Wrapping it All Up

We’ve unwrapped all of the gifts and now it’s time to wrap up another year. As 2021 comes to an end, God impressed upon me that we ALL needed to have a part. I asked the other three writers to contribute to this final post of the year. I have been so encouraged and honored to be included in part of the Devotional Writing Team. A team that did not exist 12 months ago but came together piece by piece, sentence by sentence, just as God planned. Each of us could give numerous testimonies of how God showed up and used each of us and our writing to reach out to others. And, all of this was done with faith and trust from our expert leader, Pastor Robby, who offered us all the opportunity to write publicly. With lots of prayer, we have striven to enlighten, inspire, encourage, and test our faith using our gifts and talents to God’s Glory. I ask that you, the reader, please continue to pray for us and our church, Crestview, as we work to grow God’s Kingdom. Our little church on the hill is truly a special place touched by God.

I feel so very small in this big ole’ world but you, the reader, has given me courage, inspiration, confidence and motivation to continue with the good words/works. None of us know what the next 12 months will hold. I don’t know how long we can all keep writing. I do know that God already has it planned out and we just need to be ready to follow His will. Every comment is read and appreciated. Every "like" gives us a little encouragement. This post is longer than usual but I promise you won’t be disappointed if you hang in to the end. Lucy’s words were written several years ago and are as accurate and pertinent to today as they were then. Kathy’s List makes me want to shout AMEN! at the end of every line. And, Pastor Robby, as always, has such a concise and eloquent way of putting things in perspective and wrapping it all back up. May God continue to use each of us to glorify his Kingdom.

Still Amazed by His Grace,

Sara Adkins Last song of the year - Auld Lang Syne - Instrumental

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A New Year – by Lucy Allen

(This is an excerpt from “The Pond”. I altered the dates, with permission, to represent our current time.SA)

As I write, we are fast approaching the end of the year. Just a few more days and 2021 will be past and we will be looking ahead at 2022 with much anticipation and wonder. The beginning of a new year is both frightening and exciting. We have the words of David as he says in Psalms 65:11, “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.” I like to consider this thought as I contemplate the upcoming year. God crowns the year with goodness and where His feet have passed, plenty flows there like a stream.

I recall the October of 2014 and our imminent move from our home of thirty-five years to where we now live, at “The Pond.” Much like the anticipation of the New Year, we had those thoughts of certainty and comfort surrounding the old house, but waiting for us a few miles away was a little anxiety, fear and yes, excitement. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous at the idea of snakes in and around the pond. Spiders are not creatures that I love, but living near water they were going to be a part of my life. It seemed no sooner did I knock down a spider and its web, that it would be back. Never have I lived where the forest was so close…what was going to be lurking about in those woods? Instead of being fearful, I should have focused on this verse from Psalms. How easily I could have substituted words and had a verse like this, “Thou crownest our new house with thy goodness; and thy paths around the pond shall drop fatness.”

We who are God’s children should not fear the unknown. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” How are we to not give in to fears? By having our hearts fixed on Jesus, the One who says, “fear not.” Look at Psalm 112:7-8 for this truth, “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid.”

Closing with the following quote, I pray will help us put the New Year in the right perspective.

As the old year retires and a new one is born, we commit into the hands of our Creator the happenings of the past year and ask for direction and guidance in the new one. May He grant us His grace, His tranquility and His wisdom!” ― Peggy Toney Horton

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Twenty-Two Things I Learned in 2021 - by Kathy Crouch

1. God is in control of everything.

2. If we are still, we can hear God’s voice.

3. Miracles are real.

4. Childlike faith is required by God.

5. A prideful heart will bring one low.

6. God often has to change things to change things.

7. Life is full of rainy days.

8. Only with God can we find strength through death.

9. Angels are real.

10. Coincidences are not real.

11. Life’s path can be smooth, bumpy, curvy, etc.

12. Prayer changes things.

13. Continued prayer moves the hand of God.

14. Encouraging others is important.

15. We should all be seed planters.

16. Never take assembling together as a church family for granted.

17. Patience is learned and is definitely a virtue.

18. Let go and let God.

19. Help those less fortunate than ourselves.

20. For everything there is a season.

21. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

22. Sin left unchecked will grow.

As challenging as 2021 has been, God had to slow me down because there were many lessons I needed to learn. I certainly learned the importance of James 1:2,3 which says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” So, whatever trails lie ahead in the new year, I have learned that God will use them to make me stronger. I wish each of you a prosperous and healthy New Year and would like to leave you with a quote from my granddaughter, Kate. “Follow the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind—no matter what, forever and ever.” May this little bit of wisdom and child-like faith from a six-year-old carry each of us into 2022.

Your Sister in Christ,

Kathy Crouch

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Three Things That Remain The Same - by Robby Stewart

It’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of another year! Not only does it seem that this past year has flown by but, due to Covid, the last two years have gone fleeting by. It’s harder to believe that we have and still are dealing with Covid these two years later. We have adapted to many changes in our everyday life, some for the good and some that are just plain aggravating and frustrating. But I have learned this one valuable lesson. God hasn’t changed and never will!

We are heading into a new year that with some, offers new opportunities and with others, maybe new doubts and fears. But nevertheless God abides the same! He is a constant in an ever changing world! I would encourage you that if you have:

· Lost your focus

· Lost your way

· Lost your hope

Than there are three points of reference you can turn to that are the same and found in the same place.

1. Look to God! He is in the same place where you left Him.

2. Look to the Bible! It’s truths are “Forever settled in heaven.”

3. Recommit to attending Church on a regular basis. Crestview hasn’t gone anywhere and I pray that we will remain that “City set upon a hill that cannot be hid!”

God bless! Have a safe and happy new year!

Pastor Robby