Thanksgiving on Thursday...

Last evening, we were encouraged by the singing of a group of youth

 from a church in the western part of our state.

 It is a blessing to have the believers 

(from various congregations of God's people) 

gather together, in a world that  is dark and evil, 

and be refreshed and encouraged to go back

 to face the reality of living as "strangers and foreigners", 

citizens of a Country we've never yet seen, 

"whose builder and maker is God."

Living this way makes us peculiar, 

strange, misfits, and certainly not comfortable 

living in an environment that is not a friend to grace.

 And that's how it should be. 

While we should not all be sitting in a heap, 

with our feet under the Father's table enjoying the blessings of 

freedom, grace, peace, and love 

without going out and rescuing the perishing, 

we SHOULD be encouraging each other 

and speaking to one another as fellow believers 

in 'psalms and hymns and spiritual songs'. 

I was ministered to in many ways last evening, 

from the singing, to the devotional message,

 to the fellowship afterwards,

and I came away very inspired

 to keep encouraging and blessing and ministering

to my fellow travelers along the way. 

Will you join me?

One song we all sang together last evening was this one:

When We All Get To Heaven

This part really blessed me:

"Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay."

Let's keep "running with patience

the race that is set before us,"

in spite of clouds, 

and let's encourage one another

God's way.

And let's thank God for 

encouragement,

however and wherever 

He chooses to give it

to us.

That's important to Him, 

too, just as is anything

else related to His

heart for us.