Good morning God,
Thank you for greeting me when I wake in the morning. I begin to stir, sleep slipping away, and I know you are already listening. You have been with me through the night. I, the sleeping child, you the watchful God. As the day begins, you are still with me.
It is still dark outside my window. A full day is ahead of me, but I don’t need to get up just yet. I have time to think. I think about the unfinished business from yesterday, relationships that are unsettled, things I said or failed to say, things left undone. A new morning comes and I wonder what I should let go and what I need to turn back to, re-do.
As I move through this day, teach me about my life. Help me to better understand the past. Where I have sinned, or hurt someone, or failed to love as you would want me to, guide me. I pray that today I can grow a little.
The sun is coming up. There is something about the sun coming up that fills me with hope. An old friend, one of those blessed people you curiously set in my path, my old friend used to say “the day is full of potential.” I love that. The day lies ahead, adventure, conversation, hope shared. You give us this amazing freedom to create our own path. To delightfully do as we please and at the same time, I believe you are always hoping we will choose grace. You love us too much to program us to behave as you want us to. Instead, you trust the power of love. Teach us, Lord to trust in that power too.
I review what is on my calendar for today. Several meetings and a long to-do list. Dozens of emails. A sermon I am thinking about. Important work. You have given me a church love and lead. I pray that my heart is open enough, I am wide awake enough, to sense your presence in all these things. Remind me often that the ground beneath my feet is holy. That the moments of my life are sacred. That the people I meet carry your image.
Time to begin my day, thank you Lord, for this morning. You have sent me into the day with renewed hope and fresh energy.
Yours,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Ave
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826
Like us on facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org.
We worship on Sundays at 8:30 in a traditional way and at 11 in a casual way. We would love to worship with you. This Sunday our intern Priscilla will preach. Come and hear what she has to say!
Making a Difference Ministries at WDMUMC
Everybody Eats! Continues on this Friday. We are committed to addressing hunger in our local community this summer. One way we are doing that is by partnering with the West Des Moines Schools. The schools provide lunch for children throughout the week. We provide weekend packs of food. Last week our volunteers handed out 192 packs—that means 192 families had food on their table throughout the weekend. Good news!
State Fair Stand! For 71 years WDMUMC has been operating a food stand at the Iowa State Fair. It is a great way to meet people! The proceeds from the fair state support our missions work, things like our Habitat for Humanity build. We are always looking for volunteers. You can sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/
Vacation Bible School! 75 children and dozens and dozens of volunteers are blasting off on a faith adventure this week. Please pray that we all grow in faith this week! A big thank you to our volunteers!
BTW: If you have articles for Pathways, our monthly newsletter, the deadline is Friday. Send those articles to hstreeter@wdmumc.org. Thanks!
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