Those rascally rabbits! These past couple of years, my garden was overtaken by rabbits. This spring I counted 4 sets of adult rabbits hanging out in my yard. After planting my garden, they made a quick meal of my broccoli plants and my bean shoots. Frustrated, I ordered fencing, and luckily for me, amazon shipped it within a day or so. I put up the fence and showed those rabbits who was boss. I felt a feeling of victory and replanted my crops. The fence worked for the most part. The adult rabbits didn’t breach the barrier, but one day I noticed movement inside the enclosure and much to my chagrin, a baby rabbit sat there munching on my beans. He sat there with such confidence. Well, just like Farmer MacGregor, I chased that varmint around until finally he got under the fence and quickly ran under the deck. As I discovered, those 8 rabbits had multiplied to a number I have been unable to count. Yet, instead of giving in or giving up, I fortified my fence even more and soon was finally able to reap a harvest. Several of the rabbits have now moved on, but there is still that one, whom I’ve named Peter. He taunts me on a daily basis. I have vowed that next year I will be even more prepared to fight the good fight and win!

The Apostle Paul encourages us to prepare for battle against the schemes of the Devil by taking every precaution to protect and defend ourselves. In Ephesians 6:11 he writes– “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” In order to win the battle and defeat the Devil, we have to be prepared with a power greater than ourselves - HIS Armor. God is offering us victory, however we still have to put on the full armor and fight. We cannot stand and we will not win without HIM! Read the rest of this passage in Ephesians 6 and see how God can prepare us. He’s offering us everything we will need to fight and win.

​ Too bad there are not any passages of scriptures that tell you how to rid your garden of rabbits. 

STEVE’S DESK - BACK TO SCHOOL – WE HOPE?

I remember when I was in elementary school I was always eager to return to school in the fall, but as I grew older, I began dreading going back, especially when school began opening before Labor Day. Summer vacation really did get shorter. When I went to college, I was never ready to go back. It would take several weeks to get back into the routine. Then, after graduation, the long summer breaks became a thing of my past and year-round work became reality. Ugh! Adulthood brings a lot of change.

This Covid 19 pandemic has also brought many changes, especially to our education system. Sadly, things still could change again. I’m confident that the kids will adapt to whatever evolves and teachers will too, but it won’t be without some pains. A new normal is being created and we just have to hold on and have faith that God will see us through it. We have an opportunity to teach some very important lesson to our children. They need to know that though things change around them – God never changes! AND He never breaks his promises!

Hebrews 13:8 says, “ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We need to remember that He is still there and will always be there. Regardless of how much things change around us, he does not and will not. In this passage, Paul is referencing Deuteronomy 31:6 where God is telling Moses, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is the same message and the same words that God uses to encouraged Joshua as he was about to lead the people into the Promised Land in the book of Joshua. Incidentally, God repeats these same words, “Be strong and courageous…” five times in the entire book with four times in the first chapter. It is an important lesson is God repeats it. Both Joshua and Moses were facing big things and we are too. Today, God is encouraging us to keep our faith so others can keep theirs. We need to be mindful that our faith in these uncertain times can help others too.

​Be strong and courageous! Change is inevitable but God is constant and never changes! Let us to look to the future with the certainty of our faith. Regardless of what happens – God will deliver us. Join us