PRAYER, PRAISE, AND THANKSGIVING

Dear Church family,

As we approach the fall holiday season, what runs through my mind is “Wow, another year is almost over!” I am sure many of you have thought the same thing!

This coming Sunday morning we will take time in the worship service to praise and express thanks to the Lord. It is clearly much easier to be thankful and praise the Lord for “the good” things we have been through. Let me challenge you to be thankful for the ‘scars’ – the hard things you went through.

During the past year, the song Scars by I Am They has often ministered to me. Yep, you could have found me driving my car with this song ‘cranked up’. The lyrics contrast the scars we get from life in this fallen world, with the scars that are upon the body of Christ who suffered for us. In light of that, I can say with the songwriter, “I am thankful for the scars.”

Scars
Verse 1
Waking up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes
Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to You
And these wounds are a story You’ll use

Chorus 1
(So) I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Verse 2
Now I’m standing in confidence
With the strength of Your faithfulness
And I’m not who I was before
No I don’t have to fear anymore

Chorus 1

Bridge
I can see I can see
How You delivered me
In Your hands In Your feet
I found my victory

Chorus 2
I’m thankful for Your scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know Your heart
And with my life I’ll tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful

CCLI Song # 7106244 Ethan Hulse | Jon McConnell | Matthew Armstrong | Matthew Hein © Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) EGH Music Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) I Am “They” Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Curb Wordspring Music (Admin. by W.C.M. Music Corp.) Eyes Up Songs (Admin. by W.C.M. Music Corp.) For use solely with the SongSelect®. Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI License # 81262

If you wonder how you can pray for your pastor, take a moment to read this article, How to Pray for Your Pastor by Jeramie Rinne.

I do value your prayers as I seek to be who God has called me to as His child and as your pastor. Both are completely impossible in my flesh. My prayer is often, “Lord, I am desperate. I need you.”

Walking with you,

Pastor Brian