these two shows; The Gospel Singing Jubilee and Lawrence Welk. Remember I am old. The Gospel Singing Jubilee was an hour long program of gospel quartet singing. The headline group that sang was The Happy Goodman Family.  This family of a mother, father, son and brother sang classic southern gospel music. The lead in most of the pieces was a woman with a big voice and big hair named Vestal Goodman. She was beloved by many.  Vestal and her husband Howard went on to sing with the Gaither Homecoming folks. ( I have always wanted to sing with the Gaither Homecoming folks and believe that I can sing with the best of them, but I am pretty sure that I do not have enough hair.)  The folks who sang with Vestal  have spoken of her faith and her extraordinary prayer life. Her prayer life was pretty simple. When she wanted to talk to God she stopped, walked into the throne room of grace and told God how she needed help, gave thanks, asked for forgiveness, praised him and told God how much she loved Him.  She was bold in her prayer life.

Prayer is a wonderful privilege that brings changes in our circumstances and in the people with who we encounter. “Prayer can be the difference in confusion and clarity, hurt and healing, defeat and victory and even between life and death.” (Joyce Meyer)  There are a lot of ways to pray, but the most effective way to pray is to pray boldly and using the words that come straight from our hearts.  God wants us to come before Him without fear and confidently being specific in our needs.  Our God knows us and loves so much that we will receive the promised help when we need it. God listens to our hearts as well as our words.

“Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace,,,that we may receive mercy…and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it.]

Hebrews 4: 16

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, encouraging and asking for help as you go.  Wear comfortable shoes and a warm jacket. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Tuesday!  All is well  here at 811.

The candle is lit…

My blessed and holy God, You are the great I AM. I thank you for being faithful and trustworthy in my life and in the lives of all your people. May your name be cherished forever. Lord, there are times I have questions. Please settle my heart and help me to rest in the hope that one day all my questions will be answered as I stand in your presence. Lord. There are wonderful people preparing to serve you in the Via De Cristo Weekend. Please continue to prepare our hearts so serve you. Lord please calm the anxiousness of the participants as they come in faith to learn so much more about you.  I love you Lord, in Jesus name, amen.

I tutor first through fourth graders in reading each day. When they get stuck on a word then often look on the ceiling, around the room or on my face to try and figure out the word. The mantra in my teaching is that “A good reader always looks at the words.”  The children learn this simple verse the first time I meet with them.  When they look for answers anywhere except on the page of writing I remind them that the words are not written on my face or on the ceiling, but are written on the page.  Then I have them repeat what a good reader does. 

I think this is a pretty good less for all of us when it comes to our study of scripture and using it as the place to find answers to our questions.  As believers in God we have a book that will help us find answers to the questions in our lives. And if we combine the reading of scripture with prayer allowing God wo speak to us through His Written Word and then to reveal its meaning to us in prayer through the Holy Spirit then I don’t know about you, but I find peace in the Presence of God in both written word and revealed understanding.

We may never know the answers to all of our questions from all of the experiences in our loves. And maybe we will be given those answers when we meet Jesus face to face or maybe when we reach heaven the questions won’t even matter. But I know we can trustingly place our faith in God and our hope in the wisdom of God and God’s eternal love. The words are not written on our faces or on the ceiling, but they are written in a pretty amazing book.  Remember, “A good reader always looks at the WORD.” 

“I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God who made heaven and earth and mountains.”

Psalm 121: 1

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, laughing and encouraging others as you go.  Wear comfortable shoes, pray for others and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday!  All is well here at 811. Bruce is stepping out once again and has returned to Bible Study Fellowship.  He seems to be really enjoying it. I am not sure how much he discusses in his BSF group, but I know he devotes time each day to studying the lesson for the upcoming week. Way to go darlin’!

I received in the mail today my application for ordination, paper topics and search and call papers. Even though I do not yet feel called to serve as a congregational leader I most assuredly feel and believe I am called to the ministry of Jesus Christ as a ministerial presence  in representative ministry.  Please be in pray as I prepare these documents for presentation to my local committee, the area and region of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ in preparation for my final ordination interview to be held at the end of April 2015.  Thank you all.

The candle is lit…

God, in you is my all in all. My worth, glory and joy is because you loved me first making me a part of Your good creation.  I thank you for accepting me and loving me. I praise you for delighting in me and leading me in a path that leads right back to you. Thank you for your words of encouragement. As You encourage me I become the person you created me to be. Thank you for looking far enough inside the sacred space of my heart strengthening my skills…even the ones I don’t know are there.  I love you Lord so very much. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Do you ever have days when you think that you are an epic failure? I know that is a really awful question, but I have those days. Those are the days when I want to sing the song we used to sing to the kids when they were down in the dumps…”Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I going to the garden and eat worms!”  We all get down in the dumps every now and then and when those days happen we need to stop and remember something or better yet…someone very important. We need to remember our Creator.  Our Creator; God created us out of great love for us and cares for us deeply. God has created us for a deeply personal relationship with Him through the life of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.  One of the reasons this relationship is so important is as we each commit acts of sin, God does not approve, but because of this relationship we have with God we are empowered to turn from those sins and receive forgiveness.  When we receive forgiveness our feelings of failure and doubt are turned into streams of victory and we know the delight God has in us once again.

“The Lord takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly celebrate in triumphal glory; let them shout for joy.”

Psalm 149: 4-5

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, laughing and encouraging  others as you go. Wear comfortable shoes, pray for yourself and others and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene

Greetings from Austin Street

Blessed Sunday to you all.  All is well here at 811.

The candle is lit…

Lord, how blessed and fitting to praise You! May my life be a psalm of adoration to you from this time forth and forevermore. I’ll love you always, my God. God, bring peace and constancy to my heart and may You find it a fitting place for You to dwell. I am hoping in your goodness and believing in Your kindness. Thank you for the remembrances of Mom and Casey today. You were there when I shed my tears of grief and loss and remained until I could smile and sing again. I know they are in heaven with You and basking in the worship and praise of Your Holy Presence.  Thank you for taking care of them Lord. Give them an extra hug from me. Lord, I love you so much. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The psalms are the most wonderful words. The book of Psalms begins with “Happy are those who…love the Lord’s teachings.” (Ps. 1: 1-2) and ends with the must jubilant Praise the Lord in Ps. 150. Psalm 150 is one we had read at Mom’s service. Mom would have never wanted sad songs or scriptures at a service that honored her life spent in faith with God.  Anyway, the Psalms have within them words that represent the vast expanse of human experience and the faithfulness of God and how God walks with each of us through each experience we have in our lives. Tonight the author of my meditation writes that the psalms represent every situation of life-- “trials, losses, betrayals, joys, hopes, promises and desires.”

Tonight’s scripture passages have particularly special meaning for me. Psalm 150 was spoken at Mom’s memorial service and the same psalm was purchased by the choir at Advent and dedicated to Casey. If I am so humbly honored to be ordained, the choral piece Let Everything that Has Breath will be sung by combined choirs as the musical offering for the ordination service. Scripture is the best place to begin in a faithful relationship with God. God’s Word is where we can learn to trust God and God’s love for us as we praise God and journey together. My friends take joy in the Lord in worship and in love from the dwelling place of your heart where God lives.

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!”

Psalm 150: 1-2

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. “

Psalm 150: 6

Take joy in the journey praying, praising, laughing and encouraging others as you go. Wear comfortable shoes, spend some time in God’s Word and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene