Pastor’s Corner – Sunday, Nov 9

Dear Beloved,

Last night I was in a meeting where a question came up - “Is hope a strategy?” That question caused me to pause, and I was pondering it during my prayer time this morning and still am. It made me wonder if other things that are essential to my being are strategies? Are compassion, gratitude, grace, and creativity strategies? I should probably stop to look up the definition of strategies, but at the moment I really only want to give thanks to God for these gifts that come from God the Maker of the heavens and the earth, that are embodied by Jesus our Leader, and that radiate from the Spirit. 

I rejoice in these gifts of God and so many more that flow from God, and to me, are parts of God and also ways of living and being in the world. Yes, for me, they are also probably survival strategies. I imagine that I’ll be pondering this for a while because as I reflect I feel overwhelmed (in the good kind of way), by God’s kindness, generosity, wisdom, power, faithfulness, and love. I pray that as the daylight and time spent outside decreases (which is challenging for some of us) we can find encouragement in these gifts of God and so many, many innumerable blessings from God. And if you rejoice that the weather here (if you are here in the midwest) is getting colder and this season excites you, I pray you can also find encouragement in the extravagant ways in which God shows us care. 

May we all take time to be still with God that we may continue to reflect the hope of made known in Jesus our Deliverer and our Shalom. May you always know you are cherished by the Creator of the most distant star and as near as your unique soul.  

With gratitude and hope,

   Sarah 

But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.  Psalm 71:14