Burnett Family

This is our yard. For over a month, it has been over 100° nearly every day. Add to that a severe lack of rain, and the conditions get pretty serious. Our yard is brown, dry, and crispy. The flowers are “surviving" only with constant watering. Even our big shrubs are wilting and the ground is cracking. Some areas have taken the first steps to ration water.

Day after day, week after week, we keep hoping and praying for a drop in temperatures – even if it was just to the 90°s, but still there is no relief in sight. Today’s heat index is 105°, and the forecast shows triple digit temperatures for the next 10 days.

You might say this is a “hard place” for our state. And maybe, like me, you feel like you are in a hard place yourself right now. Perhaps you have a struggle, a testing, a silence that is harder on some days than on others, but is still always there. And it seems to go on…and on…and on.

Is your heart crying out with David in Psalm 13, where he says four times, “How long, Lord??”

I may see no relief in sight, but I know, just like with the weather, the “forecast” means nothing to God. He can completely change a circumstance in a moment. But even if He doesn’t…will I trust Him?

David didn’t end with questions. He finished with a declaration of his choice:
I WILL sing unto the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Could he see the end? No. He could see God’s promises that he knew would be kept.

Be encouraged, friend. The hard places don’t last forever. But while you’re still in the middle, let this be your prayer – Be glorified in my hard place, O LORD, and may it cause me to love You more!

On May 22, John-Clay had the privilege of preaching his first sermon at church! With humility and passion, he shared the Word of God from his heart. We welcome you to listen to his message below or download it as an mp3 to listen to later.

Beware of the Choir – 73min
Knowing about God and knowing God are two very different things! Too many of us think that “following rules” and “normal Christianity” are all that God expects of us. Oftentimes it takes trials and difficulties in our life to show us that there is something deeper that we have been missing. Unfortunately along the way we seem to have decided that a select group of believers has the Christian life all figured out and therefore don’t need the teaching or conviction of God’s Truth in their life. If you are looking for a cute little sermon about a cozy soft way to live for Jesus, then you’re in for the unexpected!

Beware of the Choir

To Play: Click the little gray arrow next to the big blue words.
To Download: Right-click on the big blue words and choose, “Save Target As” – then pick the folder you want to save the file into – and click “save”

O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1

Are you thirsty for God?

I am.

No matter how good coffee, Kool-Aid, and orange juice taste, nothing can take the place of water. Pure water.

These last few weeks have been a wake-up call to how “dry” I am.

I. need. God.

Without Him, I’m just a shriveled up plant. A disappearing pond. A handful of powdery dust. He’s the only life I have.

If I’m parched, it’s my own fault. He’s given me the invitation to come. I’m the one who hasn’t been earnestly seeking and drinking of the Living Water.

So here I am, realizing yet again, that nothing can take the place of the Living Water. I can’t just seek Him if I feel like it, but I must seek Him because I’m desperate.

Let me ask you again, are you thirsty for God? I mean really thirsty?

Join me in seeking Him – not as all you need, but as all you have.

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house,
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life;
in Your light do we see light.

Psalm 36:7-9

It’s always good to reflect and remember…especially the Cross and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior. I am reading through the end of all the gospels this week – the story of our redemption by God is so amazing and is an increasing treasure to my heart. You can’t ever think about the Gospel too much. It is our HOPE!

I encourage you to watch this short video to refresh your view of what the Gospel is all about. It’s worth every minute. May your eyes be turned upon Jesus and your heart filled with humble praise to our worthy Rescuer Who Lives!

The candlelit table was set.

Soft, peaceful music played in the background.

Hours and hours had been spent creating a banquet-worthy dinner, complete with red velvet cake.

Lovely flowers, strings of hearts, and chocolate kisses spoke with a smile of what this evening was all about…

Love.

A week in advance, we had gone door-to-door inviting couples from our neighborhood to an exquisite Valentine dinner.

Most declined because of other obligations, but one couple confirmed their attendance, and a few others were hopeful. What a special time we were going to have serving dinner to our parents and neighbors!

However, as we made last minute preparations, the number of expected guests suddenly dwindled from three couples to only one! Hmmm. Well, we were still excited they were coming, especially since they had never accepted our invitations before.

With the sun setting, food ready, lights dimmed, and growing anticipation, we waited for the promised company to arrive.

And we waited.

and waited…

and waited.

At first we thought that maybe they were still getting ready, or had accidentally gotten the dates mixed up. But, when the time to be “fashionably late” came and went, we knew they weren’t coming.

Didn’t they know all the effort we had spent preparing this special evening for them? Didn’t they know how much we wanted to bless them with a glimpse of God’s love?

As we sat, looking at our beautiful, vacant table, feeling somewhat amused, surprised, and very disappointed, a poignant lesson stirred our hearts.

GOD has invited me to His banquet of Love.

Did you know the Greek word for love (agape) actually means love feast?

How many times have I turned down His invitation for intimate fellowship because of other “obligations”?

Don’t I know what it personally cost Him to be able to invite me to this feast of fellowship with Himself?

Don’t I know what riches of His love He has prepared and longs to share with me?

Don’t I know how much I need to come and dwell in His presence?

“He has brought me to His banquet hall,

And His banner over me is love.”

Song of Solomon 2:4

May I never count anything more valuable than fellowship with my Savior.

He is worthy!

Don’t keep Him waiting.

P.S. The evening wasn’t all lost, however. Benjamin came up with the brilliant idea of serving us ladies the meal we had prepared. Thanks, guys! ;)