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Saturday

January Contribution - Shining Night

At the end of the day, as her eyes see the last rays of sun and lashes catch the first moonlight, she slips into a quiet slumber. A pleasant dream begins on an uninhabited beach with a backdrop of tropical forest. Nothing has ever been as splendid as that cool summer’s eve, a shining night along the shores of the deserted sand. Yet, walking through it, she felt strings of emotions coming from within her, reaching out in search of something.

She stood to watch in awe as the sun brought an end to the day, shimmering bright across the plain of ocean water. Caught for a moment by the systematic sound within the waves as they overtook the shoreline, creating a rhythm in the midst of silence, she felt the beating of a loving heart. The stir of continuous rushing water ended in a pattern of calmness as it blended with the sand. In that pause, she felt a variation of thoughts among strings of separate emotions, an overflow of hidden anxieties sparked by her imagination. Unsettled, she knew that she was there in search of something. She had to find it. Only then, might she be able to find her dream’s answer, possibly even find peace on that shining night.

Her eyes wandered back and forth along the beach. Standing there in sort of a daze, she could seemingly watch the trees grow in their magnificent beauty. They reached effortlessly into the sky, as the long slender leaves swayed in the wind. It was as if each branch were a feather, gracefully taking hold of the air. Force from a sudden strong breeze threw her hair over her shoulders, causing a feeling of captivation to overwhelm her. She could even smell the fresh tropical air in every touch of wind that blew past. As she stood motionless and her feet searched for a permanent position to stand firmly, she remembered why she was there. Sinking slowly into the moist coolness of the sand, the insistence remained with her to continue her journey, to find what she was searching for on that shining night.

As she continued to follow the shore, she heard the cries of seagulls as they flew above to their perches along the rocky cliffs piercing the edge line of trees in the distance. The squawking and hacking brought the appearance of life to the beach. Although evening had begun, both the sun and moon kept her in awe, waiting for her to find what she searched for, from one end of the beach to the other.

Enduring the journey, she stumbled and fell on the stones that were scattered in the sand. The scene was beautiful and captivating, so much that it distracted her from the purpose of the dream. She would stumble and fall, wounded and bruised, regaining her composure. Then, again, stumble and fall. The sense of urgency rose inside, but the ground was unrelenting. She faltered more and more with each stride she took. Recovering her footing, she would only just fall again. This continued, it seemed, forever.

Then, in an instant, she knew she was there. Coming to the end, there were no more beaches or sand to follow, only the last of the moon on that shining night.

Her walk on the beach was not long, but long enough for discovery. On the waves that came into the shore, she saw him walking on the water, a silhouette within a new sunrise. She heard the beat of his heart as each new wave swept onto the shore. She felt his breath in the morning breeze upon her face. In a moment, he cleared a way through the strung out thoughts in her mind. Relief came to her emotions, release from so many tumultuous experiences. She found her peace in that dream with the appearance of her savior and God. The reality of freedom and forgiveness for a lifetime of struggles and sin came in His arms that shining night.

The alarm sounds, harshly awakening her ever-sweet slumber. Warmth glides across her flesh as the sun enters through the window. Although wishing to stay with her pillows and dreams, she realizes she must withdraw the cozy comfort of blankets from atop her. Opening her eyes to see a glimpse of sun rising, forever changed from the very pleasant dream, the evening she found her shining knight.

from Honey

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Wake Up!

October contribution by CF


Hear Ye! Hear Ye! All who are taking in air and are awake… It is time; time for change - time for connecting and obedience.

We walk around in our nice little bubbles, free from all the things we don’t want to let in. We position people in and out of our bubble according to who they are or how they act, or even where they can benefit us.

It is time for all of that to STOP!!

God has placed all of us in His bubble and he has chosen the ones we will be in touch with. People reach for us, yet we turn away. We do not recognize that they were put in our lives by God and we do not get to choose if we want to live the life He gives us. We have a hunger in our spirits for things we do not understand, but God does. He will feed this hunger with the dreams he puts in your spirit and with the people He sends. Still, you may be turning them away without realizing they could be part of His plan.

We need to be in God’s word every day, listening to His voice. He has made a light for us; His Word will direct our path. Let’s turn to all people and see them the way God does, bring them in. Let us place no judgments, no prejudice and no one beneath us. (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:105, Luke 6:37; 1Timothy 5:21; John 8:23)

I will open up my world into the bubble God has put me. I know my vision will only get bigger and stronger. I know I was put here to serve all people for God. The Word says, “…all of you must serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 GW

Whoever is first will be last and whoever is last will be first… (Matthew 20:16)

I WILL SERVE WITH JOY!!

A Heart to Obey

By Moriah VanWinkle – Age 12

The act of honoring someone contains many things that aren’t always so easy but we must learn to obey God and do it. In Exodus 20:12, we are told to honor our Father and our Mother. The act of obeying means: obeying, respecting, treating well, not talking back, and the list goes on. Even if doing these things seems like the whole world is going to end, it won’t. When we are being disciplined, we know that somewhere deep inside of our hearts. It’s just hard to remember it at the time. While writing this, I have learned about some of the many things the devil gladly gives us to make it hard to honor my parents. One is rebellion, another is simply our flesh (or human nature), and a third one is temptation.

Rebellion hurts us all. When we have rebellion, we don’t realize it. In Hebrew they call it transgression or “pasha” (peh’-shah). It means to rebel or to sin-to resist or defy authority. First John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This tells us that if we repent on us having rebellion or any other sin, Jesus will forgive us. So listen when you parent tells you that you have rebellion and just bite your tongue. Especially when you are thinking, what are you talking about? I don’t have rebellion!” (or any other feeling) You will be fine-just try to say, “Yes sir” or “Yes ma’am”, making sure that you are saying it in a voice that is not a bad attitude.

Temptation is hard to get over if you don’t really have the motivation or thought that it’s wrong in your mind. First Corinthians 10:13 says that there is nothing we will ever be tempted by that someone else has not come across before. One of the ways God shows his faithfulness is by not letting us be tempted beyond what we can handle, also he will provide a way so we can actually say no when we are tempted. James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” See right here in this verse that it tells us that if we stay away from temptation that we will be rewarded with the crown of life.

Our flesh is seriously one of the hardest things to get over, but with the help of God, you can. First Peter 4:1-2, “Therefore, Christ having suffered for us in the flesh, also you arm yourselves with the same thought, that he suffering in the flesh has been made to rest from sin, in order no longer to live in the lusts of men, but in the will of God the remaining time in the flesh.” If we listen to what God has been telling us in the word, and act upon those words, we will become conquerors of the flesh. (James 1:21-22 & Romans 12:21)

If you get sent to your room because of one or more of these things shove your face into the bible and read what God has to say about these things. Learn how God says to obey and do it. Learn how he says to get over these things and start practicing them. These are all the Devil’s things to get you away from God and the things of Holiness. Pray that God give you a heart to obey.

(All scripture references were taken from the Modern King James Version of the Bible)


Photo by T. Price

Additional Stories:

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Photo by T. Price
"I will stand on my watch and set myself on
the tower, and will watch to see what
He will say to me, and what I shall
answer when I am reproved.
And Jehovah answered me and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain on the tablets,
that he who reads it may run.
For the vision is still for an appointed time,
but it speaks to the end, and it does not lie.
Though it lingers, wait for it;
because it will surely come.
It will not tarry."
Habakkuk 2:1-3 (MKJV)

"O Jehovah, I have heard Your report;
I am afraid. O Jehovah, give new life to
Your work in the midst of years;
in the midst of the years make known;
in wrath remember mercy...
yet I will rejoice in Jehovah,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Jehovah the Lord is my strength,
and He will make my feet like hinds' feet,
and He will make me to walk on my high places.
To the chief singer on my stringed instruments."
Habakkuk 3:2, 18-19 (MKJV)

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power:
for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Revelation 4:11 (KJV)

"If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
1 John 1:9 (ESV)

"Faith assures us of things we expect and
convinces us of the existence
of things we cannot see."
Hebrews 11:1 (GWV)

River Front Park - Downtown Spokane

River Front Park - Downtown Spokane
Photo by Hanalore' VanWinkle

About Town Hope

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” 1 Peter 3:15

Are you prepared to give an answer for the hope you have?

The vision for Town Hope has to begin with the testimony of the hope we have in Christ. Hope for the broken rests on His body; through the unity of Christ, the common hope we have through Christ our Lord and Savior.

“You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, Lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God!'” Isaiah 40:9

We may say, “I am only one, God.” And God reminds us in His special way, He only needs a willing vessel and a heart to believe Him, and He’ll move mountains for His cause.

Many things God asks us to do bring us to a place where we must step out in faith, then He will bring others along side.

Habakkuk declares that he will wait for an answer from God…

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

“Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; It speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:1-3

God tells him to write it down…

So are you one who will share your testimony?

Town Hope