Archives for January 2019

Calm Above the Chaos

January 29, 2019 By dnicewonger@gmail.com Leave a Comment

A few posts ago I shared one crazy day and talked about rising above chaos. Two or three days after my chaos filled day God granted me a different lens to look through.

The Day Chaos Reigned

The day when chaos reigned was a Wednesday. Abba showed me a different way to view that day on Friday or Saturday. I was perplexed by the way the misfortune of my truck not wanting to start while at the local convenience store threw my whole day off. I allowed that early morning disruption to work its way into how I lived and moved for the rest of the day.

I harbored resentment at my “bad luck”. Where resentment takes up home and is given a place to live there will be no joy. I allowed the chaos of my morning to steal the joy of my life.

Out of the Quiet, the Spirit speaks

Sitting at home, in the quiet of my study, Abba began to speak. [Read more…]

Saturday Basketball

January 28, 2019 By dnicewonger@gmail.com 1 Comment

This past Saturday Nancy and I got to watch some basketball. We spent a couple of hours with Deisy, Isaac and the Avon Grove Recreation Association.

Deisy and Isaac are an active part of life at First Baptist Church.

Isaac helps lead worship, collect the offering and he provides leadership for our Wacky Wednesday Worship program. Each Sunday Isaac and I find a few minutes to talk about our favorite football teams.

Deisy was helping collect the offering and was looking for other ways to serve. We talked and worked together. If you worship with us today you will hear Deisy pronounce the benediction at the close of every worship service. She has found a special way to serve. A few weeks ago she asked if she could start writing her own benedictions to share with the congregation. I am extremely proud of these two young people and the way they have found ways to use their skills serve.

Their basketball games were great fun to watch.

If you look closely you may notice that First Baptist Church is the sponsor of Deisy’s team!

Rising above chaos

January 23, 2019 By dnicewonger@gmail.com Leave a Comment

What happens when a day begins well but quickly spins out of control? How can you rise above the chaos?

Off to a good start

My morning began early, or what is early for me. I was up and moving towards a breakfast meeting with plenty of time to spare.

On my way out the door, I took some time to stop and read my devotional for the day. In part, it read,

This week we focus on prayer as intimate communication with God. As with any human relationship, we need to spend time together for that relationship to grow and deepen. Human relationships have different moments of greater and lesser intimacy – so, too, with God. Sometimes we are chatty, other times silent. Sometimes it’s easy spending time with God; other times it’s more difficult or taxing. There is no single way of relating to God, but as long as we are open, our relationship with God can grow in profound, sometimes unexpected ways.

Heading down the driveway God and I were “chatty.” Life was good, I was ahead of schedule, felt good and my day was off to a great start. [Read more…]