Happy Saturday!

Geni completed her final exit test today and felt pretty good about it. We are so very proud of her.

Travis competed in a power lifting meet and took 1st first place in his weight class with a lift of 650 pounds. Congratulations Travis! We are very proud of him.

Prayer: “Father, You are holy. Thank You for revealing Your holy standard to me and leading me to the Cross. Thank you for loving me in spite of my iniquities. Empower me to live in gratitude for the salvation You provide rather than in guilt for the sin that help me in bondage. Help me give grace to others just as You give grace to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Galatians 3:22-23 “The Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.”

Tonight at the power lifting meet Travis lost his grip on the bar on his first lift. He was upset, but the meet allows him three lifts and they score the best out of three. I watched him after he lost his grip on 600 pounds. He walked over to a bench and sat down to regroup. He did not watch the other lifters or talk to his trainer. He sat and appeared to have shut out the rest of the very noisy gym and contemplated the first lift. He probably spent some time in prayer too. As he sat he went over the lift and figured out how to correct the error and lift again. His quiet time re-centered him and he was able to continue to compete. Now He could have “beaten himself up” over the slip-up and picked up his gym bag and gone home, but he didn’t. He continued on and finished the competition.

Faith is the drive that allows us to get through a tough time and endure even if we have to back up a few steps and begin again. God’s grace is what allows us to begin again in faith. Grace is never contrary to the holiness of God. His tender mercies are the hands that lift us up when our pride is broken and we must begin again.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day remembering that each of us is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all and see you in worship. 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 moved only by what I believe and I believe God.