Prayer

Our summer weather has shown up in a big way! And it's not even summer yet! Hope your week has been a good one, how is the weather in your part of the world?

We got our week started last Saturday with all the blessing of Christ showing up. All the camps are doing ok. Trying to survive the heat and mosquitos. Basketball team was busy with their practices and feedings. Garden work is on going, trying to stay one step ahead of the weeds! The Bright House II gang was busy painting and putting the finally touches on the house. Walked into the Friendship room to find a table full of young students meeting together about our summer camp. What a blessing to see all of God's work in action.

Monday was our first day of summer camp activities. Great to see everything going on, games, crafts, learning, food, snacks. The children are divided into groups making their way around to the different activities. What a blessing to see and hear all the children enjoying themselves so much.

Tuesday evening the men of the community gathered to listen and share what God is doing in their lives. We read from Matthew 6, talking about giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, treasures in Heaven and not worrying. One of the thoughts coming out of our discussions, was being reminded who is in charge of our lives.

Thursday evening, we gathered for our chapel time, meal and groceries. Our friends from Elizabeth Baptist Church brought a multitude of folks to help with the evening. Minister Barbara shared the Word as Ms Abbie shared the songs. A packed house of community members came to enjoy everything. Nice to see it all happening as God has it planned.

Prayers for our camps. With these unbearable temperatures and humidity, life is hard living outside. Jerry said, he would love to wear short pants, but can't because of all the mosquitos. Prayers for the families in Orlando. Prayers for our community. With the hot weather, tempers are at an all time high, resulting in hard feelings. Prayers for God's lvoe to touch us all.

Please contact Matt @ mattwhitehead@bellsouth.net or Vicki @ vickivalentine@bellsouth.net for the game times this week.

Happy Father's Day to all our men of the community. Thank you for all you do for our community.

Reading my devotionals this morning, they all talked about prayer. In the reading of Matthew 6 verses 5 - 15, Jesus talks about praying and the importance of it. Jesus thought prayer was so important, in verses 9 - 13 He gives us the words to pray by. Last night in chapel, we had some hurt feelings, so we stopped what we were doing and prayed. What is prayer? Why is it so important?

Prayer is a way for us to have a conversation with God. Over the years, when we have asked the children to pray, sometimes they don't know what to say. They have the impression they must same something special or religious. We will tell them to have a conversation with God, just like you do with your father or mother. The first line of the Lord's prayer, Our Father in heaven.

Verse 10, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. This is all about God, His Kingdom, His will on earth. Not mr brian's, not ours, but God's. If we want our community to survive then it must be about God's will.

A couple of paragraphs in Max Lucado's devotional this morning:

Let's pray—most! Did God call us to preach without ceasing? Or teach without ceasing? Or have committee meetings without ceasing? Or sing without ceasing? No, but he did call us to "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17).

Did Jesus declare…my house shall be called a house of study? Fellowship? Music? A house of activities? No, but he did say "My house will be called a house of prayer" (Mark 11:17).  Jesus said, "When two of you get together on anything and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action" (Matthew 18:19).

Let's take action this week, the action of prayer. The world needs prayer, needs God's lvoe now more than ever. God's way is the only way out of the mess we are in and unless we pray we will never know what that plan is. Amen.

Have a great week. Come and join in on the fun at summer camp. Let's pray without ceasing this week!