Caffeine Crackin' Slaps to the Soul - Thanks for Blogging!!!

I can’t thank you enough for participating in the reading and blog this fall. God used our time  to sling shot me personally into 2018 with a deeper appreciation for the gift of life, gift of serving others, and gift of having houseboats as a place to see God work.  

Each week for me contained one stiff espresso-poppin’ “Red Eye” jolt after another calling me to sacrificial, servant love which rebounds in praise, glory, and honor to Christ as I ride on the loose electricity of His Kingdom come IN OUR MIDST!!! – YEE HAW!!!!

An example of those caffeine laced zingers from our most recent reading…..
“The car in the driveway, the house I live in, the pen in my pocket, the watch on my wrist, the computer I use to compose these reflections— all belong to God. I am merely a steward of them. If all possessions belong to God, is there anything that is really mine/ ours? There is. The small part of God’s truth that we manage to understand and struggle to live out is truly ours, and we will “take it with us.”

Personally, I feel God used the blog and Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes to keep me connected to how His brilliant compassion impacts folks in the gospel, on houseboats, and through our training/discipleship together as Sonshine staff. 

This morning I was reading Nehemiah 9.  I feel like these verses paraphrase for me today Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes.  I feel like the Parables chapters and the entire book served for me as thousands up thousands of different cues and signals to remind that God’s heart is good, His presence is amazing, and His Kingdom is worth more than anything FOR EVERYTHING.

In these verses Nehemiah and the Israelites praise God for His strength and joy that allowed for them to work together.  Their dependence on God as the glue to define, inspire, and connect their sociology culminates in the following:

"They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God."

“Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."

"You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love."

"From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies.

And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.

But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully,"

Thanks for participating in the blog and reading.  I already semi-posted on our final reading in my comment/post on Miriam’s “Thoughts on Justice,” but I wanted to post one more time to say thanks for sharing your time and effort in reading the book and blogging.

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