Wednesdays - 11:30 AM
Life Network Counseling
Saturdays - 10:30 AM
Worship Service
Lunch & Resources
Life Network Counseling
Saturdays - 10:30 AM
Worship Service
Lunch & Resources
Sean Asbeck
GSM Board Member
"I thank God for waking me up this morning." Who would have ever thought that such a simple phrase could carry so much power? The first time I heard it spoken, it came from the lips of a young woman who most would think could never really believe what she was saying. And yet, there she was speaking it with a strength and certainty that I had never seen in the strongest and most confident of leaders.
It was my first Saturday preaching at the center, and that morning was filled with testimonies. Some gave lengthy testimonies about how God provided for their needs, some quoting scriptures, some filled with tears, others with rejoicing, some even breaking into song, all of them powerful testimonies in and of themselves. But in the middle of it all, there was her short praise. Not filled with eloquence or flowery prose; just a simple phrase that sent ripples through my soul like a stone dropped in the still waters of a quite pond.
By many standards the people that come to the center do not have much in the way of material possessions. The economy they find themselves in is one with little in the way of employment and ripe with corruption. Many have to decide which bills to pay that month - rent or utilities - being sure that they hold back enough to buy groceries for the week. This young mother was dealing with a sick child, the inability to pay her electric bill that month, and the news that she was suffering from a life-threatening disease. It is in this setting, these seemingly dark circumstances, that a phrase like, "Thank You God for waking me up this morning" truly shines a light that we all can follow.
I personally am not a morning person. I would rather stay up all night than get out of bed before 10:00 am. I grump, grumble, and complain when the sun begins to shine through my bedroom window. If my dog wakes before me and barks to go out -- he's lucky if I don't give him a swift kick on his way out the door. Yet, by the worlds standards, I have every reason to rise.
I have a healthy beautiful family. While far from wealthy, I have more possessions than I know what to do with. I never go hungry and rarely worry about paying the bills. What do I have to complain about? I should be praising God even more because I know every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
I still am not a morning person - but the friends I have made at the Good Samaritan Center have taught me many things - first and foremost that every day is a gift to be cherished, that our God is greater than our circumstances, and that He is to praised no matter where we find ourselves in life. I am thinking I need to go home and apologize to my dog...
GSM Board Member
"I thank God for waking me up this morning." Who would have ever thought that such a simple phrase could carry so much power? The first time I heard it spoken, it came from the lips of a young woman who most would think could never really believe what she was saying. And yet, there she was speaking it with a strength and certainty that I had never seen in the strongest and most confident of leaders.
It was my first Saturday preaching at the center, and that morning was filled with testimonies. Some gave lengthy testimonies about how God provided for their needs, some quoting scriptures, some filled with tears, others with rejoicing, some even breaking into song, all of them powerful testimonies in and of themselves. But in the middle of it all, there was her short praise. Not filled with eloquence or flowery prose; just a simple phrase that sent ripples through my soul like a stone dropped in the still waters of a quite pond.
By many standards the people that come to the center do not have much in the way of material possessions. The economy they find themselves in is one with little in the way of employment and ripe with corruption. Many have to decide which bills to pay that month - rent or utilities - being sure that they hold back enough to buy groceries for the week. This young mother was dealing with a sick child, the inability to pay her electric bill that month, and the news that she was suffering from a life-threatening disease. It is in this setting, these seemingly dark circumstances, that a phrase like, "Thank You God for waking me up this morning" truly shines a light that we all can follow.
I personally am not a morning person. I would rather stay up all night than get out of bed before 10:00 am. I grump, grumble, and complain when the sun begins to shine through my bedroom window. If my dog wakes before me and barks to go out -- he's lucky if I don't give him a swift kick on his way out the door. Yet, by the worlds standards, I have every reason to rise.
I have a healthy beautiful family. While far from wealthy, I have more possessions than I know what to do with. I never go hungry and rarely worry about paying the bills. What do I have to complain about? I should be praising God even more because I know every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
I still am not a morning person - but the friends I have made at the Good Samaritan Center have taught me many things - first and foremost that every day is a gift to be cherished, that our God is greater than our circumstances, and that He is to praised no matter where we find ourselves in life. I am thinking I need to go home and apologize to my dog...
