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* * * *​

Desire for God

by Dori Guerra

You, God, are my God; earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

-- Last week, Pastor Chris’ sermon on Elijah struck me. When he quoted, “the most important thing about us is our desire for God,” I was reminded of a time in my life when  needed a perspective shift: moving away from wanting God to work through me for my own ego and productivity, to recognizing that I can do nothing without Him.

- My story began with a crisis. In 2016, my husband of 19 years asked for a divorce. At the time, life was intensely busy—our kids were 11, 12, and 14; I was running a home business and helping care for my mom with dementia. Though I was active in church, my productivity and to-do list had become idols.

- When my life was rocked by the divorce, it exposed where my heart really was. My quiet time with God had been a transactional item on my checklist—a few minutes of Bible reading done out of obligation. Deep down, pride made me feel my time was too valuable to sit still or be quiet.

- As I tried to convince my husband to stay, I realized a couple of things:  1) We can’t change anyone but ourselves, and 2) God never wastes a hurt. Eventually I began to spend quiet time with the Lord. In my pain, I felt disappointed with God, believing I had "earned enough points" for Him to save my marriage. As I meditated on the Psalms, I had to admit that, like the Baal worshippers in Elijah’s story, I worshiped God for what He could do for me rather than out of true love for Him.

I spent time reading, rereading, and reflecting on Psalm 23, journaling, and internalizing God’s love and care. Over time, my heart transformed. Scripture came alive, and I began to experience a real desire for God. One day, I reached a specific point of complete surrender: "Lord, even if You never answer another prayer, I love You and choose You over Your gifts."

-- God wants a relationship with us, not just a list of prayers to answer. I'm still a work in progress. Each morning I check in with the Lord, noticing how He acted yesterday and asking Him to speak to me today through Scripture and my circumstances.  I’m grateful for everything He taught me in that difficult season years ago, and everything He continues to teach and show me.

                                                                                                    Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your never-ending patience with us. Help us to listen for Your still,                                                                                                                      small voice and pursue a relationship with You in all circumstances. Amen.

 

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* * * *​

Being Used by God

by Abby Palacios

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

— Sometimes God uses us, and we don’t even realize it.

— It’s no secret that our son Carlos loves FCC. This kid lives and breathes this church and would come to every event, whether it was for him or not. When it came time for the Gingerbread Bash, he grabbed every flyer off the table because he planned to invite everyone in his 5th-grade class! Eventually, we convinced him to narrow it down to just a few friends. One of those friends was Jack.

— Jack’s mom is Jenny Groen. Some may know Jenny through Arrive Ministries. On the day of the Bash, Jack and Jenny came, along with one of the families Arrive Ministries had been helping. This family had been afraid to leave their home because of rumors that ICE agents were in town, but Carlos’ invitation gave them a reason to come to a safe place, even if only for a little while.

— Carlos also prays before every meal — no matter what, no matter where, and no matter the country. During our recent trip to Mexico, he made sure we prayed before every meal. His cousin watched curiously and kept asking what we were doing and why.

— After the loss of my mother-in-law and other difficult circumstances, while my sister-in-law never stopped believing, she and her family had stopped attending church. On our last day before returning home, she told us that our niece had been asking to go to church because she had seen Carlos pray and wanted to learn more. That was in January, and they’ve been back at church ever since.

— Carlos may not realize how God is using him, but He certainly is.

Thank You, heavenly Father, for working through each of us in great or small ways. Help us to proclaim our faith in You wherever we go. Amen.

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* * * *​

Our Covenant-Keeping God

by Sherilyn Honken

“I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

 

-- The morning after my Aunt Helen died, as I rode my bike through the sprinkle of raindrops, our gracious Father spoke precious reminders to my heart. The raindrops of our tears are seen by our Father. He records them and keeps them in a bottle, but there is coming a day when He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. After the raindrops, or even the torrents of our tears, the sun is still there behind the clouds. The Son is always there, shining His light into our darkness and bringing hope and healing.

-- As I rode, a rainbow was on one side of me, a reminder of our covenant-keeping God. He has kept His covenant with Noah and with Abraham. Then He sent His Son Jesus to make a new covenant, opening the way for all who believe in Him to become children of God and spend eternity with Him.

-- On the other side of me, the sun rays were shining down through the clouds — like I’ve always imagined it will look when Jesus returns — a reminder that Jesus is coming back again. Our covenant-keeping God promised that Jesus would return, and we know that He will.

-- Because we have this hope, even through our raindrops of tears, we know that weeping may endure for the night, but JOY comes in the morning. We know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We know that there will be a day when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, but only everlasting Joy and Light.

 

 

"Thank You, Father, for the reminders that You are a covenant-keeping God and that Jesus is coming back again. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen."  

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* * * *​

I Need an Angel

by Marlys Goodsen

"For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

-- -- Psalm 91:11-12

-- On Good Friday in 1986, my husband, Waldo, and I went to bed around 10:00. It had been a warm, dry spring, so I cracked the bedroom window open. From our house, I could hear the traffic coming down the hill into Atwater, especially the trucks shifting gears. Around 11 p.m. don't know what woke me, but I remember praying, "Lord, I need an angel." Then I went back to sleep.

-- A little while later I woke up again. This time I prayed, "Lord, I need another angel. I need two angels." I didn't know why I was praying that. I just knew I needed two.

--The next morning I told Waldo, "Darrell didn't come home." Our son was a few years out of high school and living at home. It wasn't like him to stay out all night. Waldo didn't say much. He went through his usual morning routine, but after checking, he came back and said, "Nope, Darrell isn't home."

-- A few minutes later, the phone rang. It was the mother of Darrell's friend, Travis, asking if Darrell was home. She speculated, "Well, Travis must be with him. If I hear anything, I'll let you know."

-- About fifteen minutes later, the phone rang again. This time it was Darrell. "Mom, can you come and get me? I think I rolled my car last night. And bring some shoes – I lost one." You can imagine how that felt to hear.

-- I asked where he was now, and he told me they were at my sister Grace's house, north of Willmar. Darrell told me they had slept in Grace's garage because no one was home. The next morning they broke a kitchen window so they could get inside. I asked him how they had gotten there, and he said he wasn't really sure. He remembered seeing flashing lights, but he kept passing out. Later I learned what had happened:

-- Darrell had been driving, and Travis was with him. Darrell reached into the back seat to grab an eight-track tape. When he did, the car drifted onto the shoulder. He overcorrected, and the car rolled into the ditch. The car was completely wrecked. There wasn't a single piece of glass left in it. After the rollover, Travis was hanging upside down in the car, but was OK. He covered Darrell up with his National Guard jacket and went for help. Somehow they made their way a mile to Grace's house. To this day, I don't know how Travis knew where Grace lived.

--One thing that has always stayed with me is that a police officer or highway patrolman drove past Darrell while he was walking after the accident but didn't stop because Darrell had lost one of his shoes and apparently looked like a drifter.

--When we looked at that car, we could hardly believe that either one of them survived. They walked away from a crash that should have been so much worse. Waldo took Darrell to the doctor to be checked over. His knee was banged up, and he had a twisted ankle, but that was about it. Travis was fine, too.

--For years afterward, I noticed that Darrell was always rubbing his stomach. I thought it was just a habit. Then, almost thirty years later, he told me that a tiny piece of glass from that accident had finally worked its way out. It had been under his skin all those years, bothering him enough that he was always rubbing that spot, but never causing any serious injury.

-- I am so grateful that God woke me up to pray for angels, and then sent those angels to protect Darrell and Travis.

God of the unseen, thank You for Your holy angels and how You use them for good in our lives. Thank You for Your constant protection and care. --Amen.

 

* * * *

Do You Have Your Ticket?

by Oscar Overcash

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."   Romans 10:9-10

Last August I went back to North Carolina to visit family, and then up to Lynchburg, VA, for my high school best friend Bobby’s memorial service. Bobby and I met when I was a sophomore, playing center on the football team, and he, a senior, was our quarterback. We became very good friends, running around together in our small town of Landis, NC, playing softball or going up the road to Kannapolis to dance, see a movie, or just watch the cars go by.  We ran with another fellow and called ourselves the Three Musketeers. We’d hang out at Bobby’s house, watching horror movies on TV, or go to Sunday evening services at the Baptist church where Bobby’s dad was the pastor. When I went off to North Carolina State to play football and get my teaching degree, I’d still hang out with Bobby when I came home.

After college, I moved around quite a bit, served in the military in Vietnam, met my wife Mary in Washington, DC, and ended up in Willmar after several more moves. But whenever I went back to North Carolina, I’d find time to hang out with Bobby.

In 1978, when we were living in Olivia, MN, my aunt was very ill, so I flew to North Carolina to see her, and then went to the Friday night football game and hung out with Bobby. After everyone had left the stadium and we were still sitting there talking, Bobby told me about an assignment he had. Jesus had given him a vision of a school bus and a handful of tickets, and he was supposed to pass out those tickets to people with salvation; it was their ticket to Heaven. He went through “the Romans Road” with me:  Romans 3: all have sinned; Romans 6: the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.  Next was Romans 10:9-10: (this was all in the King James version): That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

I’d grown up in a United Church of Christ and believed in my head that Jesus died and rose again, but now I wanted to pray with my whole heart for that salvation, and I wanted to confess to Bobby with my mouth that I believed.  It was a very meaningful moment for me, and from then on I have never doubted that I have my ticket.

When I visited Bobby’s widow the night before his memorial service and told her this story, she asked me to tell it at the service. The other speakers had known Bobby from his time in Lynchburg, where he was still quite the evangelist, always asking people if they knew Jesus and helping them come to faith in Him. I was a little intimidated by the prospect of speaking at the famous Thomas Road Baptist Church, Jerry Falwell’s church, on the campus of Liberty University. The side chapel where the service was held seated 300 people. And a video was played from a famous cousin of Bobby’s, a Christian songwriter named Gary Chapman. But I told my story and paid tribute to Bobby and his love for Jesus and for me and for all sinners in need of a ticket.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your free gift of salvation. Help every one of us to know that we have our ticket and will spend eternity with You. Amen.

* * * * 

The Blessings of Old Age 

by Shirley Portinga 

“Even in your age and gray hair, I am he who will sustain you.” --Isaiah 46:47 

 

-- I celebrated 90 years of life in the middle of May! Unbelievable! My gratitude for all the pleasures I have received grows deeper with age. Someone who has lived long enough begins to see that the greatest gifts were not merely events, accomplishments, or comforts, but hidden workings within the heart.  

-- Beauty is never lost as we get older. It just moves from the face to the heart. Every time I see my grown children, I am blown away by how blessed I am to be their mom! They are the greatest gift I have received. 

• Being a mother is an honor. 

• Being a grandmother is a blessing. 

• Being a great-grandmother is a gift.  

-- This last year has been extremely difficult, with several major medical challenges. My family, including my church family, was so supportive and kind. This life experience gave me the opportunity to learn not to expect life to be perfect, but to love and learn with an open heart.  

I look at the people God has placed around me - people who have stood beside me through grief and joy – and I place my life before Him with confidence, trust, and peace. 

My prayer is that whatever life I have left will reflect kindness, humility, and love; that the Lord will teach me to treasure each day, not in fear of what is passing, but in faith for what He is doing.  I pray that I might love well and honor God in all things. I place my years, my memories, and my future into His hands. 

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"O God of all ages, thank You for the perspective that each year brings.. Help us to number our days and live each one in faith, hope and love. " -- Amen. 

 

* * * * 

 

I know Who Holds My Hand

by Oscar Overcash

. . . even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. -- Psalm 139:10

 

-In the 1970s, I was working with a local (Willmar) entrepreneur, trying to get his business off the ground. I had to work for him until 2 p.m. and then, to put food on the table for our family of five, I’d go load trucks until 10 p.m. or later. I started working for Hostess to get a better schedule, but they promoted me to manager, and soon I was filling in for drivers who couldn’t make it. This meant driving a route for 10-12 hours, 4 days a week, and doing my management work in 2 days. Finally, I decided to go back to teaching so I could have a decent schedule and see my family once in a while.

-My brother-in-law, Bruce Hoglund, told me it would take a year to get my Minnesota teaching license. I told him, “Well, you know, I went to a good school...” (North Carolina State) Sure enough, I got the license in 30 days.

-On a Sunday night at church, I got up to give testimony. When I said I was leaving Hostess, people started murmuring sadly – they thought we were moving. I said, “No, I’m staying in town” and told the story of how God had provided my teaching license. When it was time to call for hymns to sing, Mary (my wife) chose #444 in the brown hymnal, “I Know Who Holds My Hand.”

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand.

 

-That song has been meaningful to me ever since. The Lord has held my hand through many transitions.

 

Thank You, almighty God, for holding our hands through all the transitions of our lives.   Help us to walk in Your ways through them all. -- Amen.

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* * * * *

Heaven Changes Everything

by Stephanie Tollefsrud

[Jesus said] “...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”     -- John 16:33

 

-- On March 28, 2018, I was in the Twin Cities visiting friends during spring break when we got news that my husband’s brother was on his way to the Mayo Clinic and would later be diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer, the disease that would cut his life short here on earth.

-- That same afternoon I received a text from my dear friend Heather that her family was involved in a terrible head-on collision on Highway 23 near Hawick. My 11-year-old godson, Nathaniel Isak Shumaker, was airlifted to HCMC from the scene and was in critical condition. The rest of the family sustained injuries of various sorts and ultimately were able to return home. But Nate stayed in a coma for a month before waking up healed and whole in Jesus' arms.

-- Nate was a giver, always thinking of others and including others, and so it was comforting to me to know that he was an organ and tissue donor. I now try to encourage others to “Do Nate,” or DONATE life - check that little box on the driver's license application. Also, to make every moment count, as Nate did in his short life. But even more important is giving others the true gift of life and sharing the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Because as John 16:33 reminds us, Jesus has overcome the world.

 

A goodbye would be goodbye with no "I'll see you again" And when a life is over, that would simply be the end.

 

Thank You, Jesus -- Heaven changes everything. --Amen.

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* * * * *

Who Else is Worthy?

by Jayme Wright

"Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." -- Psalm 29:2

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--For the Song Story MGX a few weeks ago, I chose two songs. The group sang “Who Else?” by Gateway Worship. The second one was “Thy Will” by Hillary Scott. I highly recommend listening to both of them!

-- I was born and raised in and around the Willmar/New London-Spicer area. Most of you at FCC have met my biological mom. But not everyone knows I was adopted. I can honestly say the ONLY reason I was able to share my song story is because of God’s gift of forgiveness!

-- My biological parents divorced before I was born. My dad was, and potentially still is, a drug addict, and to this day I have maybe spent a month of my life with him. But God's gift of forgiveness means that when we see him, we can say hi, and he knows who my son Liam is. We don't spend a lot of time with him, as we have chosen to set that boundary.

Unfortunately, my mom started to do drugs as well. I don't know how many people truly understand that drugs change a person. I have had a few people in my life go through addiction, and walking with them was the most difficult thing. Especially when I was seven years old. My mom became a different person; she and her boyfriend at the time physically abused my brother and me. I found out later that at the time it was the worst physical abuse case in Kandiyohi County history.

-- We went into foster care for a couple of years and eventually both my parents lost their parental rights. My dad chose drugs over us. My mom gave up her parental rights after about a year of visitations and social work hoops to go through and, in her words, "failing time and time again." She knew how much we needed stability. In 2007, my brother and I were adopted by my parents and gained five older siblings! In time, my biological mom entered recovery, and we have a wonderful relationship with her now – thanks to the Lord and His work in all of our hearts.

-- Statistically, I should be like my biological parents. Statistically, I should not have married my husband and have the life I have. But all of that confusion, pain, and chaos brought me to where I am today - knowing that God is good, and being able to forgive those who wrong me. “Thy Will Be Done” captures that understanding that God brings about good through all of our circumstances.

-- And after all of that, who else is worthy of my praise? What other gods or powers would make me an instrument and use me the way God has? Statistically, I should not be here right now. BUT GOD alone is worthy to be praised! The song “Who Else” speaks to that:

You healed my brokenness, showed me Your glory...

Who else is worthy? There is no one, only You, Jesus.

-- I can never thank the Lord enough for His kindness to me.

 

"Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your grace, Your forgiveness, and Your love. Grant us a full measure of Your Holy Spirit that we might give these gifts to others." --Amen.

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* * * * *

Nobody Loves Me Like You

by Shalese Sands

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."     =-- Psalm 121:1-2

 

-- On Jan. 10, 2019, I slipped on the ice in my yard and fell backward hard. I didn't hit my head, but my neck whipped back in the process. I had some bruises and was a little sore, but otherwise felt fine. About 10 days later, I started getting numbness in the fingers on my right hand. The numbness would last maybe 5 or 10 minutes, then it would just go away. Then I started having migraines, and wasn't really sure what was going on. I talked with my doctor about it, and she did some tests (including a CT), but nothing of concern showed up. So the doctor gave me some migraine medication.

In the meantime, I had such severe pain in the back of my neck that it would actually wake me up sometimes during the night. About that time, I started hearing Chris Tomlin's song, “Nobody Loves Me Like You,” playing on the radio. The words were very meaningful:

“Morning, I see you in the sunrise every morning;

It's like a picture that you've painted for me; A love letter in the sky”

-- I started hearing it on the radio over and over. When it came on the radio at night, listening to it gave me a sense of peace and calm. It reminded me that God's got this and made it easier to fall back asleep.

-- My symptoms worsened to the point where I would get numbness in my hand and tingling multiple times a day for 5 or 10 minutes, and then it would just quit. Sometimes it would start with one finger and spread to all of them, then just disappear. A couple of times, I actually had some aphasia – meaning I knew what I was trying to say, but it came out all garbled. Again, for only about 10 minutes. That happened one time when I was at my parents' house for supper, and they were very close to bringing me to the ER. But after 10 minutes, I was fine again.

-- Finally, in mid-February, my doctor wanted me to have an MRI to try to figure out what was wrong. I'd never done an MRI before, so I was kind of intimidated about that. Guess what was one of the first songs that came on when they gave me headphones to listen to while doing the MRI? "Nobody Loves Me Like You”! I felt so much peace: “All right, God's got me. Whatever this is, He's got me.” Through this whole ordeal, that song would come on again and again, just when I needed it.

-- In the end, it turned out that my left carotid artery had been dissected from my fall. That created a 90- percent blockage, and I was having mini-strokes as a result. I had to be on blood thinners for three months (and baby aspirin for life after that), but finally the dissection completely healed. I’ll always be grateful for the Lord reminding me that He loves me and is always with me, no matter what I’m going through.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me like nobody else.  Help us all to trust in Your love through all the hard times of life. —Amen.

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* * * * *

Praise the Lord, O My Soul

by Abby Palacios

After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before

the throne and before the Lamb.... And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10

 

-- I grew up speaking English and Spanish, and worshipping in a Spanish-speaking church. My mom also speaks and reads English perfectly well, but when she hears a song at church, if she knows it in Spanish, she sings it in Spanish. That’s the version she connects with most deeply, because it lives in her heart. 

-- The song “Praise the Lord, O My Soul” by Elevation Worship has been a favorite at home, and when I stumbled across a version played by a mariachi band on TikTok, I tracked down the full video on YouTube (you can find it by searching for “Praise Mariachi Contador Cover”). It is really meaningful to see this great song sung and played in a way that resonates with our culture as well.

-- I have discovered more versions of worship songs we all know and love in Spanish, and while they’re beautiful in both languages, there’s just something special about hearing them in the language I learned first.  At the end of the day, God understands us all and speaks to us all, regardless of the language we use.

 

Gracias, Señor, por todas las idiomas en el mundo. Thank you for all the languages and people in the world. Help us all to praise You always. Amen.

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* * * * *

"Just as I Am"

by Marlene Hovland

 

"Just as I am, without one plea; But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that Thou biddest me come to Thee; O Lamb of God, I come, I come." -Charlotte Elliott

 

-- I grew up in a church that taught me to believe in the God that I know today. But I thought that I had to do good things to get to heaven. And it was hard, because I was constantly messing up.

Then, when I was 22, I heard an evangelist share that the only way to heaven was by God’s grace, given through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. As the audience sang “Just as I Am” during an altar call, I walked forward. I prayed the sinner’s prayer and accepted Jesus into my life as my Savior and Lord. Oh, what relief I felt!

-- I looked in the Bible, and it confirmed all I had heard that night. My confusion was replaced with purpose. Anxiety was replaced with peace. My perfectionism was changed to accepting myself as God does. JUST AS I AM!

-- I’ve found that God continues to teach me by many means and through many people. God continues to help me with relationships and decisions that I make. And I'm sure thankful to Him for that!

By the way, that evangelist was David Wilkerson, who founded Adult and Teen Challenge in 1958. Some members who’ve recently found new life through this group in Minnesota are coming to share with us at FCC on Sunday, June 28. God continues to change lives for eternity. All praise to Him!

 

Thank You, Jesus, for dying for us and rising again to give us new life. Thank you that we don’t

have to do anything to earn this free gift. Help us to praise You always.    --Amen.

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* * * * *

"Amazing Grace"

By Stephanie Tollefsrud

 

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants." -- Psalm 116:15

 

-- My Grandpa Frank loved music and was quite the harmonica player! Some of my favorite memories are from when he would take out his “teeth” and play the harmonica for us grandchildren. We would laugh, dance in circles, and sing silly songs!

-- In 1997 (my senior year of High School), Grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was hard to listen to his voice get rattling and then eventually disappear. But, I remember as I visited him in the hospital near his final days, he seemed to find great joy in the hymns we would sing and play for him - his smile assured us he was worshipping the Lord with all his heart.

-- On Aug. 5, 1998, as I was listening to the sweet harmonica playing on Lori Line’s instrumental arrangement of “Amazing Grace,” my Grandpa Frank took his last breath on earth. I was touched and moved, as I had been given the greatest sign that he had just woken up in heaven and was playing that hymn in glory. 

-- Since that moment, “Amazing Grace” has been an extra special song of faith to me.

 

"Thank You, heavenly Father, for giving us assurance of our loved ones’ eternal destiny. Grant us the grace to walk with You through our last days on earth." -- Amen

 

* * * * *

A Blessing in Disguise

by Shalese Sands

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

 

-- Since 2017, my artwork was represented by a gallery on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. In 2022, the owners had another gallery in Lahaina, on the island of Maui, and they emailed me to ask if I would create another body of work for the Lahaina gallery. They were going to fly me out to Hawaii (I’d never been there), put me up in a hotel, and pay for a sunset cruise with high-end clients, whale-watching, food, and who knows what else. I was very excited about this possibility and the opportunities it would afford me!

-- Unfortunately, as I started working on the art, I realized I had too much on my plate (with the other gallery, plus commissions and inventory for shows I needed to complete), and I wouldn’t have time to create enough high-quality pieces. I emailed the manager and apologized, but bowed out of the opportunity. She thanked me for giving her a good amount of notice and for my honesty. After I mourned the loss of that dream working vacation for a while, I prayed and gave it up to the Lord. Then, I forgot about it.

-- The next year, on August 8, 2023, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century tore through Lahaina, killing at least 100 people and destroying over 2,000 buildings. One of those buildings was the gallery in which my work would have been shown. It was burned to the ground. I realized that if my art had been there, all of it – at least eight pieces - would have been destroyed. That would have been at least half a year’s worth of work. I was thankful that my art was spared, and maybe someday I’ll get to Hawaii another way!

 

Thank You, Lord, for sparing us from things that would be more than we could handle. Thank you for walking with us through troubles when they do come.

Grant us Your perfect peace, whatever our circumstances. -- Amen.

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* * * * *

 

The Lost is Found

by Carol Westberg

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ Luke 15:9

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-- In 1963, my husband Paul and I packed up the things we wanted from my parents’ house in Atwater, where they had recently passed away. We were living in Minneapolis, so we planned to store the items, including my wedding dress, at Paul’s parents’ home in Willmar. We loaded everything in the back of a pickup. Thinking we had secured everything, we took off. My wedding dress was still in its box, and securely tied – we thought.

-- The next day, my uncle called me. “Is your wedding dress with you? It was just on KWLM radio that someone found one.”  I called Paul’s parents, but his mother couldn’t find it. It turned out it had blown out around the underpass west of Atwater. It was still in the box.

-- I was so grateful to the honest person who found it.  Also, my daughter was grateful when, 26 years later, she was able to wear my dress for her own wedding.

 

Thank You, heavenly Father, for caring about the little things. Thank you to the honest people who also care.

Help us to care about the little things of others, too. -- Amen      PS – with God’s guidance and help, we are both still married!

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End of a Season

by Kari Stadem

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

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-- Every autumn for 30 years, my father had been ready to get out of the cold and down to Phoenix. For many years, he and my stepmother (“Mama Dee”) left Minnesota in October and returned in May or even June if he could manage it. Mama Dee always wanted to be around here more often to watch the grandchildren in programs, games, concerts, and plays, but Dad would say, “You don't have to come, but I'm leaving for Arizona on October 15th.” The last couple of years, his health hasn’t been the greatest, so they waited until after Christmas to head down south. But as soon as the temperatures dipped below freezing, he would ask, “Why aren’t we in Arizona yet? When are we leaving?”

-- As Dad’s dementia has grown worse, we kids decided that it was too risky for them to be in Arizona, and we gave up the lease on their apartment. This fall, we’ve been wondering how the transition would go. Yesterday, my parents were over for weekly supper with the family, and Mama Dee told me that the other day, Dad looked out the window and said, “What a beautiful snowfall.” She couldn't believe it. He hasn't mentioned the word Arizona once, despite the cold and the snow. Either he doesn’t remember Arizona, or he has reconciled himself to staying in Minnesota.

--It reminded me of a story my mom told about when I was 18 and headed off to college. Our family performed musical programs at churches throughout Minnesota, averaging more than 25 programs per year for at least 8 years. My parents decided they couldn't continue without me (our family of five needed every member to contribute). They would feel bad saying no to all the requests that would pour in. However, after they made the decision, my mom only had to turn down two requests. There was no Facebook, social media, or websites to announce their decision. We sang at churches from all different denominations, so it wasn't necessarily word of mouth. God confirmed to my parents that they were right — our family singing season was over.

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Regarding my dad, God confirmed to Mama Dee and his children that the right decision had been made. The Arizona season is over, and my dad is accepting it contentedly.

Thank you, Lord, for the seasons of our lives and for the way they can end peacefully.

Help us to enjoy each season and to embrace its endings with joy and contentment. Amen.

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