Friends for Comfort, VBS '24, Happy Memorial Day (Pastoral Emphasis for 5/26)

As the month of May comes to a close, we'll been addressing different mental healh topics in our pastoral prayer topic of “New Mercies for Mental Health”. We need to break the stigma around mental health illness especially in the church. It's okay if you need counseling or therapy. It's okay if you need to take medication. God in His common grace towards humanity has provided doctors, counselors, and medicine as means to help us. See a counselor and/or take medication if you need to but keep your trust in Jesus. 

We've prayed about Depression (Light for the Darkness), Anxiety (Peace for the Anxious), and Suicidal Tendencies (Hope for Life). Today, we'll focus on “Friends for Comfort (Supporting Those Suffering)”. Many of us know people who are suffering from mental health struggles. We often don't know how to support them because we don't know what to say, therefore, we end up avoiding them which adds to their isolation and suffering. You don't have to speak a lot to express love. You don't have to be brilliant, articulate, scholarly, licensed, or ordained in order to comfort those suffering. The only thing you have to be is..available. The greatest ability is avail-ability! 

Warren Wiersbe writes, “The best way to help people who are hurting is just show up; say little or nothing; don't try to explain everything because explanation never heals broken hearts”. How can we sympathize and bring comfort to those who are suffering? We should seek to share the pain. We must truly identify with their sorrow and join in with their grief. Sometimes, we think “I must be strong and not get emotional”. But your tears and emotions may do more to comfort them than your putting on a brave face. It lets the sufferer know that what's happening to them affects you. You'll be amazed at how shared sorrow can lighten someone's suffering. We can also provide comfort by lending a hand to provide aid to the suffering. Whether it's cooking a meal, babysitting children, cleaning the house, taking care of the yard, tending to physical wounds...all of these actions can provide comfort. 

PLEASE resist the urge to quote Scripture like a band-aid or aspirin. Yes, Scripture is sufficient for all we need but we must have wisdom on how and when to apply it. They need the truth of Scripture demonstrated through your life as you minister to them with your presence! 

We recognized the following child who recently came forward to trust in Christ and get baptized: Amia Boone (age 7). Amia is the daughter of Sis. Nicole Boone.

This year's VBS is June 19 – 23. VBS has something for the entire family. Registration is open. Members can signup on Realm or you can register at the VBS table in the lobby. Volunteers are also need.

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We will resume our Joshua sermon series, From Promise to Possession, next Sunday. Review chapters 1-8 and we'll pick back up with chapter 9. 

To all of our members, we need to have a special Church Family Meeting next Sunday, 6/2, after service. It will be a short meeting but we need to take care of some business. I'll send out a special Webex link for those attending virtually. 

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. Yes, Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer with vacation and sales. But don't forget that Memorial Day is a time for us to remember the men and women who have died in military service to their country. So as you cookout with family and friends and enjoy the freedoms of this country, take some time to remember those who have died and pray for the comfort of their families.