Calling; August 20, 2026

Posted on August 21, 2026 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 1:26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.

Actually, this whole chapter deals with calling in one way or another, which is why we’ve had every bit of it in this month’s readings. The focus of this last section is on the stupidity of pride in relation to our calling. Paul makes it very clear that the value of our calling is in the One doing the calling, that is, God, and not in the one called. God equips us for the tasks He has for us, because we couldn’t do it ourselves. It has rightly been said that God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. I often remember the line from a song by Don Francisco about Balaam: “So if the Lord starts using you, don’t you pay it any mind. He could have used the dog next door, if He’d been so inclined.” That could be said to be a restatement of these last verses of this chapter! Our response to being called and sent by God should be gratitude, and amazement that He should choose us.

I feel like I’m constantly being reminded of the stupidity of pride, and I have all too much familiarity with it! Yesterday I had a lesson in moral pride. I had been judging someone for something that is, indeed, against the principles laid down in the Bible, but I learned of the emotional wounds that sent them in that direction, and my prayers for them have changed. I now pray for healing, as a foundation for the repentance that they still need. I am reminded of an encounter I had with the Lord many years ago. I was lying in bed, not consciously praying but just thinking, “There are so many things I wish were different.” As clearly as if He had been standing beside the bed, I heard the Lord say, “How do you think I feel?” In that moment I realized that all the junk in the world is because of human sin and rebellion, and God has an ultimate “final answer.” We don’t begin to have the “mental horsepower” to figure it all out, but He does, and we’ve got to trust Him with it. In the meantime, my attitude is to be to keep myself available to Him for whatever He wants to do with me, whether that massages my ego or not. Any time He does use me, my whole focus is to be on gratitude, and not on “I did that.” There’s no way I can do anything right apart from Him. (John 15:5)

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You enabled me to do yesterday in dealing with the pictures from the show. Guide now in our getting the frames back up into the attic. Thank You that I have someone I can call on to help in the muscle work involved. May we indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You throughout today, and each day, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Omniscience and Omnipotence; August 19, 2026

Posted on August 20, 2026 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

This very simple, logical statement is something that, in practical terms, we often forget. God is by definition omniscient and omnipotent. He knows everything and He can do anything. We say the words, but we act like we don’t believe them. In Paul’s day, Greek and Roman mythology posited gods who were more like superheroes than they were like the Creator of the universe, so this was a reasonable thing for him to have to say. However, most of us have been immersed in monotheism for generations, so we have no logical excuse for thinking or feeling we can slip something by God. That He is fully omniscient is something that really bothers some people. We want privacy! The problem is, as Jesus said, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3:19-21) We love John 3:16, and rightly so, but we forget to keep reading. When we are humbly seeking Him, His omniscience and omnipotence are the most comforting things ever. We’re just amazed and grateful that He loves us in spite of knowing everything about us!

I hope I never forget the deep-down revelation I had, probably about 20 years ago, that God’s smart and I’m not. That’s actually just a different way of saying what Paul said in this verse. I was born with a high IQ, and though I granted that God was smarter than I was, I still thought I was pretty smart. How foolish of me! I’m not to discount or waste what God has given me, but I must never allow it to puff me up. God’s foolishness, if such were possible, is still far smarter than the greatest human wisdom. I would say that His most foolish thing is putting such love and concern into human beings! My gratitude and appreciation for His doing that only continues to grow. As the song says, “The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.” I want to be fully submitted and obedient to His wisdom at all times, so that His will may be accomplished in and through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You’ve been bringing us through recently. Thank You for the interdenominational prayer meeting that will be here from 7 this morning. I have concerns about this one, as You know, but You also know exactly what is going to happen and be said, and I ask You to be in total control. May my response to each word and each individual be what You desire of me, so that the Body of Christ may be built up in all holiness, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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God’s Faithfulness; August 18, 2026

Posted on August 19, 2026 by jgarrott

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

From verse 1 through this one, Paul speaks repeatedly of “calling,” and in this one he tells how it all happens: through God’s faithfulness. We aren’t called because we are wonderful, we are called because God is faithful, and He is love. Paul could not have fulfilled his calling as an apostle on his own, and we can’t fulfill our calling to holiness on our own, but God is faithful, and He will do it. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) We too are to strive to be faithful, but we are nowhere near as faithful as God is. As the hymn says, “Great is Thy Faithfulness!” This is no excuse for laziness or any sense of entitlement, but it is a cause for great gratitude and joy. That we will slip up and stumble is a given, but God is absolutely faithful, and He is omnipotent. We need to rest, relax, and rejoice in this assurance, just as He told me to do, so that by His power we may indeed fulfill the calling He has placed on us, for His glory.

This is a conviction I have grown into over the years. For too long I wandered in pride, thinking I could do things on my own. God had to call me down for that attitude, and then show me repeatedly how futile my own efforts were, and I hope I’ve really learned the lesson! There are things going on right now that aren’t as I would have planned them, but that’s in His hands, and His plans are good. I have every reason not to be anxious! I can’t control other people – I can hardly control myself – and I don’t have to answer for them, though I am to pray for them. Part of my calling, as a pastor and teacher, is to help others understand their calling, and to a degree, those of the people around them, so that we may encourage each other and not hinder. Everyone’s calling is different, even though we are all called to be God’s children. I’m not to insist that someone be like me, but I am to strive to point us all to be like Jesus.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It feels like the message for this next Sunday! Thank You for Your faithfulness that makes it all possible. Thank You for getting us through the week’s show in the City Gallery, and for all the contacts we made. May our every contact draw people to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Gifts; August 17, 2026

Posted on August 18, 2026 by jgarrott

Romans 11:29 For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

This is a very important verse that is both widely quoted and not properly understood. It is actually one of the “mysteries of the faith” that Paul refers to from time to time. We frankly don’t know why or how this operates. It would seem to be a powerful argument against Arminianism, which says that you can lose your salvation, but at the same time there are many problems with Calvinism, which seems to say that our activities have little to do with our salvation. One fact should be self-evident, however: any gift or ability that isn’t exercised atrophies. The more we exercise what God has given us, the stronger and more effective it becomes. That’s what stewardship is all about. We tend to think of gifts in terms of the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, but actually, everything we have is from God, and we need to remember that and act accordingly. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in doing an inventory of what we have been given, so that we may apply it as the Giver intends. Likewise, we need to ask Him to sharpen our awareness of His purposes in our life, His calling, so that we may fulfill it to His satisfaction. We don’t exist just for ourselves, we exist for Him!

This is something of a big issue for me, because I feel I have been gifted in so many areas. I was Concertmaster of the 25th Division Band in the Army, but it’s been years since I last picked up a clarinet. I was given the gift of tongues back in 1974, but there was a considerable period when I used it hardly at all. Thankfully, I now use it frequently and freely, though not in public. My gift for languages and interpretation has continued to grow, since I use it constantly. I realize that there are seasons for everything, and as my voice is showing signs of my physical age, maybe it’s time to pick up the clarinet again, as a tool for praising God and leading others to praise Him. As a pastor, I strive to help others recognize their gifting and use it as God intends, but I must never leave myself out of the equation. God has been incredibly gracious to me, and I need to be fully faithful to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the reminder and affirmation I’ve been getting this week about Your gifting in seeing things and capturing them with a camera. Thank You for the many interactions You’ve given us in that process. I pray that this last day of the exhibit would go exactly as You intend, drawing people to You, and I pray for wisdom and physical strength and stamina as we take things down from 2pm, that everything would go smoothly, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Conformity to Christ; August 16, 2026

Posted on August 17, 2026 by jgarrott

Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Verse 28 gets the most attention, but this verse is another earth-shaker. God in His foreknowledge has settled that we will become like His Son! If that doesn’t excite you, you don’t have any idea what he’s talking about. We live in every sort of human limitation on this earth, but we will be fully like Jesus when the time comes! Even in His human body Jesus walked on water, and after His resurrection He walked freely into a locked room, and then a few days later, rose bodily until He was obscured by a cloud. And that’s just the physical stuff! Of far more importance is that He was perfectly without sin. It has rightly been said that we have been saved from the penalty for sin, we are being saved from the power of sin, and we will be saved from the presence of sin. That’s what this verse is talking about. Every non-God impulse will be conquered, and we will be in perfect harmony with our Creator. We will be restored to the purity for which we were created, free from every lying trick of the devil. What a wonderful prospect! Songs tend to focus on such things as “walking streets of gold,” but doing so in perfect purity and holiness is even more wonderful. We really can’t imagine how wonderful it will be, but we can be fully assured that it will be wonderful!

I have been a Science Fiction buff since middle school, and right now I’m reading a novel that imagines quantum beings that merge with human consciousness, providing all sorts of super-human abilities. That doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what God has in store for me! However, my focus isn’t to be on all of that, but rather on the level of fellowship I will have with my Creator, who loved, and loves, me so much that He sent His Son to die in my place, to make this fellowship possible. That is the ultimate hope, the ultimate anticipation, and it is glorious beyond words. The thing is, I get to taste that even here. I’ve written before about an experience of God’s joy that was so deep, I felt like one more drop and my physical body would give up and call it quits. I couldn’t function normally on this earth if that were my constant state, but I will have no such limitations before God’s throne! When I will turn 78 next month, my body keeps reminding me that it’s not permanent. I was actually a little jealous of the brother whose funeral I conducted just over a week ago! However, that’s not to be my focus. Rather, I am to focus on what God has for me to do here and now, because I wouldn’t be here if He didn’t have more things for me to do. (Ephesians 2:10) I don’t know what the road ahead holds, but with Him, it will be good!

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for Your incredible plans for me. Thank You for the day at the gallery yesterday, with the fewest number of people but the most photo sales! Thank You for the service here his morning, and for all You have planned for it. Thank You for this afternoon, back at the gallery. I pray that each step, each moment would be as You desire, bringing Your plans to fruition for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Faith; August 15, 2026

Posted on August 16, 2026 by jgarrott

Romans 4:20-21 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

This statement is true, but at the same time, Abraham tried to figure out how he could help God, and that resulted in Ishmael, and that problem has made trouble for Abraham and his descendants ever since. We do need to learn from the faith of Abraham, but at the same time remember that he was no more perfect than we are. The incident that stands out most strongly to me is when he took Isaac to Mt. Moriah, fully intending to offer him up as a burnt offering. (Genesis 22) That showed he was fully convinced that God had the power to fulfill what He had promised! We seldom demonstrate that level of faith, but it’s a comfort to know that it is available to us. After all, as Paul assured us, faith is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) All we have to do is receive it and exercise it. That last part is important, because faith is very like a muscle: unused, it atrophies. That’s why it’s so important to act on the faith we have. That’s the danger of living in an affluent society that has little persecution: we don’t exercise our faith very much. It’s not at all that there isn’t spiritual warfare, it’s that we don’t perceive it, and so are often defeated without ever getting into the fight. We need to be actively pressing in for all that God has promised in His Word, and not be satisfied with the partial measures we experience. We are to be grateful for those, certainly, and give Him thanks and praise, but we should never think that’s the end of the story. We aren’t to try to figure out how we can make things happen, the way Abraham and Sarah did with Hagar, resulting in Ishmael, but rather listen expectantly and obediently to whatever God tells us to do, knowing that will result in His plans being fulfilled in ways we couldn’t imagine, for our blessing and His glory.

This is an area where I’m still growing, but then, I don’t expect to be perfect until I get to heaven. I’m to be careful that I don’t try to dictate to God, even subconsciously, how He’s to do things. That’s a real risk that I share with most believers. Rather, I’m to be expectantly obedient. It was many years ago when I was praying with another believer when the Lord said, very clearly, “Don’t be surprised at what surprises others; expect great things of me.” I want to do that! The Lord has already done many remarkable things in my life for which I can take no credit, and I need to expect Him to keep doing that. I am not to be lazy or feel entitled, but rather apply all that He provides to the tasks which He assigns. He has given us a vision that is patently impossible on the human scale, of Omura again being the foremost Christian city in the nation, but that’s all the more reason to believe that He will bring it about, because no human being could take credit for it. I am to be faithful on a day-to-day, moment-by-moment basis, and trust Him to bring about His plans on His schedule.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You’re doing in this week of the photo exhibit. Thank You for the various contacts that have already been made, and the ones that will happen today, tomorrow, and Monday. May I be prepared and obedient, so that Your plans may be fulfilled on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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Holiness; August 14, 2026

Posted on August 15, 2026 by jgarrott

Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

How many people have thought about being called to be a saint? The NIV softens that to “holy people,” which is probably a good thing, since we attach such baggage to the word, saint. Still, how many people think about being called to be holy? We all want grace and peace, but do we think we qualify? The issue is two-fold. In the first place, we recognize that many of our thoughts and impulses don’t seem to qualify as holy, whether or not we follow through on them. In the second place, the devil has been all too successful in convincing mankind that sin is fun. In the short term, some of it is, or it wouldn’t be so tempting. The problem is, there’s a world of difference between momentary pleasure and long-term joy. It’s not at all that life in Christ isn’t fun, it’s just that the devil presents it to us that way. My mother once told me about the non-Christian girlfriend of a seminary student who went to a party with him, and afterward commented, “I never knew you could have so much fun without alcohol!” We get all confused as to what is holy and what isn’t. Sex is perfectly holy between a husband and wife, to the point that it is a picture of the union between Christ and the Church, but for precisely that reason, the devil likes to make it as dirty as possible. Likewise, we are called to trust God when we don’t know what the outcome will be, but gambling can destroy people. Following Christ is the perfect lifestyle for a genuine thrill seeker! Going back to Paul’s salutation here, I think God calls all mankind to be holy, but only some of us respond to His call. The rewards for doing so are literally out of this world, but too many of us are too shortsighted to realize that. We need to count the cost in the short term, not being discouraged by the troubles Jesus assured us we would encounter, (John 16:33) and rejoice in “the goal that is set before us.” (Philippians 3:14) We are indeed called to be holy, and the better we respond to that call, the more peace and joy we will have.

There are probably many who consider me holy today, but they don’t know my past, or my thought life! This is a matter of daily commitment, just as Jesus said. (Luke 9:23) There are moments when I am aware of the Lord working powerfully through me, and there are moments when I wonder if I’m on the right path at all! I do want to so live that people following me will be following Christ, but there are moments when I hope they don’t see me! I have learned the hard way that my own strength and wisdom can’t cut it, but God is able to do it in and through me, if my will is submitted to Him. As Peter quoted, God’s command to me is, “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) I want to be obedient to Him.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the experience of fasting yesterday, for the first time in a long time. I want to do that regularly, so I ask for clear guidance. May I be a clean vessel, fit for holy use, (2 Timothy 2:21) fully available to my Lord for however He wants to use me, for His glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Negative Guidance; August 13, 2026

Posted on August 14, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 16:6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

God’s guidance, and even His calling, are sometimes negative. This passage has always been interesting because of three factors: God declining to allow them to minister in some regions, (though He did allow them to minister there later) His directing them to cross over into Europe, which had a major impact on the history of the Church and of the world, and Luke joining the party from this point, as is evident from the change in pronouns in verse 10. All of those are worth noting, but the one we have the most trouble accepting is the matter of negative guidance. Life is not a zero-sum game, but the fact remains that if we use our time and energy for one thing, they’re not available for another, at least not simultaneously. God’s the only one who can truly multitask, because He’s outside of time. Being good stewards of what God provides includes knowing what not to use it on, as well as knowing what He does want us to do with it. God’s plans are perfect, but our perception of them seldom is. It’s much more exciting to know God is directing us to do something than feeling He’s stopping us from doing something. However, our faith needs to extend even to the negatives, trusting Him to know far better than we do what is best.

Two experiences came to mind as I considered this. The first was when God directed me to turn over ministry in the Immigration Detention Center here in Omura to someone else. There are only two of these in the whole country, and I had been called by a pastor in Yokohama about a Chinese woman who had been sent here for visa violations, and I did visit her a few times. However, I never felt particular enthusiasm for it, and I invited a man in this church to go with me, particularly since he had been studying Mandarin for a couple of years. He very quickly took to it, and I stopped going with him. He has continued the ministry in the years since, winning people of many nations to faith in Christ, and even commenting one time, “Why can’t Japanese be so open to the Gospel?” However, that wasn’t a ministry God allowed me to do, more than briefly. Likewise, I taught Medical English for 42 years, but one day it was like the Lord told me, rather suddenly, to stop. That was at the beginning of a school year, and I did finish out the year, but I announced my retirement at that point, to the consternation and even the tears of some of the teaching staff who had been former students. I am quite satisfied now that I heard the Lord correctly, because my time has been needed in various other ways that would not have been possible had I maintained my teaching schedule. However long He keeps me here, I need to be open to what He wants me to do, and what He wants me not to do, so that I may be fully useful in His hands.

Father, thank You for pointing this out to me. Right now we’re in the middle of my annual photo show, and You have already blessed us in the first two days. However, one of my daughters is urging me not to continue this, considering all the stresses involved. I see others withdrawing from all sorts of things as they get older, and I don’t want to do that for that reason. However, I do want to use the time and energy I have to do Your will on Your schedule. Help me hear You accurately and obey You fully, whether that direction seems positive or negative, so that I will be fully useful to You for Your plans, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Fasting; August 12, 2026

Posted on August 13, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 13:2-3 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

This was one of the most momentous commissionings in Church history. It was initiated by the Holy Spirit, but those involved were certainly in a receptive posture. It strikes me that fasting is mentioned twice here, when it is hardly ever mentioned in the Church today. Today, “intermittent fasting” is touted as a health method, but there is no spiritual component. In the US, obesity is a major epidemic, and certainly needs to be addressed from a health standpoint, but Christians seem to have forgotten the whole concept of not eating in order to focus on prayer. It’s no wonder that so few people seem to have any real intimacy with the Holy Spirit! Throughout the Bible, the principle of fasting is to deny the flesh in order to focus on the spiritual. Today, we don’t like to deny the flesh anything! We are called to be good stewards of our bodies, but letting them take priority is dangerous indeed. As came out in this past Sunday’s message, we aren’t animals who have souls and spirits, making us human, we are spiritual beings who inhabit bodies and express ourselves through our souls. When we fail to grasp that, our priorities get all scrambled and we lose direction and purpose in our lives. Fasting is an excellent reminder of Biblical priorities, if we do it for the right reasons. It’s not a method of dieting, however much it might help in that area. Rather, it is a conscious giving up of the flesh to God, telling Him – and ourselves – that He is our Source and we place Him first, not just on a philosophical basis but in everything. Today, churches are known for eating far more than fasting, and at least partially as a result, are characterized far more by tradition than power.

I’m a fine one to be talking here, since I honestly don’t remember the last time I fasted. In the past, I have fasted for as long as a week, taking in only water. By the third day, it’s actually not so difficult, but as I said, I’ve largely forgotten about it. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of things that need concentrated prayer! I don’t remember that I’ve ever taught on fasting, in this church or elsewhere. I’m not medically obese, but I’m in no danger of starvation. I know that fasting isn’t a technique to manipulate God, and I wouldn’t want to try even if I could, but it can have a massive impact on my attitude. I want to be hungry for more of God, and if I assuage my physical hunger every time it appears, that dulls my spiritual hunger as well. I live in an affluent society, physically speaking, that is something of a spiritual desert. I need to shift my eyes to what really matters, and live accordingly.

Father, thank You for this unexpected reminder. Show me what You want me to do. I don’t want any sort of “performance art,” but I want my life and the life of this church to line up with You and Your plans for us. Thank You for all that You did in the first day of our gallery show yesterday, and particularly for the two opportunities to do some in-depth evangelism. I pray that today would likewise run on Your schedule, with the cable TV interview and everyone You will bring to see the exhibit. May it accomplish Your will and Yours alone, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!

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Commissioning; August 11, 2026

Posted on August 12, 2026 by jgarrott

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”

Sometimes God uses human instruments to convey His commands, His calling. Here He uses Ananias as part of commissioning Saul, who would go on to convey God’s commission to many more. The only danger to this is that some people get such inflated opinions of themselves that they go around commanding others without confirming what God has to say about it. That’s dangerous for everyone involved! That said, when someone expresses “a Word from the Lord” to you, you need to listen in all humility, and then lay it before the Lord and ask for His confirmation. He’s good about doing that! It was first prophesied over my wife that she would be a missionary to Japan when she was three years old, but she didn’t find out about that from her parents until she had been a missionary here for many years. She personally became aware of a calling to missions when she was 12, and that was sharpened to Japan when she was 13. I really think that was a major factor in her father accepting her engagement to me so readily when she was 21, even though she had been engaged to someone else previously. I don’t know that many people are aware of such commissioning, but it certainly happens, because the Bible is replete with statements that God plans for us before we are conceived. Again, though, God doesn’t do such things as isolated statements through some “prophet,” but confirms His guidance in countless ways. I’m sure Saul had guidance of all sorts, both immediately after this encounter and all through his life, though the Bible only records the smallest fraction of those. We need to be assured that A, God has a plan for us, and B, He will indeed guide us into it.

My own experience wasn’t as dramatic as that of my wife, probably because I was such a conceited twit. I did tell my parents, at Robert Livingston’s grave in Westminster Abbey, that someday I would be a missionary, but I promptly forgot that, and it was only after I was a married father that it was consciously renewed in me. The only “prophetic word” I can remember receiving along those lines was from a member of the ministry team at some meeting I attended, in Virginia, I think, about how I would be “a helper.” My distinct memory is that the young man delivering that “word” thought he was putting me down for my conceit, but the Lord assured me that His plans for me didn’t depend on other people’s evaluations of me. That said, my ministry has indeed been that of a helper, helping people understand God’s love and plans for them. Prophets often don’t understand all the ramifications of what they speak from the Lord! I am to be faithful indeed as a helper, allowing God to use me however He pleases, for His pleasure and glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for how much we were able to get done yesterday in setting up the gallery exhibit, and for the help we got. Thank You that the same person will be with us this morning as we finish the setup. I do ask Your blessings for him, and especially that You would give him the courage to commit fully to Jesus as Lord. I pray that throughout this week, that everyone who comes into the gallery would be impacted by Your presence, drawn by my photographs and Cathy’s craft goods, realizing that there is a Creator who loves them. May we be agents of Your harvest in this city, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!

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