He’s There

By Christina Puntigam

My prayers started out in the traditional Catholic sense, memorized.  By the time I had first communion, I had memorized quite a number of prayers, which at the time meant that I had a lot of stickers to show for myself.  Not too long after that, we switched to the Baptist church.  I changed from memorizing prayers to memorizing scripture and my sticker collection grew.  But my prayers were still the memorized ones that I said silently or out loud with my rosary on occasion, when I felt like I had done something worthy of repentance.
 
It probably wasn’t until sometime late in high school that I actually started using my own words to pray and at that point, I don’t think I would have wanted any of those conversations known.  I wasn’t very nice to God when I spoke to Him in those days.  
When I made it to college, I got involved with a Christian student group.  I started saying nice things to God again.  And, I even took the time to learn about prayer and all the different ways that we can express ourselves through prayer.
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The Battle of Sin

By Jennifer Kearson

The obituary stated, “No braver soldier ever went into battle when the War Between the States arrived at the Battlefield of Chickamauga under the powerful leadership of Fighting Joe Wheeler.” Wow! What wonderful words about my great, great Grandfather I read while looking though my family heirlooms. His continued story shared a chapter of his life where he faced numerous tribulations but rose to final victory. Even though I never met him, the description created a vision of glory, honor and respect.

While reminiscing about those dreadful times at war, it saddened me and I wondered how mankind could produce such wicked fruit. Shamefully, many have shed their blood for others in order to mend our corrupted world. For many, comprehending the purpose of war has never been easy, fair or completely natural. In addition, history has shown us that while one war is coming to a close, another seems to constantly be unfolding in the distance.
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Noon-Day Demon

By Dan Miller

Medieval writers used this term – “Noon-Day Demon.”  They were referring to that season in life when we lose our enthusiasm, when we begin to question our existence and direction.  We may call it a mid-life crisis today but the meaning is the same.  We hear about switching from success to significance, or finding our purpose, calling or mission.

Whatever your terminology, see this as a positive opportunity, not as a crisis.  Yes, it is healthy to take a fresh look at where we are, where we want to go and how we are going to get there.  You may not trust the career decisions that were made by a 20 yr. old.  Look today at your unique (1) Skills and Abilities, (2) Personality Traits, and (3) Values, Dreams and Passions.  What have these prepared you for?  Zig Ziglar says we should not have an “alarm clock” but an “opportunity clock.”  See the inevitable transitions in your own life not as crises, but as opportunities to move forward with more focus and confidence.
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Praying for Others

By John T. McNeal

How many times have you been on your way out the church doors on a Sunday afternoon, when someone stops you to have a short conversation? These conversations usually include the general topic of what is going on in each other’s lives but, it is more than just trivial information in most cases. The other person is trying to lead you to the main topic of the conversation. At the pinnacle of the conversation, that person usually asks you, “Will you pray for me?”  

You agree to pray for them and their situation as you leave. As your walk toward your car, you reflect on the conversation that you just had and try to make some reference to remember to pray for that individual. By the time you leave the parking lot, your stomach reminds you that you haven’t eaten since breakfast. That’s when you strike up a conversation with your spouse or friends regarding where they would like to eat. Between the hustle and bustle of the rest of the day and the time you put your head on your pillow that night, you totally forget the commitment you made earlier.
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Reclaiming Our Joy

By Rachael Sales

The phone is ringing! The children are screaming! The dog is barking – loudly I might say! The light bulb just blew out as you were on your knees looking for that last blue hair bow to match your daughter’s freshly ironed Sunday dress. You know the dress that she just poured grape juice all over because of the sheer joy it brought her? Yes – that dress!  And all of this is just the start of your morning! As the day goes by, only heaven knows what you must tackle just to keep a handle on your sanity, your patience, your passion to be on top of life! By the time that you look up it is noon and you’ve only checked off half of the fifty tasks that were supposed to happen by 10 AM!   While motherhood may not be your reality, none of us are exempt from the requirements of life. Whether married or single, white collar or blue collar, male or female, the demands of life come for us all.

We are active in our ministries, active on the PTA’s and softball leagues, awesome care-takers of our church members.  Where does the time go? becomes our daily war cry, does it not!  At the end of the day, it is often hard to remember what really matters. As a minister and a wife, I am often reminded that I must put first things first. First for me, is the quiet time that I spend with my God. This article is a call for all of us to remember.
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