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Hello and welcome to Midweek Message 78. As I say each week thanks for letting me into your corner of the world. I don\u2019t ever want to take that privilege for granted. So, again, thanks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I will admit right up front that some of this will sound a lot like last week. Like rinse and repeat. And no, I didn\u2019t just copy and paste. \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 I am so excited about OVCF\u2019s 17<\/span>th<\/span> anniversary so I thought I would let you know what we know so far. I shared this with the elders this past Monday night so they are up to date on it as well. Ready? Here we go:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n HOW YOU CAN HELP!<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are several different ways you can help, no matter your ability:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among all the excitement there is also reality. We have many in our community, in our church fellowship, and friends of ours who are hurting. Let\u2019s not forget them. I know it seems unfair that I would mention one over another but I\u2019ve got a burden for some friends. Many of you had a chance to meet Mike, Trisha, and Ryan Laws in August. Ryan received a kidney transplant from his dad. All was going well until the past couple of weeks. I mentioned Sunday that Ryan\u2019s blood count was dangerously low. Monday night I was texting with Mike and received the following: \u201cTests results revealed that his counts have dropped even lower\u2026to dangerously low levels. Doctor ordered Ryan to stay home all week. No school or soccer to avoid larger crowds and prevent from contracting anything since his body can\u2019t fight it off. Starts shots tomorrow. Will receive for three consecutive days. The shots should help boost the counts to get them in a safer range. Thank you for keeping Ryan in prayer.\u201d\u00a0 A few texts later Mike said, \u201cWe are praying this is just a bump in the road. God has done mighty work these past 20 months, we are trusting that He will continue to provide. I will keep you updated.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m guessing I don\u2019t need to ask you to pray for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And while I\u2019m on that subject: I want to remind you that your elders (Wayne Akerson, Jeff Carlson, David Robertson), as well as Ryan and I, pray for you each month. We started doing that during the pandemic and haven\u2019t stopped. We hope you know how much we love you and care about you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let me leave you with something \u201cmeaty\u201d this week. Tuesday morning (1:00 a.m.) I was unable to sleep because of some discomfort (my encounter with the car which bruised my hand) and as I sat in my recliner with some ice on my hand, a word came to mind: \u201cBlessed.\u201d\u00a0 I hear that word a lot. A fellow blogger always ends her comments with \u201cBlessings.\u201d Our sheriff always answers, \u201cI\u2019m blessed\u201d if you ask him how he is doing. Diana has a t-shirt which says, \u201cBlessed and highly caffeinated.\u201d \ud83d\ude42 Jesus used the word 9 times in Matthew 5 (Beatitudes).\u00a0 The man who hit me said when he left, \u201cGod bless you.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I wish I had had the wherewithal to say, \u201cHe has. He does. He will.\u201d I thought of that a few miles down the road. The truth is: in spite of the pain in life; in spite of the stumbles and falls; in spite of the missteps; in spite of the times of loneliness and feeling of hopelessness and abandonment which sometimes invades our space, we are blessed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I know I am. In many ways. One of which is to serve as your pastor. Thanks for allowing me to do that.\u00a0 Love you all.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pastor Bill\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MIDWEEK MESSAGE 78 Hello and welcome to Midweek Message 78. As I say each week thanks for letting me into your corner of the world. I don\u2019t ever want to take that privilege for granted. So, again, thanks.\u00a0 I will admit right up front that some of this will sound a lot like … <\/p>\n\n
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