Our oldest grandchild, Julia, graduates from high school next week. I have been concerned about her as she goes off to college. Spiritually, she chose to participate in a believers baptism at Greenwood but neither she nor her family belong or attend church. How will the Lord be part of her life as she leaves home? The Holy Spirit led me to write her a devotional to take to college---one devotional for every Sunday of the year. I call it Sunday Chats with Nana. Instead of worrying about it, I got off my donkey and wrote.    Valois

God has shown me clearly, at any time of my journey, when I run out of all the breath I have, I will either be standing on solid rock or - He will teach me to fly!!          Hal

We just got transferred to Denver after having spent 14+ years on the mission field in Germany—the last 6 of which have been leading our youth ministry division in Cadence. We returned to Denver pretty weary and worn from ministry. If I am honest I am spent and burned out and I can see it in my family too. I really didn't know what to do to help them or myself. I needed my Savior but didn't have the energy to do anything. Getting out of bed is even difficult at the moment or engaging with my wife and kids on any sort of real level is challenging. We are headed into a season of home assignment where we are supposed to work on resting and visiting our donors around the country. There's nothing I wanted to do less than drive all over the US talking about ministry. It feels like death even though these faithful people have been used by the Lord to enable us to do ministry all these years. I have felt horribly guilty about it. Our second Sunday at Greenwood, Tom preached on being grafted in and John 15. First, what a great Sunday that was. It was so powerful and true. The worship was inspiring and the Word real and inviting. Sorry for the long run up but the Lord spoke so clearly from Tom's sermon. We (my family) has just been through a very long season of bearing fruit and now its time to be pruned, trimmed and reconnected to Christ. Oh the freedom I felt in that moment. Fruit was His responsibility not mine and I had permission from the vine tender to rest and recover without shame and guilt from burnout. I had wondered if the Lord was pleased with our service and wondered about all the things I couldn't do, but He assured me that He was pleased and that this time was a gift from Him. He made it clear that fall and winter are never fun. Nor is trimming and pruning but they are necessary to make me continue to reflect His image. The best part is I don't really have to do anything but abide in the vine I was grafted into. No growth plan or goals, just stay connected. I was undone and relieved and wept much of the service from the Lords touch. My wife and I didn't want to leave that moment and stayed until the band was done. It was a holy moment for us. Thanks!       Mark