August 2017 - Pastor Craig

 As I am writing this, we are in the midst of "monsoon" season. Moving to Arizona some 24 years ago, I had heard about these monsoons. I had visions of hurricanes and typhoons and calling out the National Guard. When I came into church, one morning. The question was asked, "How did you like the monsoon last night?" I looked and said something like, "You mean that hard rain storm was a monsoon?" I have to admit, I was a little disappointed.

 God just has a way of playing games with us. I started this article on Tuesday, July 18th. As you know since then we have had two monsoon storms. During one of which 3 power poles broke on Kinney Rd., water was reported in washes that people had not seen water in for years. The church's 15 ft ocotillo cactus broke at the trunk, and we were without power for about 1-2 hours. As I have said be careful about what comes out of your mouth or typed in a newsletter article.

 As a kid from the prairie, I have always been fascinated by the weather. To be able to see the weather coming. To be able to look up and see the clouds, and the rain as it comes towards you and trying to out guess when you will start to feel the raindrops. I never realized how much I missed that until I was coming home from seminary in St. Paul. Where married students lived was in an apartment complex that was surrounded by hills. You could not see the horizon. You could not see any weather that was coming from the north or east at all. I was on the drive back to North Dakota when all of a sudden, I started to physically breathe better. I was at home and I was at peace.

 Living in Tucson, we can see the weather coming. If we look at the sky, we can actual see where the rain is falling and where it is not. In many ways this is like our walk with Jesus. We know the storms of our lives are coming. For some it feels like one never ending storm after another. You wonder can I take any more. At what point will I break. Here's the deal. God through his Son, Jesus Christ is the one that walks over the stormy waves and comes no matter what the obstacle to grab and hold on to your hand and has promised never to let go. That very fact allows us to make it through.

 I can't help but share this commercial that is on TV about household generators. It goes through about the keeping your power on, but it does not mention a single appliance, like saving the food in your refrigerator or deep freeze. It does not mention all the typical challenges of a power outage. Instead, it shows a dead smart phone with the understanding that you wouldn't be able to charge your phone, so you NEED a generator.

 God is the only power that we need. God is the light in the midst of our darkness. God is the port in any storm. God is the one who gives us the ultimate comfort. Know his love, care, and never-ending promise to be with us always.

In Christ,

Pr Craig