Community Updates

The following is written by Hala Tompkins, our dearly loved Children’s Ministry Director. It is an excerpt from her recent Children’s Ministry e-newsletter. I found it encouraging, and with her permission have posted it here. May it encourage you, too!

Amazing Book

I’ve been reading the Bible on a daily basis (more or less) since 1981. Basically since I had my 14th birthday and was given my own, leather-bound, name embossed NASB translation, I’ve read the Bible. And you know what is amazing? It becomes new every time I read it or listen to it or hear someone talk about it; there are new things to learn all the time.

This morning as I walked, I listened to Matthew. I wanted to camp on the Lord’s prayer, but because I was listening, I heard Jesus explain how to pray and then go on to talk about all sorts of other things. When I got to Matthew 7, it was as though I had never really heard these verses before. How is that possible? I don’t know, but every time I heard something that challenged me or surprised me, I pushed pause and prayed about that. Good thing I walk early, or people might have thought I was crazy! Here’s the section that got me good:

Matthew 7:9-12
Or which one of you, if his sons asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks him for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.