Those Hands

For something a little different, a poem:

Those hands
So strong and rough
Used for working
And carving and sanding
A Carpenter's hands

Those hands so careful and precise
Used for choosing
And leading and showing
A Teacher's hands

Those hands
So soft and gentle
Used for loving
And caring and helping
A Healer's hands

Those hands
So humble and obeying
Used for washing
And doing and respecting
A Servant's hands

Those hands
So broken and bruised
Used for sacrificing
And forgiving and accepting
The Savior's hands

Last Words

We've all heard of "famous last words," right? You know, when the bad guy comes up on screen and says to the hero, "any last words?" Then the hero says something sarcastic and ends up beating the bad guy. Cliche, isn't it?
From Beethoven's "Friends applaud, the comedy is over" to Juliet's "This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die," everyone has last words. What they want to say in their final moments. Most people would like to say something profound and earth-shattering. Something to leave one last mark in the world.
Well, Jesus had some pretty famous last words, too. His last words really did shatter the earth, as we knew it. Acts 1:8 is when Jesus gives his final words before ascending into Heaven. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Yeah, I put it in a different color for effect.)
Now, I think it's very important that Jesus said this. Here, He was talking to the apostles right before He leaves the earth. He won't be visiting in the flesh again until the Second Coming, so what He's saying He must REALLY want people to know. Jesus tells them that even though He's leaving, the Holy Spirit (another form of God) will come to them. This is an important fact because it states clearly that we will NOT be alone. Then, Jesus goes on to give us a command. That's right. His last words to us are a command.
Jesus says that we will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and everywhere else, too. So not all of us happen to live in Jerusalem. If you don't, take this into account. Be His witnesses in your town, in your state, in your country, and to the ends of the earth. Does that help put it in perspective? Jesus is saying, "Hey guys, I'm leaving, but the Holy Spirit is gonna be with you. And I also want you to go tell the world about Me, starting in your towns and moving outwards until everyone's heard the Good News!" It's God's will for our lives in a single sentence.
So Jesus' last words were basically: Go. Witness. Every single Christian on this planet has the same call. Go. Witness. Jesus would not have said it if He didn't mean it. Are we going? Are we witnessing? When you're not sure what God's will for your life is, that's it. Go. Witness. Everywhere.

Apology

Hey guys. I know it's been forever since we've written. We're really REALLY sorry. For a while, we just didn't know WHAT to write! We'll try and get back into the swing of things. Both of us have been growing and learning during the time we haven't written, so hopefully we'll be able to come back with some fresh new ideas. We hope we'll get some of the old readers to come back and maybe pick up some new readers along the way. Keep checking back, and we'll try to keep posting!

Fireproof

We're not exactly sure how many of you are aware of the movie that has recently come out called "Fireproof." It was produced by a church in Albany, Georgia called Sherwood Baptist. They've made three movies now (Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof) that have been released to the public. The cool thing is that this is a form of ministry!
"Fireproof," which stars Kirk Cameron for anyone who's a fan of him, is a movie that focuses on the importance of marriage. That's a good thing, because in this day and age, sometimes people forget how important that relationship really is. With help and support from his parents, a coworker, and God, this volunteer fireman works hard to try and right his wrongs and bring love back between him and his wife. Besides having a good message about how love is truly the key to a long-lasting marriage, "Fireproof" is filled with other uplifting spiritual meanings, too. Plus, there's some good comic relief in there as well! Compared to the other two movies Sherwood has made, this movie doesn't let down on quality. However, it is a little bit more intense than the last two. Personally, this is one of the best films I've seen all year. I highly recommend seeing it.
If you've seen it already, feel free to post your review as a comment!

In Service to the King,
Sarah

Rain Video

Hey guys! Remember to check out the poll and post a response. :)

Our youth pastor once showed us a really cool video called "Rain." It was made by a guy named Rob Bell. The video is on YouTube so you can check it out there if you want to.
This video was a very simple yet amazing analogy about how God is our Father and will do anything to bring us through our hard times.
Rob was taking his one-year-old son out for a walk around the lake. It started out as a pretty day, but about half-way around the lake, when they were at the farthest point from their house, it started to rain. At first, it was just sprinkling, but then it began to get harder. Rob's son was starting to cry. He put his son's rain jacket hood on him to keep him dry, but the baby had pulled the hood off. It began to pour, and the trees were swaying with the wind. Rob's son began to wail and sob because he was so scared. Rob took the baby out of the back carrier and held him tightly in his arms. As he trudged along, he continuously whispered into his son's ear, "I love you, buddy. We're going to make it. Dad knows the way home. I love you, buddy." Finally, they made it back.
Rob said he wouldn't have traded that experience with his son for anything. It allowed him to show his son just how much he loved him. Think about God this way. Sometimes we go through some hard times, but God is right there holding us and carrying us through it, saying, "I love you. We're going to make it. Dad knows the way home." When we're crying, lost, and all wet, God, our Father, always knows the way home.