Happy Tuesday!

OMG! It is so hot! 111 degrees today! I realize this is no surprise, after all this is Texas in August! I was sent a prayer request to pray for the crops, the animals, the elderly, the young and all in between who are affected by the oppressive heat. Let us put this in our prayers.

As for Bruce…I am convinced that he is so far ahead of the game. The Coumadin numbers are perfect and instead of having to have a weekly blood draw he gets to wait for two weeks. Tomorrow he gets the stitches from the bottom of his incision out. He feels stronger each day. Still twinges a bit when he coughs or goes into aerobic laughter, but all is going really well! Thank you all for your prayers, cards and phone calls. The Ministry of Presence and Prayer is something we can all participate in and need to be a recipient.

Travis is officially a shift leader for Starbucks. He is full time and seems to be enjoying the new challenges. Geni is completing her final days at the Starbucks where she has worked for the last two years. She is a Starbucks trainer and gets to put her teaching skills to great use. Travis says she is the best trainer ever. She will transfer to one of the Starbucks in Fort Worth at the end of next week following her birthday on Saturday. We are very proud of both of them.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for another day to serve You. I begin my day by spending time with You. I commit myself to Your will. Give me an unquenchable passion to see the gospel and be the gospel in the day that is before me so that I may know You more and that others will come to know You. In Jesus’ matchless name, Amen.

Colossians 4: 1-3 “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains.”

Paul was in prison locked in chains and asked the church to pray for him. The amazing thing is that Paul did not pray to be released from the physical chains to which he was bound. He prayed for his heart not to be locked in chains and keep the gospel from reaching those who needed to hear it. He prayed for the chains of the prison not to lock the hearts of the other prisoners, but for them to be open to receiving the gospel of Christ. Paul was so impassioned about the gospel of Christ that he did not really care about his comforts. He just wanted the gospel to reach as many people who were in need of salvation. Habakkuk 2: 14 says, “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

When we pray we do not just need to spend our prayer time concerned about our comfort, complaining about our problems. We need to spend a part of our prayer time asking God to make us channels for the gospel to reach our families, friends, neighbors, community…and those who have never heard the healing, grace filled, and loving gospel of Jesus. We have been commanded by the scriptures to fill the earth with the gospel of Christ. What if we begin with those we love the most?

Take joy in this amazing journey God has laid before us. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. We pray for you too. Sometimes we are the only Bibles people ever read. Take care and stay cool! 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.