Submitted by Anthony Brauer
Church Member/ Outreach Coordinator
On September 6, 1969, my parents got married, so this past Sunday was their 40th wedding anniversary. Thus this would be a lesson for the day. No matter how many statistics you may hear, it does happen. People do find that person, that compliments them. That person that does well what you don’t. That person that is there for you and builds a life with you. That person that when you wake up next to them, whether it be after 1 year – 7 years – 40 years, you look at all you have done together, and you know, you could not have done it alone. You did it together and yet still not alone. You know that there is something, or should I say someone, that is a part of that relationship. Some one that guides you, both of you. Someone named Jesus. I thought on Sunday, wow 40 years what a long time, and then I thought to myself this year will be 7 for me and Melissa, and 40 years doesn’t seem long enough.
On Sunday morning I got up as always for Church. Hadn’t slept well, overworked my still broken elbow and just felt run down. Melissa suggested I stay home and rest, and I felt like staying home to rest. I didn’t stay home. I decided I had commitments to take care of at Church, ushering and counting, so I would go and possibly leave early. We took separate cars, and Melissa arrived before me,and by the time I arrived, she had already gotten someone to usher on my behalf,and volunteered to count. She had also proceeded to let everyone know I wasn’t feeling well, so I was pleasently greeted with concern. With everything taken care of, I decided, I would stay for some worship and then head home. Well as it turns out we had received our first check from the Frys Giftcard prgram, and Jeff and Cindy wanted me to come up and open it in front of the congregation. I agreed, but was trying to temper enthusiasm before I opened the check. Everyone was excited to see what amount the check was for, but I was forewarning them, that it was only for the first 5 weeks or so that we had started. Basically I was preparing everyone for what I anticiptaed was a low number. Pastor called
me up and I opened the check. And how much was it for? $258.96! Lesson number 2 for the day, sometimes you do things even when you don’t feel up to them. That isn’t really the lesson. The lesson is more of a question. Why do we do them even when we feel like we aren’t up to it? Is it because we feel we have “commitments,” like I said above? Or is it because someone is willing you on in your tough times, someone who knows something good something you have no idea about is going to happen? God knows that even during times, when you don’t feel or aren’t at your best, that there are still things at work, and if you push through and continue on good things are there. (My example here is obviously not a monumental life changing issue, but if God is with us through the little things why wouldn’t he be there during the much tougher and more demanding times? Helping us get through so we can experience all the good knowing him has to offer.)
Allow me to paint a picture for the last and most impactful lesson for me.
Right now there are people out there in our community in our state in our
country and even in the world, some that I may know, some that might know a
friend or a friend of a friend, and even some whom I do not directly know and
may never know, but those people will be affected through The Bridge through an idea by me. It was a simple idea to introduce the Frys Giftcard program to The Bridge. Honestly, it hasn’t taken tons of my time or energy. All this being said, i think about that first check for $258.96. This check was for a 5 week period. Over the course of the year at that rate we are looking at over $2500. That is money we have decided will be used specifically for missions and outreach. My idea, and I will steal this from Pastor’s sermon on Sunday, My one “God” idea will allow us as a Church to be able to touch many lives. I have trouble wrapping my head around the fact that right now there can be a widow in Honduras, whose home someone can help build becasue my simple idea raised money to help send someone there to do it. This is the beauty of God. I get a simple “God” idea from him, and now I can’t even grasp the potential reach of what a simple idea can do. The lesson is this; you don’t need the big idea, you just need to run with an idea you are passionate about, no matter what size. You will be suprised how “big” a “small” idea really is.
Taking the 6C challenge
teams that rotate volunteering one Sunday a month. If you would like to be on one of these teams please let us know. The work is easy and there is always some good conversation, and the feeling that what they are doing is making a difference to those who attend the service that day.
Okay Bridge Laveen members here is your chance to let us know what you love about Laveen. We started this on the chalkboard during the service this last Sunday and got comments like…
Yesterday in Jeff’s message I loved the comments about Nathaniel from John 1: 35-39
We celebrate what God has done in the past… We celebrate what God is doing in the present… But we haven’t seen anything yet. Greater things are yet to come in our families, in our church and in our community. Come be a part of what God is doing at The Bridge over the next 5 weeks. (We ain’t seen nothin’ yet!)
