Loving One Another

Last night was our final night for our spring semester of ESL (English-as-a-Second Language) classes. What a joy it is to be used by God to help improve the lives of refugees, immigrants and international students. As we teach English we reach out with the love of Christ to those who are often marginalized or isolated in our society. When we are faithful in loving one another, God accomplishes great things through our obedience.

Several of our students obtained jobs and others received job promotions due to their increased English proficiency and the dedicated efforts of our ESL teachers. The children entered the building each week with joyful enthusiasm, barely containing themselves from running down the hall to enjoy their time with our fun-loving childcare volunteers. Our "ESL Angels" brought in healthy snacks, which nourished our students and their families both body & soul.

One student took time to write a thank you letter stating, "In this school, I found a group of friendly and generous people." Another student commented on how different this "school" was from other places she had gone to study English. Love and kindness are what this student said she sensed when she was here among us.

Smiles, hugs and expressions of gratitude filled the air as we parted ways for the summer months. What a difference love makes and what an impact we have when we simply and sincerely love one another!

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13: 34-35

The Aftermath of Easter

Words are fun! I love to research their origins and history. Take for example the word "aftermath." Today's most common use of this noun is to refer to something that results or follows from an event, especially one of a disastrous or unfortunate nature. (the aftermath of war; the aftermath of the flood.) However, in the early 1500's, "mǣth" was an Old English word that meant "a mowing." Originally, "aftermath" referred to the second crop of grass grown following the harvesting of the first crop of grass in the same season.

We just celebrated the most significant event in the church calendar - the resurrection of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Easter services were wonderful! The church was full to the brim; with people, with praise, with the Spirit's presence, with the sound of breaking chains, with new growth. There were many cards submitted with our responses to what chains were binding us as we entered the service and what a difference it made to be set free from those chains. Praise be to God!

I encourage you to make time daily to consider the "aftermath." Will you choose continued growth and additional harvest in your spiritual life, or will you inadvertently pick up the same chains that you so joyfully threw off this past weekend?

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:7-9