What’s the Point, Anyway?

~~ 1 John 1:7 (NIV84)~~   But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

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by Carley Cooper

Free Source Photo

Weekends are supposed to be our time off; a break from our busy lives to regenerate.  Ever notice that does not always seem to be what actually happens?!  Saturday’s there is cleaning to be done, kid’s functions to go to, shopping and errands to be taken care of, Aunt Esther’s 85^th birthday party, and that is just to start with.  Sunday mornings are often the same routine as through the week.  You have to get everybody up and fed, and get ready to head out the door to church.  We go because... well, we have to go to church... right?!  Have you ever stopped to wonder why you go to church?  Truly deep down in your heart, what is the point?  Stop and think about that for a minute.

Was your first thought to the ‘why’ question something like ‘Well, I go because you’re supposed to.  It says so in the bible somewhere.”?  Well, if you are thinking along those lines, you certainly would not be alone.  However, this is not what God wants to see in our hearts as we go to His house.  Imagine if your family came to your house for a celebration dinner for your big promotion.  When you asked them why they came the response you got was ‘Well, I had no choice to come.  I knew you would freak if I didn’t come.”  That would not make you feel very loved or appreciated, now would it?!

God led me through a specific set of circumstances one day to bring this subject to light for me.  I was having a bad Bipolar Disorder episode and was quickly on my way to the bottom of a depression wave.  I got invited to spend the afternoon with my parents at their trailer at a nearby Christian campground.  I went because I did not want to disappoint them; but deep inside I was frustrated, irritated, had a big headache and I simply could not focus on any one thing.  The enemy had me believing that I wanted to stay home and wallow in it.  I listened to depressing music on my MP3 player to ‘drown out the world’.  The music I was listening to was the saddest songs I could find.  I really cannot say that I understand this next connection, but after a while it started to remind me of home.  That is, Newfoundland where I was born.  This in turn, reminded me that I love where I am living now more; and today, that is partly because of my church.  Thinking about the church reminded me of how much I love God, and how much He has changed my heart and my life.  Thinking about my blessings made me happy again.  I suddenly became very thankful that I decided to spend the afternoon in the park with my family.  Without that, I may not have come think about church and why I love it so much.  That is when I changed my music to something upbeat and stimulating!

When I realized the circle that God had just taken me on to pull me back into the light; I started to think about why some people go to church for the wrong reasons.  Whether we admit it or not, there are people who use the church for many bad reasons.  Things such as:

• To get help with various needs and necessities of life; like food, financial help and other resources.
• To hide from responsibility of spreading the gospel – to feel like you are being a ‘good Christian’ without having to step out of your comfort zone and do the work we are all called to do.
• Position and power.
• You like the pastor.
• To find a spouse.
• Because you are ‘supposed to go’.
• Convenient location.
• Networking with the ‘right’ people.
• To place themselves in a desirable set of circumstances.

After thinking about this, I felt the need to re-evaluate my own reasons for going to church.  Here is what I came up with (in no particular order).  I go to church because:

• It honour’s the Lord’s Day (Exodus 20:8)
• It is a Home base for my life (read my blog post ‘How God Led Me Home’ for more details).   
• I feel safe – there is a certain peace we all have at home that we do not usually feel elsewhere.  To have that foundation gives us something to build our lives on.  The same is true for our spiritual lives.
• I have friendship and church family (read my blog post ‘Families are like Fudge’ for more details on how wonderful I feel my church family is).
• I am learning who God is, what His Word says, and how to apply it to my life.
• It helps me to be closer to God – God is everywhere; but many of us feel closer to Him during worship times when we are in His house surrounded by other Christians.  Not going to church, for me, would be a little bit like talking to Grandma over Skype and never going to visit her in person.  It is just not the same.
• The Bible tells us to fellowship with other Christians (1 John 1:7)
• I am exposed to more opportunities to serve God.
• I am part of something bigger than me – I have a place and a purpose.
• I am learning to safely step out of my ‘box’.
• I am learning to forgive and trust again.
• I am learning more about knowing when God is talking to me, and how to include Him in every part of my life.
• It builds my faith (Romans 10:17)
• It encourages me to do things I would not likely have done otherwise – such as writing, socializing and participating in ministries.
• I am exposed to Godly people who help and teach me – counsellors, mentors and others.
• I am exposed to unconditional love – from God and from my Church Family.
• I am learning to build healthy relationships with others.
• I am learning to see myself the way God sees me, and that I can do what He says I can do.
• It gives me accountability (Hebrews 13:17)
• God tells us that we are to go to church (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Do you truly care about going to church?  How often do you go?  Do you tell people you are a Christian and yet only go at Christmas, Easter, or special family occasions?  Does your family worship at home together?  How about, family Bible studies at home?  Are your decisions based on what God’s Word says?  Does your family pray together?  Is devotional and quiet time alone with God a part of your daily routine?  Are you part of a small group or Bible study group?  There was a time when I went to church only on special holidays; and I figured that was OK as long as I believed that God is real.   I thought that having to go every Sunday was a bit ‘over the top’.  Now, it is a different story.  I really love going to church.  Sunday’s are my favourite day of the week.  It is worship day!  Yea!!!  So, what keeps me going back to church every week?  There is only one good and perfect reason... because I love Jesus and I want worshiping Him to be the biggest joy in my life!

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~~ Dear God ~~ Thank You for making me a part of the church home and church family that You have chosen for me - A family that strives to be disciples and to create disciples for Jesus.  Thank you for helping us to be so open that the Holy Spirit can move so freely among us.  Thank You for all the blessings that You have given to me through this church, because of Your awesome grace and mercy.  Please always let my heart always be open to receiving more lessons that will bring me closer to Jesus with each and every day.  Do not let me ever lose sight of the point of why I love going to church.  In Jesus name, AMEN. 

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The Flip Side

~~ Luke 15:32 (NIV84) ~~ But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.  

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 by Carley Cooper

Gravenhurst, Ontario
Photo by Carley

Remember your senior year of high school?  I bet it felt like the longest year of your whole life, as though it was twice as long as other years.  Why?  Well, it was because you were anxiously waiting to finish high school, to start your life as an adult.  Do you remember the day you left home; I am guessing, because you were leaving for college?  It was an awesome day.  You got to move into your own space, and do your own thing.  Mom was not there to tell you that you have to eat broccoli.  Even better was that she was not there to tell you that you cannot have sugary cereals, for dinner; or cold, left-over pizza for breakfast.  There was no curfew, you could watch whatever you wanted on TV, and party with your friends all weekend long.  Venturing out into the world without a chaperone looking over your shoulder; was the ultimate freedom.  It probably never occurred to you to feel like you were lost.

Well, for some, you are now on the Flip Side; you are now the parent.  You are sending your own kids off to college for the first time, and you are feeling scared half to death to let them go off into the big scary world alone.  “My baby is growing up way too fast.”, “How am I going to protect him when he is in another city?”, “What if he gets sick?  Who is going to take care of him?”, “How am I going to save him from dating the wrong type of person, or from getting involved with a bad crowd?”, “How do I protect him from peer pressures of drugs, sex and booze?”.  The list of things to worry about is never ending.  Every fibre of your being wants to hold that child, protect him; never let him experience any hurt, disappointment, or hatred.  If you had your way he would never even experience a cut finger.  Above all else, you certainly do not want your sweet baby doing the things you did in college!  You want only love, laughter and joy in your child’s life; for his whole life.

As a parent, you are most certainly not alone in those things you are feeling.  Every parent who has ever had to let go of a child has felt these things and much more.  Now, for just a minute; imagine what it would feel like if your baby went off into the big world and then stopped all contact with you.  What would that feel like for you?  There are no emails, no letters, no text messages, no phone calls, and no visits home for the weekends or holidays.  Even worse than that, all your calls and messages go unanswered.  You have given this child everything that he has ever needed, guided him, moulded him, and loved him with your whole soul more than life itself.  It would be excruciating to have him willingly walk out of your life without an explanation. 

The feeling that you would be completely lost without your child is something that Jesus understood very well.  In Luke 15, Jesus tells us parables of the ‘Lost Sheep’, ‘Lost Coin’, and the ‘Lost Son’.  When the lost is found, in each parable, the Master has a celebration.  Nothing else matters, except that the Master is reunited with the lost.  When we venture out into the world alone, without God, and determined to live our life according to our own agenda, we get separated from Him.  We are lost.  More than that, God’s heart is missing us and longing for us.  He wants us with Him.  We may not even be aware that we are lost because we are too busy enjoying the scenery on the journey we have laid out for ourselves...  or worse, we are just coasting along without a plan, not knowing or caring where we are headed.  The problem here is that we end up, either, on a dead end track; or one that is leading straight to the edge of a cliff.  God is trying to get your attention to let you know that only He can move us onto the right track.  He wants to protect us from getting lost, falling over the edge, or ending up in the middle of no-where. 

God has the most amazing blessings waiting for you if only you would call home.  He is as much a member of your family as your spouse, kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even pets. With every decision you make, every trip you plan, every holiday you celebrate; Jesus should be included in the plans.  For example, I wake up every morning, no matter what the weather, look out my window and say “Good Morning, Lord.  Thank You for the wonderful day; and thank You for the wonderful apartment in this wonderful city.”  He is a member of my home and I like to greet Him as I would anyone else when I get up in the morning.  I have also learned to make decisions according to what He would like me to do.  I pray to Him and wait for an answer.  Sometimes I do not get the answer I would prefer, but I have learned not argue with Him anymore as I used to do.  It is a little bit like chasing your own tail... completely pointless.  A friend once offered me the most incredible gift; of a trip of a lifetime to travel Europe.  I turned it down, because the specific circumstances surrounding this gift would have placed me in a position that would likely cause me to stray away from God.  I am not willing to take that risk.  I do not ever want to live without God in my life, again.

Do you make God a member of your family?  Do you include Him in decisions you make?  Do you talk to Him every day?  If not, He is calling you.  He is your Father, and He loves you.  He misses you, just as you would miss your kids or anyone else in your family that would suddenly drop from the scene.  So, before you go about your life without including God; put yourself on the Flip Side and imagine how He is feeling having to live without you.  He is waiting to celebrate your home coming.

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 ~~ Dear God ~~  The plans that You have laid out for my life are perfect.  They include dreams and blessings beyond anything my imagination can come up with.  Please always keep me close to You, and do not ever let me wander off into the world alone to follow my own track.  I love You and I do not ever want to live my life without You.  Just like the lost Son, in Jesus’ parable, I want to come home to live my life with You, and I am looking forward to the celebration that You have planned.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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Families Are Like Fudge

~~ Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV84) ~~   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

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Microsoft Office Copyright Free Images
Fudge Brownies

Family.  What is the first thing that popped into your mind when you read that word?  I will say it again... FAMILY!  What does the word ‘family’ mean to you?  Did your heart suddenly feel full because they are so sweet, or did your blood pressure shoot up because they are just a bunch of nuts?!  Dictionary.com gives one definition as “a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for”.  I really like that definition.  It does not matter what kind of family you came from, what kind of family you have; or what you have been through with them or because of them; I would be willing to bet that you love them.  Whether you came from a traditional family of 2 parents, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a hamster; or divorced parents, or even if the only family you have is a couple of the best friends anyone has ever had; they are your family.  Even when they are making you so crazy that you just want to pull your hair out... or better yet, pull their hair out... you would never want to walk this earth without them; and you would go to just about any lengths for them if it were called for.

Well, think about this next thought for a minute...  Can you say the same about your church family?   Are they part of your life every day of the week?  Do you take care of them when they are sick; give them food, money or a place to sleep if they need it?  Can you confide your deepest secrets with them?  Can you listen to their secrets and truly not make a judgement against them?  Are you able to stay calm and love them even when there is a big disagreement about how the latest ministry within the church should operate?  Do you even think about the people you go to church with as family?  I certainly did not for most of my life.  Truthfully, I had never heard the term ‘church family’ before; despite the fact that I have passed through quite a few churches in my life.  That is, until I was finally led ‘home’.  I think that is one of the things that first attracted me to this church.  I was fascinated with the idea that they were a family together.  From the first time I went there, the first sermon that I heard; it was stressed that ‘we are a family’.  It is still stressed to us; it is a message that is not forgotten.  The more I got to know them, the more I could see that they really are a part of each other’s lives; and not just on Sunday’s?  They love each other.  They laugh, cry, and pray together.  I have yet to hear any gossip or see anyone with a grudge against someone else.  When one grieves, everyone is sad, when one of us is lonely there is a friend that you can reach out to; when one of us is sick, someone will be there to take care of you; when we are hungry someone will bring you food; when we just cannot seem to make a pay-cheque stretch far enough, they are there to help. 

In my time as a member of this family, they have given me gifts that are eternal.  For the first time I have met people who truly do strive live the life, not just talk the talk.  They allow the Holy Spirit to move very freely among them.  I have been invited into their midst and been made one of the group.  For the first time in my life, I know what it is like to belong to a group.  They have shown me that knowing about God is not the same as knowing God; or having a relationship with Him.  I have learned how to forgive; and how to strive for true repentance.  For many years my one “rule of survival”, as I called it, was “never trust anyone for any reason no matter what.  No exceptions!”.  I really did live that way.  I thought I was protecting myself.  The first time that I was told “I will not judge you”, after sharing what I thought was something terrible, my life literally changed.  In that one instant, I suddenly saw light that I had never seen before.  My life, my heart and my view of the people of the world all changed completely.  I suddenly had a door open in my heart that was never open before.  A door that would allow trust to enter in... that would allow the Holy Spirit to enter in. 

I have been given food and money when I did not have any.  Anytime I need a ride, someone is there to give me a lift.  They have let me cry on their shoulders when I had no one else to turn to.  I have seen incredible patience from them while I learn how to emerge from my dark hiding place that was my world for such a long time.  Honestly, I still feel like I am a new; like a new puppy that is still so very unsure of everything and still very wobbly on its legs; but they do not try to push me or rush me along in my journey.  In their own homes, their individual family units pray together, play together and study the bible together.  The men are actually as in love with their wives as they are with Jesus; and they welcome an accountability partner to help keep them on the ‘straight and narrow’.  These are things that I have rarely, if ever, seen before. 

Here is an example of something that one of them did for me once.  It is just a small thing, but it is a wonderful example of charity that I had never experienced before.  The situation was that I was at a church function.  It was a big concert and it was getting late in the evening.  I wanted to go home even though the concert was not over yet.  I do not have a car, and I did not have a ride.  I called a few people, but it seems everyone else was also out that night.  I did not know the bus system, and I did not have enough money for a bus even if I had known where or when I could catch a one.  One of my beautiful sisters in Christ came to me and gave me some money to get a taxi home.  I started to cry, thanking her and assuring her that I would pay her back as soon as possible.  She looked at me and simply said “Why?  We’re family now.  That’s what families do for each other.” 

The closer I get to God in my journey the more I feel His peace within me.  To have the support of a wonderful family around me during my journey is helping me learn how to become more and more like Jesus, as we are called to do.  With each and every small step I take the sins of my past are becoming smaller and smaller.  The more I grow in Christ, the more freedom I have in my life.  In the past, I thought was being free was living behind a protective wall and keeping others away.  Now I am able to see that instead I actually built a big wall around myself so tall and so secure that no one could get in, and I could not get out.  God sent people into my life that are helping me break down these walls.  They not only help guide me out into the light; but also show me wonderful examples of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

As Christians, we know that we are all children of God; heirs with Jesus, but we also know that we are mere human beings living in a broken world.  To me, this means that I am fully aware of the fact that as wonderful as my new family is, that they are far from perfect.  No one is perfect (Romans 3:23 ~ For all have fallen short of the glory of God), and it is important that we do not forget that.  When someone in your family is causing you stress, or just making you crazy; give them little slack, learn to forgive and forget just as God does with us (Hebrews 8:12 ~ For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more) and as He calls for us to do with others (Luke 6:37 ~ Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven).  There’s an old saying that says “Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts!” (~Author Unknown)  Enjoy, nuts and all... sometimes the nuts are the best part! 

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~~ Dear God ~~ Your infinite wisdom and grace never cease to amaze me.  The whole idea of a family is an awesome idea!  Thank you so much for placing me with families that are the most incredible mixture of sweet and nutty people.  They help me, teach me, laugh with me, cry with me, play with me and pray with me.  But Your Son, Jesus, is the most important family member of all.  Please do not ever let us be separated.  Thank You, Father.  Oh, one more thing, Lord; am I one of the sweet ones or the nutty ones?  Never mind... I am not sure I want You to answer that one.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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How God Led Me Home

~~ 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV84) ~~  The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ. 

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Photo by Google Maps

One day when I was about 3 years old I got lost in the supermarket.  I was likely only an isle or two away from my Mom but, at that time, it felt like hundreds of kilometers.  I remember feeling so alone and so terrified.  The world suddenly seemed big and scary.  This very nice man talked to me and asked me some questions, and then he helped me find my Mom.  Since I was so young I do not remember all the details, but I do remember feeling so very happy when I saw my Mom again.  It was like going home after a long time away. 
Many years later when I first started to look for a church to attend, I had no idea which one to pick.  At that time in my life I was not Christian in the true sense of the word.  Granted I believed in the basic facts, like the virgin birth, Jesus lived a perfect sinless life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection.  I also knew that the Baptism and Holy Communion are important in choosing a church.  I did not have a relationship with Christ, nor did I have any concept of what could possibly mean.  Neither did I know or understand the Holy Spirit.  I had no idea that they are an absolutely vital part of the Christian life.  The one thing I did know though was that I could feel the pull within me to find a church.  I prayed for God to “help me find a church home, like a family where I can fit in, that will become the center of my world”.  I was not even sure I understood what this meant, or why I prayed this prayer so often because I had never heard the terms ‘church home’ or ‘church family’ before.  I had been to a lot of churches in my life and none talked about these things, or this kind of ‘belonging together’.  I only knew that I felt the need for it, that I had never known the feeling of fitting in, and that we are called to attend church regularly just as Jesus did (Luke 4:16 (NIV84) - He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.).  But to find that church... I mean, there are so many denominations; all with their own ‘rules’; and each one claiming their rules are the ‘right’ rules.  How does one know which one to choose?  Does it matter?  I just wanted a church that did not care about ‘set rules’ but instead followed the bible without leaving parts out, changing it, or twisting anything to suit their needs.

My first choice was a church that I remembered being only 10 minutes walk from the new apartment I was about to move in to.  Convenient, since I do not have a car.  The new apartment was in a different city.  I was moving back home and was so very excited about that!  They say ‘home is where the heart is’ and I took the opportunity to move back to the place that my heart says is home, after my life took a huge unexpected turn.  I arrived in town, and that church I remembered being just a hop and a skip down the street... wasn’t!  They had moved.  It seems during the years I had lived elsewhere they outgrew their building.  The old building was now the new location of my dog’s veterinary hospital.  Great... we got our old vet back just down the road, but no church!  This meant that I would have to find another church; and that I would have to get connected with someone who could help me with transportation.  This problem for me was in the same category as the chicken and the egg.  I need transportation to get to church, but I need to go to church to meet people who could help me with transportation.

At this point, the thought occurred to me that since I have to find a church elsewhere, I might as well find one that I felt had the same beliefs as I have.  I figured, if I am to spend my life attending services every Sunday with this group, whoever they may be, than being comfortable with their belief system would make things much more enjoyable.  There are those out there that are not necessarily Christian, though they claim to be.  Then there are those that have beliefs and practices that are just... well, down-right ‘weird’.  I started to do some research and began with the church that I had originally planned on going to; in their new location.  I read their doctrine, statement of faith, beliefs, and core values.  I very much liked what I saw.  They had all the ‘good stuff’ I was looking for and none of the ‘bad or weird stuff’. 

However, I felt that I should keep researching just to make sure I knew all my options.  I checked out many other churches in the area; looking at the same information, mainly through their websites.  There were a few that did not have this information listed; so I emailed them and asked some questions.  Most were more than willing to share about themselves.  There were also a few that did not want to share so willingly.  I saw this as a ‘red flag’ and crossed them off the list right away.  In all my research, I found none that I liked as much as the first one.  Eventually, that first church became like a measuring stick that I used to evaluate others.  One day I said to myself “if that’s the church you want, than just make your decision and go”!  So I did... make the decision, that is.  Getting there was still a problem. 

Then one day my cousin said that she wanted to start going to church as well.  Wouldn’t you know it, she chose the same one I had picked!  So we went together in her car.  However, she changed her mind a short time later and stopped going.  I was so very disappointed.  I had enjoyed the services and the people more than I expected.  There was a certain warmth among them that I had never felt in church before.  There was also something special within their sermons that touched my heart and shed some light in ways that I had never experienced before in church.  Plus their music was a wonderful mix of old and new, which I so very much appreciated!  Nevertheless, I felt I had not been going there long enough to know other people well enough to request a ride on Sunday’s.  So, with no transportation any more, I would have to go back to Sunday morning TV services as my church time, hoping that one day soon I would find a solution.  So I waited for an answer to show up.... for about 2 years. 

Then one day I got an email in response to an advertisement I placed looking for a new roommate.  Without someone to share my apartment with, expenses were just too high to live alone.  This reply came on the last possible day before I would have to move again.  It turned out that this person not only showed up just in the nick of time, but is Christian and is a member of the church I had waited so long to join!  I saw this as a sign from God that this was the person I was to accept as my new roomie.  I felt this so strongly that I before I even replied to the email I called my Mom to tell her the good news that I had found my roommate!  During this time in my life I was very social-phobic.  This new friend ended up bringing me to church, introducing me to people; and helping me feel comfortable.  Since then my heart and my life have changed drastically as a direct result of being part of this church.  I am a whole new person, with a whole new life.

It has been a little more than 2 years since attending my first service there.  My first reasons for choosing a church were simply due to location and convenience.  I did not even include God in the decision process.  For that matter, during those days I did not know I could or should include Him.  He used this to lead me on a journey that would bring me full circle, but this time I would know without a doubt that God led me to this place.  It is His decision where my home church should be.  God is the one who places us in each and every position in our lives; to fulfill His purposes.  If we keep Him in our focus we will complete that purpose; His glory will shine and we will have many blessings bestowed upon us.  Today, I can understand that it is important for me to know God led me here because it leaves me no doubt that this is where I belong.  When we are in a position to see that it is His calling or our lives, we have no reason to doubt or rethink the decision.  We know that no matter what the present circumstances may appear to be, that the future is very bright. 

Since then, the church really has become the center of my world.  I have learned what a church family is and what a church home is.  I have also been introduced to the Holy Spirit, and have developed a relationship with God.  I am growing closer to Him with each and every lesson I learn.  My views on certain portions of my life went from a completely worldly perspective to one that God’s Word calls to live.  I volunteer on a regular basis, I attend bible studies, Adult Christian Education courses, I work at the Welcome Centre sometimes on Sunday’s, and any other areas where I may be useful.  I do all of this because I just love Jesus so much that my heart longs to do these things for Him.  I am part of something bigger.  I have a place and a purpose.  I am part of the Body.  I am part of a group; and I feel I belong there.  I have never had that before in my whole life.  This is a whole new experience for me.  They have welcomed me into their midst, made me a member of their family and they have shown me love like I have never known.  I in turn made a commitment to them when I was enrolled as a member.  Sunday’s are my favorite day of the week because it is worship day.  I get to sing ‘Worship Melodies’ to Him.  There is no doubt in my mind that I am where I was meant to be.  I am no longer lost.  Just like that day when I was 3 years old, I have finally come home. 

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~~ Dear God ~~  Your ways, Your plans, Your purposes are all perfect.  Thank You for leading me home to You, and for the incredible position that You have blessed me with in Your divine plan for the world.  Thank You for bringing me closer to You with each and every lesson I learn and every ‘Worship Melody’ that I sing to You.  Even when circumstances are upsetting from my point of view, I know that You have a wonderful ending planned for me.  I do not have to question if I have made any wrong decisions or choices.  Those that I have made You will erase.  As long as I follow You and I will never again be lost.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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