Rob Chaffart Sermon Illustrator and Chicken soup

Welcome to the Illustrator
Cape Bonavista Lighthouse
Today's Bible Verse:
Ps 36:7 How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men
find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
The Small Still Voice

It was a sunny, Spring day, but that was lost on me. In my mind a thousand
concerns and worries were racing around and around. Looking back now I can't
for the life of me remember a single one of them. In the days that followed
like most worries they all either faded or amounted to nothing. At the time,
though, they seemed like they were going to wreck my life. I had even
foolishly taken the day off work so I could spend more time on my worrying.
I couldn't
think. I couldn't relax. I couldn't even sit still.

Hoping to clear my head I drove to a local lake that had a gravelled path
around it. As I walked along my brain continued to race. Halfway around I
stopped
at a small bench and sat down. My legs weren't tired, but my brain was
exhausted.

After sitting a few minutes I just let go and stopped thinking. I listened
to the gentle music of the birds singing their love songs in the trees. I
watched
as the sun sparkled and danced off the crystal clear waves of the lake. I
noticed the first wild flowers of Spring growing towards the light. I
breathed
in the fresh, clean air. I felt at peace for the first time all day. It was
then that I heard the small, still voice of God whispering in my mind. "What
are you so worried about?,"

He said. "I have loved you since the day you were born. I love you now. And
I will continue to love you forever." I stayed happily there on that bench
for a long time. And when I finally left I took the peace and love with me.
I remember singing childhood hymns as I half walked and half danced the rest
of the way around the lake. It felt so good knowing that I was loved.

The next time that the foolish voices of worry start chattering in your
head, tell them to shut up. Then sit down, be quiet, and listen for the
small,
still voice of God. He will be there waiting to love you, to guide you, to
strengthen you, and to bless you with His peace forever.

Joseph J. Mazzella
joemazzella@ frontier. com
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In His love,

Rob Chaffart
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