FROM THE DESK OF THE PASTOR

Greetings!
One thing I love about scripture is the little lessons in between the stories. The subtle details that speak volumes to our lives. As Karissa and I prepare for our baby boy at the end of February, we have been making a list of some of the things that need to be done. We need to think about our upcoming finances, changes in insurance, naming a child, getting a nursery ready, and the list goes on and on. When we start to make a list like this, sometimes it seems like we need to continually work on it, but our list never seems to end.
Jesus teaches us some important messages about preparing for the busyness of life. In the three busy years of Jesus' ministry, Jesus often took some of the little time that he had to rest. One of my favorite examples comes in the 14th chapter of Matthew. Jesus had just performed a miracle by feeding the 5000, and he then sent off the crowd and his disciples so that he could be alone and pray. He then spent time alone, praying to prepare him for more ministry. After he rests, the disciples are afraid during a storm on the lake, and he then walks on water
to join them.
The power of rest is something that this story speaks about. Even in the midst of the craziness of life, we need to follow in Jesus' steps and take a step back to take some time to rest. Because when we rest, we restore ourselves from the work behind us and prepare ourselves for the work ahead. So, what do you do to relax?
What are the ways in which you take time away from all of the things on your to-do list and just rest and connect with God? For Karissa and I, one of those ways is to make sure that we take time most days to play a game.
This allows us to deliberately spend time with each other so that we can take care of ourselves and our relationship. It also gets us out of our reality and into a different world of the game. This gives us the energy to do all the other tasks without allowing them to take over our lives. Don't forget to follow in Jesus' footsteps, take time for yourself, and find rejuvenation. Doing so may just leave you open to performing miracles.
"9 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and  were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later
that night, he was there alone," - Matthew 14:19-23
Blessings,
Rev. Cameron Miller