A Few Updates and some Blogging on a Couple of Sermons

I will take care of business first -

Support Updates

The monthly commitments were stagnant this month. =( Meaning I am still $1303.00 short, but the good news is that with Gods help $825 has been raised in monthly support thus far and it is all still there =)

The other good news is that the amount in my cash budget has seen growth. =) I am currently at $1295.5 which is an $800.5o increase from last month. This means I am at the 38.65 percent mark and have 61.35 percent or $2,056.5 left to raise.

To everyone who has supported me with Prayer and to everyone who has supported me Financially thus far I want to Thank You!!!

Also my Prayer/Support Cards have been printed up - I am sending them out with all Thanks Yous, New Letters and Follow Up Letters - If you don't fall under this list and would like one send me an email at balchclaire@yahoo.com and I would be happy to send you one via the US postal service =).

Not Business Anymore - Time for Blogging

I was running on the treadmill at the gym yesterday and instead of listening to music on my ipod I decided to listen to a sermon from Rock Harbor. My main thinking was that maybe that it would make running in one place for 30 minutes a little more entertaining. I love running, but on a treadmill, in a gym, for more than 20 minutes I start to go slightly crazy. It was on Ephesians: Becoming Who We Are: A Work of Art. It is always a good reminder to hear a sermon on grace and on how God takes as we are - but then also the second half how once God has filled us with love and grace letting God's love and grace mold us into the best Christ followers we can be.

The scriptures being studied were Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." The sermon went on to discuss how these works do not have to be extravagant, huge great works, but can be found in the mundane. Trying to live out God's grace and love in your/my life by your/my actions.

I thought this tied into a sermon I heard a few weeks ago at Aurora First Assembly in CO. The one I said I would eventually blog about because I thought it was relevant. This sermon focused on Esther and being part of God's Royal Priesthood. Esther's story is about "such a time as this". We are in places at certain times in our lives - in these places and times how are we listening and being obedient to God? How are we being a light in the places we are in? Esther was there to save the Jews from a genocide of sorts. Not every time we are in a place or time are we going to be doing anything so amazing as that (most us never will), but in our day to day work places, day to day grocery and errand shopping how are we living out our "such a time as this". The sermon I listened to today encourages us to embrace grace and to embrace God and to let him make the change in us - then this change allows us to be a positive influence and light for God.

The second part of this sermon was that we have been hand picked by God - we are on his team. As part of his team we are able to be active participants. None of us have to be on the bench unless we choose to. Why would we ever choose to be on the bench? Unfortunately I think that many of us often do choose to sit out. Some of us choose to sit out for a lifetime - others of us it is just for an inning, period or half (depending on the sport of your choice). Luckily God is into training and is willing to work with us!! Which all goes back to Ephesians 2:8-10 and how we are God's workmanship and that grace is a gift and then God prepares us for good works and representing him in our "such a time as this".

-PS: Someday I will Post Some More Pictures of Colorado - but the only pictures I have now are of Day Tanks, Pipes and Conduits...I think only my Dad might be interested in seeing these...=)

Exploring Churches (I promise every blog won't be titled in the adventure theme)

I am drinking Peppermint Tea and Eating Girl Scouts cookies - from Claire's Hotel Kitchen Cafe. If your in Denver, CO stop by and I will serve you some =).

First is my first support progress update:

Raised in Monthly Commitments: $825.00 or 38.77 percent
Left to Raise: 1303.00 or 61.23%
Raised in Cash Commitment: $495 or 14.77 percent
Left to Raise: $2857 or 85.23 percent

I still have a way to go. I encourage you if you are planning to give to give soon. If you look at the right of the screen I have some ways you can give online. The sooner my support is turned in the sooner I am able to begin with Convoy of Hope! Second if you haven't prayed about supporting me I ask that you will pray about it. As I have stated before if God says No then leave it at that - but please still support me with your prayers! If he says Yes than ask him how you should support me. For all of you who have supported me thus far I give you a big THANK YOU!!!!


Second is Some Thoughts -

I went to a new church today. Actually every Sunday I have been going to a new church. Its funny because when I moved to Orange County for college four or so years ago almost immediately I decided that Rock Harbor was the church that I would call home for my college years. It just clicked. In Englewood it has been more difficult. I have enjoyed almost every church service I have gone too, but there has been no instant clicking. This could be that during college that my friends all attended church with me, so I had instant community or fellowship at church. Now I am looking not only for a church service, but a community, a place where I fit and this takes longer. It also takes intentionality not only on my part but also the Congregation of the church I choose to attend.

I remembered today that the wonderful thing about God is that there are so many different ways to worship and honor him. I serve a God that can be worshipped through rock music, hymns, silence, serving others, and so many other ways. Each congregation is unique. Even though each Christian and Congregation is unique God can be (and is) exalted and praised. Through Christ all Christians have a common bond no matter how different we may appear. As imperfect people we often allow these differences to come between us and create tension instead of letting the common bond of Christ bring us closer and unite us.

This whole exploring churches has made me examine how I treat church visitors. I realized how important it is to be intentional and step out of my comfort zone to make someone feel welcomed and more comfortable. I have some personality traits such as quietness and shyness that will make (and have made) this more difficult for me than for other people, but not impossible. It is important to stop and talk to people especially visitors and to welcome them into the church. Lay members of a church often see this as a pastors responsibility, but really it is the whole congregations responsibility to take care of not only each other, but those who are new and visiting. It is the people who attend the church that make up the congregation and support the church. The lay people are crucial to the failure or success of a church.

I was going to write some reflections from the sermon I heard today because it was relevant to life, but I think I will jot down some notes and save it for some future blogging material. :) Oh The Suspense...

Leave a Comment or Write me an Email. I love hearing from everyone.

Live in His Love and Be Blessed!

Claire Balch