Keep Walking!!!

Beloved, I hope and pray that you receive this Wednesday Word with all of the love and encouragement that I intend in sending it to you. I am still so thankful for your recognition of our four years together, Pastor with congregation. Our relationship is one ordered by God and one that I try to faithfully lead us in through the power of the Holy Spirit. I miss seeing each and every one of you who have still not reached a level of comfort in coming back to worship service but I understand that it is an individual decision. Among the many choices that life gives us, we have decisions that we must make. How we make these decisions will determine the quality of the life that we will live. As I have said to you frequently because I know it to be true, "Your life will be the sum total of every decision that you make, good or bad." As a result, living life is like taking a journey where you are constantly being bombarded by crossroads. You can go in this direction or that direction. You face crossroads in your health. You face crossroads in your wealth. You face crossroads in your relationships. How do you decide among the choices that life throws at you? Sometimes, the indecision among the choices can seem like a darkness in your journey marked by the exclamation in your spirit, in your heart, in your mind, and sometimes from your mouth, "I don't know what to do!" Beloved, we all face uncertainty in life. So, to that degree, none of us are special. But, because God has given us free will, we all must make a decision in the midst of uncertainty. And, how we make our decisions colors the uniqueness of our life and existence, on this side of glory and on the other side of glory. How do you decide? You see, you must decide. How will you take the next step in your life? King David, the king after God's own heart, wrote in Psalm 23:4, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff - they comfort me." Beloved, David wrote that no matter what he was going through, he was going to trust in God. The crossroads of life in health, wealth, and relationships for David were an opportunity to trust in God. David expected for God's rod to guide him as a shepherd guided his sheep and David expected for God's staff to protect him as a shepherd protected his sheep. Beloved, because of this protection, David faced everyday knowing that God would always provide everything that David needed. So, David could face indecision, difficult times, and troubling circumstances with the certainty that he could and should keep moving forward. He could keep walking. Beloved, do you have that certainty in God? You should. The God of David is your God too. And, God will walk with you through your times of indecision, difficulty, and troubling circumstances in your health, wealth and relationships. God has not forgotten you. God is there to guide and protect you. Why? So, just like David, you can keep walking. Beloved, keep walking with God in your health when sickness and death visit your door. There is no safer place to be than in the presence of God. Beloved, keep walking with God in your wealth when loss and lack come around. There is no better place to be than in the presence of God. Beloved, keep walking with God in your relationships when chaos looms, love seems lost, and the way forward is cloudy. There is no greater place to be than in the presence of God. Beloved, keep walking!!! The darkest valley is not your destiny. It is your test on your way to your testimony of the goodness and greatness of God. Keep walking!!! Beloved, stay encouraged in your walk through the dark people, places and things in your life. God is with you every step of the way. And, to stay encouraged, connect with the other faithful walkers, those trusting in God to help them to make it through...just like you. Connect for Noonday Prayer. Keep walking!!! Connect for the sermonic message on The Light radio station or internet at 3pm. Keep walking!!! Connect for HOPE Wednesday at 6:30pm. Keep walking!!! Connect for Sunday Worship service - in person, Facebook Live, or Zoom teleconference. Keep walking!!! Connect for virtual Sunday School on Sunday at 6pm. Keep walking!!! You keep walking!!! And, while you are walking with God, remember that God loves you and I love you too!!! Be blessed, Rev. Cain