The Snow Removal Ministry began in my own front yard. It was way more snow than I had anticipated and as I write this at 1pm in the afternoon, it is still coming down heavily. My snow blower couldn’t handle the volume of snow. The snow blower can handle about a foot of snow, so the three feet bank of snow just swallowed it. So, I shoveled, and shoveled, and shoveled.

I checked my e-mail and facebook looking for people wanting help and for volunteers to pick up. I loaded my snow blower, shovel, broom, a cup of coffee, and gps and started out.

I took 464 to 15N and after about two miles it became clear that I was not going to be able to help very many people today. The main roads were barely plowed, and I had to drive for miles just to find a place to turn around. For the hour I was gone I saw perhaps a dozen vehicles total and most of them were county plows and service vehicles. So instead of getting in their way, I decided to head back home.

Often times in disastrous times there is an overwhelming desire to help people, but there may be reasons why we can’t. It might be a person can’t handle the emotional stress, the distance, the physical requirements (like shoveling), or some other obstacle that prevents them from helping. There has to be a ‘first responder’ group that has the proper training or equipment to go to work first, plowing the way for those that want to help to come in later.

There may even be people who are suffering and questioning why no one is coming to help them, not knowing that there may be obstacles keeping those who want to help from taking action. If I kept going on 15 I would have eventually gotten in the way of the plows or eventually needed county resources to get me out of a snow bank. We all have to know our limitations, and be willing to help within that limit.
So the snow removal ministry has been delayed because of snow, and we will give it another try tomorrow. Perhaps by that time the roads will be clear, the snow will have stopped, and we will be ready to help.

Daybreak Snow Removal Ministry – http://eepurl.com/hzYc

A lot of the messages we do at Daybreak are original teaching series. We would love to share the resources we create with you. Very soon, we will be uploading some of the graphics and outlines we’ve used at our church so you can use them at yours. We will also be adding mp3’s of the messages so you can hear how the whole series came together.

Right now we are working through the book of Song of Solomon. The series is called “Recapturing the Love in Your Marriage” Here is the title graphic for that series.

It’s been a while since I have written anything. it seems life stays at two ends of a pendulum. One one side is a lack of activity. There is nothing going on that is worth writing down, or telling “the world” about. Do you really want to read about the kids being sick? It seems that is what facebook is for. Then, without warning, the pendulum swings to the opposite end and life becomes a swirl of activity and overwhelming responsibility. Then there is no time to write about everything that is going on. (Hold on to your head, I’m going in a new direction)

Do you know why lion tamers in the circus use a chair and a whip? The whip is obvious, but can you really protect yourself with a kitchen chair? Notice that they point the four legs at the lion and twist it. The lion can not focus on any one leg, and tries to watch all four legs at the same time. It is the classic “paralysis by analysis.” The mighty lion is held at bay and tamed, because it can’t get focused.

Which is where discipline comes in. This is something that we all struggle with. I want to lose 20 pounds, so I have to be disciplined to work out and eat right. (Hold on let me wipe the potato chip grease of my fingers as I type). I want to retire at some point, so I have to be disciplined to put money away for later instead of spending it all now. I want to see God’s power and presence in my life, so I have to be disciplined to read his Word, obey it’s commands and walk in faith.

What are the things that you want to do? Where are the places you want to go? Who do you really want to become? Take some time to answer these questions — it’s harder than you may think. Set some goals, and follow them. Satan can tame the lion in your soul by keeping you reoccupied with silly things that you obviously have the power to overcome. Pick one thing, take care of it, then reach for another. You are more than a conqueror in Christ.

Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.“