A Very Important Post
Notice: Very important post.
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After winning a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, wrestler Rulon Gardner took off hhis shoes, placed them in the center of the mat, and walked away in tears. Through that symbolic act, Gardner announced his retirement from the sport which had defined his life for many years.
Times of walking away come to all of us, and they can be emotionally wrenching. A loved one "walks away" in death. A child moves away from home. We leave a job or a community and it feels as if we've left everything behind. But when we know the Lord, we never have to walk into an unknown future alone.
It's worth pausing to reflect on how much the children of Israel walked away from when Moses led them out of Egypt. They left the heavy burden of slavery, but they also left everything stable and predictable they had ever known. Later, when the Lord told Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14), Moses replied, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here" (v.15).
During our most difficult times, our stability comes from the presence and peace of God. Because He goes with us, we can walk into the future with confidence. -David McCasland
(Taken from the August 10, 2005 devotional Our Daily Bread)
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After much prayer and seeking the Lord through His Word, He's made it very clear that it's time for me to walk away, looking ahead to something new He is doing in my life. I have accepted a full time publications job at Second Baptist Church and my mom and I will be attending Woodland Heights Baptist Church. Our family has been very blessed by the ministry and fellowship we've found at Grace Bible, but God has clearly told us He wants to do something new in our lives. As a Christian, our lives are to be used for the glory of God, and when He says "go" we must obey.
My heart is full of amazement at the way God has worked to make this change possible and to give the grace to pursue His will with all my heart. He has given me an incredible excitement about what He is going to do as I obey Him. Like Peter, I've taken a flying leap into the waters of faith and it's awesome to see God performing miracles for His glory. Peace and joy have flooded my soul to know I am obeying God and seeing His blessing. But at the same time, I want all of my friends at Grace to understand that it tears my heart out to leave. To walk away from everything that has been dear to me the last seven years is heart wrenching. I want you to know that you have had an incredible impact on my life and I love you all more than I could ever express. I pray that we will not forget each other, but continue to spur one another on to love and good works in Christ. May God's grace and peace be yours in abundance.
I am about to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
(Is. 43:19, NLT)
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After winning a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, wrestler Rulon Gardner took off hhis shoes, placed them in the center of the mat, and walked away in tears. Through that symbolic act, Gardner announced his retirement from the sport which had defined his life for many years.
Times of walking away come to all of us, and they can be emotionally wrenching. A loved one "walks away" in death. A child moves away from home. We leave a job or a community and it feels as if we've left everything behind. But when we know the Lord, we never have to walk into an unknown future alone.
It's worth pausing to reflect on how much the children of Israel walked away from when Moses led them out of Egypt. They left the heavy burden of slavery, but they also left everything stable and predictable they had ever known. Later, when the Lord told Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14), Moses replied, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here" (v.15).
During our most difficult times, our stability comes from the presence and peace of God. Because He goes with us, we can walk into the future with confidence. -David McCasland
(Taken from the August 10, 2005 devotional Our Daily Bread)
--
After much prayer and seeking the Lord through His Word, He's made it very clear that it's time for me to walk away, looking ahead to something new He is doing in my life. I have accepted a full time publications job at Second Baptist Church and my mom and I will be attending Woodland Heights Baptist Church. Our family has been very blessed by the ministry and fellowship we've found at Grace Bible, but God has clearly told us He wants to do something new in our lives. As a Christian, our lives are to be used for the glory of God, and when He says "go" we must obey.
My heart is full of amazement at the way God has worked to make this change possible and to give the grace to pursue His will with all my heart. He has given me an incredible excitement about what He is going to do as I obey Him. Like Peter, I've taken a flying leap into the waters of faith and it's awesome to see God performing miracles for His glory. Peace and joy have flooded my soul to know I am obeying God and seeing His blessing. But at the same time, I want all of my friends at Grace to understand that it tears my heart out to leave. To walk away from everything that has been dear to me the last seven years is heart wrenching. I want you to know that you have had an incredible impact on my life and I love you all more than I could ever express. I pray that we will not forget each other, but continue to spur one another on to love and good works in Christ. May God's grace and peace be yours in abundance.
I am about to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
(Is. 43:19, NLT)