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Tuesday,
January 14,
2025 Jim,
a friend we
see during
chaplaincy
visits, shared
this photo of
a tree in his
front yard
after a snow
storm. Lights
are wrapped
around the
trunk and
partway up but
the snow makes
them appear to
illuminate the
entire tree.
"Keep Your Light Shining" Message summary: We are called to let our light shine and most of the impact in the world will not be something big and flashy but rather the steady, faithful witness as Christ's followers keep their lights shining. What are you doing today to "keep your light shining"?
Listen to our message on your audio player. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Last Saturday my friend Jesse invited me to the Old Windmill Farm to meet a newer friend of his. Dave (not his Chinese name) is a college student who has visited the farm several times and made a rather unlikely friendship with Jesse. A middle-aged Amish man, a young Chinese student, and an old preacher like me make for quite an eclectic mix! Dave is attending college in Philadelphia. Jesse told me he wanted to take him to a Chinese Restaurant and see what he thought about it. I told Jesse, "He probably eats at Chinese restaurants all the time, why don't we go to a local place like the Agapē Cafe & Grille with a Lancaster County vibe". But Dave told us he had never eaten at a Chinese restaurant while in the states but dines at places like Texas Roadhouse and Brazilian BBQ! So off to the huge Manor Chinese Buffet we went. Jesse was interested in in the food selections Dave chose to eat. After all, learning more about what would be authentic Chinese food is best taught by those who are of Chinese descent. Jesse even ate some seaweed! When I think of seaweed I think of the scum on ponds when I grew up in Missouri! Prior to our meal we prayed together which, like many Christians, is our custom whether at home or in a public place.* A few minutes later the Chinese server came over and began to talk to Dave in Chinese. I suppose Jesse felt like we do when are with the Amish and they begin talking PA Dutch! It turns out the server noticed us praying and had asked Dave if we were Christians. He told her that I was a pastor (although I am presently not, I was for many years and still get this designation). The server told him she was a Christian and was excited to see us pray. We are not sure where Dave stands with the Lord but he told us he has attended a Christian campus group at the University of Pennsylvania. I hope to develop a friendship with him and have invited him over to our place for dinner, along with his Chinese friends. What's the point to this story? Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). We are all called to let our light shine for Jesus. Most of the impact in the world today and everyday will not be something big and flashy but rather the steady, faithful witness of Christ's followers who keep their lights shining for Him. What are you doing today to "keep your light shining"?
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources "Tell
Them”
Watch
on YouTube
Andrae Crouch
and the
Disciples
*
Seeing people
pray in a
public place
is not at all
unusual in
Lancaster
County which
is considered
the Bible Belt
of the
Northeast but
where we
previously
lived in
northern PA
and
Massachusetts
it was very
rare and
required
boldness for
those who
chose to do
so.
Brooksyne's
Note:
While growing
up in Oklahoma
we always gave
thanks to God
before our
meals. When I
became serious
about Christ
in my freshman
year of high
school I began
to pray in the
cafeteria
before eating.
Praying in
school as
opposed to
praying at
home before a
meal was a big
step for me,
but it became
very natural
after a while.
Then the Lord
spoke to my
heart about
praying in a
public
restaurant,
something
which I had
not seen in my
hometown of
Tulsa. Even my
parents did
not do so in
public (not
that we ever
ate out that
often).
Under
the conviction
of the Holy
Spirit I began
to pray in
public
settings in a
quiet voice
after my food
was served but
my prayer was
very brief. I
was so nervous
I bowed my
head low and
bent slightly
below the
table to give
the appearance
of picking up
a napkin that
had fallen to
the floor and
prayed on the
way up.
(That's the
embarrassing
truth!) Wow,
when I
remember way
back then, I
can see how
God has
changed my
heart over the
year and the
boldness it
took for me to
pray when
others might
be watching is
second nature
to me now. Now
that I've been
following
Christ for 56
years (wow!)
you'd think
that boldness
in Christ is
second nature
to me in every
area of my
life, but that
is not true.
We grow
incrementally
in Christ
every season
of our life,
and often it's
through the
example of
others shining
their light in
dark places
that we gain
courage to
obey Christ
and influence
others for His
kingdom.
Agapē
Cafe &
Grille is
a local place
in Strasburg
PA that states
on their
website, "our
goal is to
provide an
atmosphere
where the love
of Christ is
felt by those
who enter our
doors".
This
evening we
will be going
to Worship
Night In The
Barn near
Strasburg, PA.
If you are
local perhaps
we will see
you there.
Yesterday
we shared a photo
of a coat with
a note:
Steve, an
Iowan, wrote:
"I chuckled at
the coat rack
mix-up photo.
A few years
ago, I grabbed
what I thought
was my jacket
from the
church coat
rack. It felt
a little off,
but I didn’t
think much of
it and wore it
home. Months
later, I found
a business
card in the
pocket
belonging to
someone I
barely knew
from church
who also
worked at my
company.
Embarrassed, I
arranged to
return the
coat and was
relieved to
find it
waiting at his
desk so I
could make the
swap
unnoticed.
Over the
years, we’ve
become good
friends, and
he loves to
remind me of
the wisdom of
keeping a
business card
in every
pocket.
![]() We've
still had a
relatively
mild winter as
far as
snowfall but
we did get a
light dusting
early Saturday
morning. This
is the view of
our back yard
from our
bedroom window
which is at
grade level.
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