Reaching out from Grand Lake Community Chapel
Greetings in Christ!
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Let us rejoice in life-giving rainfall that brings lushness to our gardens and lawns, and let us be glad for the sunshine that follows the rain. Sometimes the rain gets in the way of our outdoor plans, but it’s absolutely necessary for growth. And it’s free!
A balance of rain and sunshine are necessary for the health of gardens and crops. Too much rain, and seeds are washed away; too little rain, and flowers wither away. Too much sunshine, and crops are burned; too little sunshine and plants cannot grow. While an imperfect analogy, human beings need a balance of delight and stress in our lives in order for us to grow. We seek out delightful experiences and people, and we do our best to avoid unpleasant ones; which makes perfect sense! But without a bit of stress, without a few unpleasant encounters or challenging circumstances in life, we won’t learn resilience and develop inner strength. And we won’t turn to God for help. We won’t let God be God, supporting and sustaining us through the rough patches of life, protecting us from the rainfall so that we can be nourished by the sunshine. Again, an imperfect analogy, but the point is made; as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in 1842, “into every life some rain must fall.” Thanks be to God that we don’t face the rain alone, and thanks be to God that the rain will never wash us away.
God bless you, Karen and Greg
Home: (989) 474-9116, Cell: (734) 502-5969 revgregrc@yahoo.com / revgreggl@yahoo.com revkarenrc@yahoo.com / revkarengl@yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________________________
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” – Psalm 28:7
Grand Lake Community Chapel 