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August 24, 2021: You Can Depend on Him

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:26–27, NIV).

This is my favorite Bible verse, as it became my mantra in 2017. My husband moved from Iowa to Columbus, Ohio, to take a job at Amazon. One month after he started, he had a stroke while he was at work. The stroke changed every part of our lives. I became the breadwinner. He became dependent on me for basically everything. As my carnal nature is to worry all the time, this verse gave me great comfort, and I felt that God was helping me realize my need to depend on Him always.

August 23, 2021: Claim His Promise!

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“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them” (Ps. 34:7, KJV).

I love Psalm 34:7 because you can claim it in so many situations. For example, if you’re afraid of the dark, you can declare this promise when you’re scared. I personally claim this promise every night before I go to bed.

August 22, 2021: Don’t Stop Short

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“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chron. 15:7, NKJV).

This scripture caused me to reflect on my spiritual condition, and ask, Have I done enough? Have I gone far enough? As Christians, we may do “enough” to satisfy ourselves, or even our pastor. But is it enough to please God?

August 21, 2021: Before We Call

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“Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isa. 65:24, KJV).

My husband and I live in rural Ohio with our two daughters, sons-in-law and five delightful granddaughters. Our family farm is named “Winds of Faith Farm.” One day, God did something incredible.

I was busy in the house in southern Ohio, when all of a sudden my youngest granddaughters, Lydia and Gabrielle, bolted through the front door with terror on their young faces.

They screamed that our beloved mini-horse Dumplin had somehow gotten out of his stall and was galloping toward the road. The thought of what my granddaughters might witness was too much! But what to do?

August 20, 2021: God’s Love for a Sinner

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“This man is My chosen instrument to proclaim My name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15, NIV).

God loves us very much. No matter what we do, He will still forgive us because His love for us is unconditional.

Before the apostle Paul became a follower of Jesus, his name was Saul. Saul thought he knew all about God and that Jesus was a false messiah. He even convinced people to kill Stephen. Saul was angry that the disciples were preaching about Jesus.

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington Helps Afghan Refugees Settle

ACSGW is helping several families, including this one. Photo courtesy ACSGW

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW) is working to assist Afghan refugee families who have recently settled in the Washington, D.C., area.

To help with their transition, the community center, located in Takoma Park, Md., is collecting personal care items, dishes and kitchen items, books, furniture and food to distribute to local organizations like Homes Not Borders.

My Definition of Spirit Week

Drum team members Samantha Flores (’22), Brenda Moris (’22), Lauson Noel (’23), Alonso Tencio Montero (’23) and Gabriel Valez (’22) perform during Spirit Week.

Story by Gabriel Valez

If someone were to ask me what my definition of Spirit Week was, I would say “unity.”

For this year’s Spirit Week at New Jersey Conference's Lake Nelson Adventist Academy (LNAA), students and staff united to participate in spiritual, physical and brain games. The school was divided into two teams—team gold and team blue. Teachers selected students randomly to play games and earn points for their teams.

August 19, 2021: Good Like Medicine

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23, KJV).

I believe that a Christian must have the fruit of the spirit. If all Christians would read and take to heart these verses daily, along with Philippians 4:8, which tells us to think on whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report, we would not have the problems in church we are faced with today. But the only way to attain, retain and maintain that fruit is by steadily focusing on Jesus; to “think on” Him continuously.

Urban Life Center Celebrates Grand Opening in Baltimore

“The church needs to be willing to go wherever people are. And where are people? They’re in the cities,” declared Frank Bondurant, vice president for ministry development of the Columbia Union Conference, at the grand opening ceremony for the new Urban Life Center in Baltimore on August 13.

Bondurant, who also serves as the church planting coordinator for the region that includes seven Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, was joined by administrators from the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the North American Division, and the Chesapeake Conference, which is home to the new Baltimore initiative.

August 18, 2021: Forward-Thinking

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“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I consider myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I am off and running, and I’m not turning back” (Phil. 3:13–14, MSG).