Happy Saturday!

It was such a beautiful fall day. I hope you found a few minutes to enjoy the cooler weather. My day began with Daddy calling to tell me that Mom was back in the hospital with Congestive Heart Failure. I have hope that this will be a short lived bout with this chronic problem. The doc does not know what triggered this episode, but we pray he can figure something out. She is hoping to be out of the hospital to attend Uncle Gene’s service on Monday. I have talked to Mom twice and she sounded better this evening than this morning. Please offer an extra prayer for Mom and Dad and all of the family that is beginning to gather to celebrate Uncle Gene’s life.

Prayer: “Father, as I begin this day please help me rely upon Your strength and courage. I want to thank You for the Holy Spirit residing in my heart and giving me the power to do Your will. Amen”

2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

In my Christian Education class I have learned about enculturalization. That is a fancy word that means that Christians learn to be Christians by being around other Christians. That is what goes on at a Kairos Prison ministry weekend. Many of those inmates who are on the weekend do not have a relationship with Jesus, but by the end of the weekend most, if not all of them have at least some knowledge of Jesus and know that a relationship with Christ is not just a onetime occurrence, but a way of life. These men who know nothing about trust learn the beginnings of a trusting relationship with Christ because of God’s love and grace as demonstrated in the team who works with them without judging them. By the end of the weekend these men who are complete strangers call themselves brothers. When the inmates return to their regular life in the prison they now have an entire community to continue to help nurture them in their faith. They also have a free world group that will meet with them in prayer and share each month so that they may continue in their faith walk.

I thought of this farewell given by the Apostle Paul and how he charges the church at Corinth to live in peace. He charges them to live in peace, be of one mind because the reward for being obedient to these instructions is that God of love and peace will be with them. These men must learn to rely on God for strength for the day and give thanks for the Holy Spirit that now resides in their hearts.

We who live in the free world must also rely on God’s strength and courage to live each day. We must give thanks for the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts remembering our charge to do good to those who hate us because you never know, it might create a change in the hearts of others. Even though our attempt to create change in someone does not always work, loving others is such a wonderful thing because when we love others, we then represent our heavenly Father through the receiving of His supernatural grace and we are in obedience to His will.

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes. Count your blessings and say your prayers. We have much for which pray and we thank you for your prayerful support. Love you all mighty and faithful warriors and friends, 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.

Prayers: Please continue to pray for little Tatum’s continued remission, the Kairos Prison Ministry and a safe return home for all of the team members, my family gathering in Sherman, Geni’s first day at school on Monday and my studies; Old Testament Test (done), OT paper, in progress due Tuesday, Christian History test Friday. Thanks and peace, gc