JANUARY 10, 2012

Sunday Vicki Peterson, Beth Anne Swanson, and Cindy Jenson are coming to lead the singing time with hymns on their violins. Don will be speaking on the Kingdom of God. It was so neat when Vicki confirmed Don's email which he sent to suggest some hymns he thought would be appropriate for the devotional he will share. She responded back that those very hymns were the ones God had placed on her heart to play. God must have a plan for this Sunday !

I have stopped in a couple times to visit with the residents. I was able to read Psalm 34 to one new friend and asked her if she knew how very special she was. She shook her head no and said she did not feel special at all. I was able to share with her how very valuable she is to God-how He valued her so highly that He sent His Son to die for her so she could live with Him forever. I promised her that I would be back to visit soon and how God has placed her on my mind so many times and He has given me a love for her too.

It always amazes me how some of these dear saints encourage me way more than I could ever encourage them. One friend who I have visited several times was in a lot of back pain at one visit. I asked her if I could pray for her back and she was so happy. I wanted to know what else I could pray for for her and she thought for a minute before responding, "Just pray for God's good and perfect will." Her life is hard, she's in pain, and she misses loved ones who have gone on before her, yet everything she says and does is evident of the Holy Spirit within her. I told her she surely had a ministry there at Fairhaven encouraging those around her to seek God's glory in everything. She has such a heart of gratitude that can't help but be expressed. I told her that she had ministered to me in a very meaningful way. At that, she started crying and was so thankful God had used her. I am learning from being there that God uses every surrendered heart for His glory. Nothing can hinder His presence, work, and love. It reminded me of the verses, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Ro. 8:35-39

We are the blessed ones sharing in this ministry with you.