For the courage of the daffodils, thanks be to God. And for the brave pioneers, crocus and tulips, thanks be to God. For the sunshine and the warmth, defrosting the earth & awakening the robins to sing, thanks be to God. For the seeds of hope planted around us and in our hearts, filled with the promise of new life, all thanks be to God!
It seems as if spring may officially be here. The snow has melted and the vibrant colors of a new season are popping up all around us. Each one serves as a reminder of the hope for new life with Christ. We see this new life in nature each spring, but we also see it sprouting up around us and in our own hearts.
Today, Council members, Bill Baver and Fred Schulz share about where they see God on the move this springtime.
I see God in Confirmation class each week. The Confirmation students are eager to question and push the boundaries of "who is God" and "can God really do that"? We spend time just talking about ways to turn every day activities, and every day interactions, into something that God enabled and in what God allows us to see and experience. It is truly uplifting and every time we meet I am amazed at the true faith our youth have and how they are shaping their faith experience right before our eyes. It is a very humbling experience to watch the growth of body and mind!
-Bill Baver, Council President
God works in numerous and wonderful ways at Saint Luke every day, but recently I was reminded of one very special way. A few weeks ago was Confirmation Sunday, with the youth leading the service and the confirmation class reading their Faith Statements to the congregation. The maturity of those ninth graders sharing their expressions of faith before the congregation was tremendous to witness. Behind them, of course, were wonderful parents raising them in the Christian faith, a wonderful set of teachers in Sunday School and Confirmation class, and our fantastic and caring pastors, all nurturing their minds and helping guide them on their individual journeys. In these increasingly trying times, the future looked bright listening to these youth and their inspiring stories.
-Fred Schulz, Councilor for Learning & Faith Formation
There is so much growth & new life occurring in the young people at Saint Luke. However, the hope of something new is for those of all ages, for all of us. In the parts of our lives that seem stuck in a perpetual bleak winter, God can birth something new and vibrant and incredible. No winter lasts forever. Spring is coming.
Something to ponder this week...
- Where do you catch a glimpse of God this springtime? Praise Him for it.
- Where in your life are you looking for God to bring new life? Ask Him for it.
May this springtime fill our hearts with gratitude and anticipation for new life. Tend our hearts, O Lord, so that something beautiful may blossom within us.