THANK YOU!

It is time to say "thank you" again. There is no way we have the time to specifically thank each of you for the way that you have served us, but we want you to know how very grateful we are. Gratitude just washes over us again and again. We often find ourselves stunned at the love and care so many have shown to us.

The April Newsletter of Grace Community Church (you will find it in a few days at www.graceccnc.org) features an article by David Calvert, our Assistant Pastor for Church Ministries. David writes about God's special love, mercy, compassion, and care all wrapped up in the Hebrew word, hesed. David makes the point that this is a love that is more readily seen in action than defined by words. We have seen this godly love and compassion expressed in these last two months more times than we could have imagined possible, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I recently mentioned in a post that Grace Community Church has graciously allowed me to spend precious days with my wonderful wife. That has been an immeasurable gift. What a blessing it is to connect with our brothers and sisters there whenever we can! Our love for you practically bursts out of our hearts at times.

We feel the same about our North Harnett Primary School family! Could any group of workers show more love than you have? I know that Linda is one of you, but you have made me feel equally a part of your special family. You will never know how much you have meant to us.

And we cannot fail to mention our friends at Coats Elementary School and at the Harnett County Schools Central Office. Thank you for loving, encouraging, supporting, and praying for us. Why are we so blessed?

All of the above have provided meals for us. Did you know that a sister church in the area (Macedonia Baptist) is also helping to provide delicious meals for us? One loving couple even provided a new stove and a new set of cookware for us! A couple of dedicated ladies have looked after Linda's special dietary needs - and they have done so at a high level. Friends from other churches have brought meals and supported in so many ways.

Well, there I go again, getting into something I should leave alone. The reason I say that is I will surely leave someone out, and how tragic to do harm when I want to shout gratitude from the rooftop! I will just stick to specific thanks about food so that there will be less chance of forgetting to mention a specific kindness that you have shown. We have received breathtakingly thoughtful gifts from other churches (such as Hickory Grove Advent Christian Church) and so many individuals, and our hearts overflow. You know who you are - THANK YOU!

I would say that we do not deserve this care, but that goes without saying (even though I just said it!). Your expressions of love have revealed the grace and mercy of God to us in tangible ways that we have not seen before. In that, you have ministered mightily to us.

If you are still reading, thank you. Perhaps we have never met, but just the fact that you care enough to still be reading indicates your interest in Linda and her circumstances. If you have prayed anonymously, I do hope the Lord will allow us to thank you in heaven! For now, though, may I say directly to you, God bless you richly - we are so grateful!

In my tenure at Grace Community Church (eight and a half years), I have preached from Romans 16 twice. If, in my first months here, you had asked me how many times I would expect to preach on that passage in my first ten years, I would have said, "None - unless I am preaching through the book of Romans." If you will read that passage you will understand why I would say such a thing. As I have understood, however, not only the value of a grateful heart, but also God's expectation for us to express thanks to those who have served us and the Lord well, I have enjoyed communicating this truth to our congregation from that chapter of appreciation on a couple of occasions. Remember, God did not waste any words in the Bible, so Romans 16 is oh, so applicable today. In that spirit, it has been my desire to articulate our appreciation for all who have ministered so well to us, and thus, to Jesus (Matthew 25:31-40). God bless you!