iforty pipeline

We all come from such different places and circumstances and the LORD reveals to each us in such different and magnificent ways. So this week we thought it would be encouraging to hear from different people their thoughts on BLESSING.

May you be “blessed” by their words . . .

I started thinking tonight about blessing, rolling through the list of all the obvious ones – shelter, food, clothes, car, job, free country, etc. But what about those blessings that are not material? Believe me I love my creature comforts, but if they were all stripped away, would I still be blessed? As a child of God, I have to answer absolutely.
After all, man cannot live on bread alone . . .
Two words popped out at me as I began to think about the deeper blessings I have because of Christ – SUFFERING & HOPE. I am blessed with SUFFERING because through it the LORD grows, deepens, and stretches me in wisdom and in grace towards others. Through suffering you begin to see with new eyes that we are all on a journey and all need grace so desperately. I am blessed with HOPE in that suffering. Through the Holy Spirit we have been gifted an unquenchable HOPE, an ability to keeping going, persevering through the trials, to see that Light at the end of the tunnel. What an incredible thing to be given to be able to learn through Suffering and live through it because Hope.

~ Chelsey

Blessings!
Sunday night’s message was awesome and something I really needed to hear and reflect on. I feel like I do get caught up in only the things I can actually see and touch when I think about blessings, but it is so much more! FORGIVENESS!!! This blessing is what has been on my heart. When we just think about what Jesus did for us! It is such a blessing to know the guilt goes away and you are restored and have peace in your heart. And what a blessing that is for us to do the same for each other. Knowing that if another person wronged us and we can FORGIVE! That would bring peace possibly to them, but it can bring it to the forgiver as well.
Now Blessings From a Teacher!
I looked to my classroom for other blessings as well. Since this is where I am all day everyday, I thought I would share a quick story of how I was blessed by one of my 5 year olds today. I have a little boy in my class who is one of four children and they recently lost their mother at the beginning of the school year. They lived out of state, in poverty, and when they lost their mom they moved here. A relative offered to take care of the kids (what a blessing she is in their lives)!!! Their mom was electrocuted in their back yard in front of all of the kids. They sat there and watched their mom die. I can’t even imagine. He has been a blessing in my class just to see his smiling face everyday! It is so neat that we just talked about blessings on Sunday because this little boy blessed me so much today. We were doing our daily writing and he came up to me and read his story with just a smiling glow on his face. His story said, “I accepted Jesus in my heart last night!” We just had our own little party there between the two of us. I wish you could’ve seen the excitement on his face and how proud he was. I wish we could all show that same excitement for our God!!! Faith like a child! He blessed my day with that little story. I hope this encouraged you a little and maybe you can see that even when times are tough, Jesus shines through and pours down His blessings!!!!

~Amber

I feel like God blesses me everyday with each breath I take. Knowing that I have the opportunity to praise Him and glorify Him in anything I do that day. I feel like God has blessed me with gifts that must be used at every opportunity to bring about glory to the Father and advance His kingdom in this world. I feel like God has blessed me with a family that keeps me grounded and focused on Him instead of myself, teaching me to understand a little better what it means to be loved by the Father. I feel like God has blessed me with a ministry that will make a real difference in this world and for the future generations to come. Looking at the stars, the mountains, the snow, I realize that I am blessed with a God who cares about me even when I am so tiny in all of grand and glorious creation. Yet he loves me? I am blessed that the God of the universe and all creation knows me by name and knows what I am about to say before I know myself. I am blessed!
~Jason

“Have a blessed day…” That is how the email ended, and I got to thinking – ‘a blessed day’ – what does that mean? Is there something particular about this day, something special – it’s not my birthday, or a vacation day – those are easy ‘blessed’ days. I have to work, meet with someone, write a sermon, plan an event or two…in fact the day will rush by and before I know it, it will be 5pm, and I will not have finished half the stuff I wanted to, then home, then dinner, then a quick walk for the dogs, then a call I couldn’t make and a chat with my wife…before I collapse into bed, and get my 6 hours and then start all over again….and yet somehow, in the midst of that – there was blessing????
So often, we get caught up in the business of life that we forget to realize the subtle blessings that we have experienced throughout the day. To start, I have a great job, at a church I love, in a ministry I am passionate about. I have the ability to think and work and use my God-given-giftedness. I go home to a fridge full of food and a wife whom I adore…I sleep soundly, knowing that my faith is in the One who cares for me more than I can even imagine…
I guess what I am trying to say, is that it is a blessed day, even when I don’t take the time to realize it. I am blessed, and thus need to bless others.

So, “Have a blessed day J”
~ Sheldon