See the devotional "Farewell and Follow" for Friday, May 4

Reflections will be posted as available.

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See the devotional "For the Sake of the World" for Thursday, May 3       

Reflections:

When we meet Jesus, our lives change, and it changes forever. Our relationship with Jesus becomes the most important thing in our life. We become more sensitive, more concerned and more loving. We care more about God’s children who we may not have been important to us before. We are ever mindful that God will continue to meet our every material need. We don’t depend on our own skills or abilities to meet our needs, we simply depend on God for our needs. Because when we faithfully depend on our God, He expects us to accept His love for us immediately, and we can then graciously permit Him to serve us. We are then motivated to take our eyes off of our self and focus on the love we have for others. He asks us to reaffirm our love, so that we might examine ourselves, and be sure that our love for Him is real. When we realize that we really do love our God, we are motivated and freed to serve Him without self- doubts. We love Jesus on many levels and in many different ways. But the love that counts is when we demonstrate that love in our actions, it’s a love that proves itself in experience. When we spell out our love by our actions, its reality will never be misunderstood.

O God, allow my life to reflect Your Word. Let the words of my mouth offer hope and confidence and give fresh assurance. I pray to not only say that “I love you, Lord”, but that I also show you in all that I do that “I love you, Lord” . Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Hope Breaks Forth" for Wednesday, May 2

Reflections: 

The resurrection of Jesus allows us to receive forgiveness from our denial and desertion of our orthodox doctrine.  We must take seriously our apostolic commission of spreading the “good news to all creation.”  Jesus had forgiven and restored Peter and Jesus can do the same for the United Methodist Church. Rev. Mike Mayhugh

Our God is an awesome God whose love is boundless and grace based on a love beyond our comprehension. A God of second chances always willing to show us the way if we ask for His guidance while invoking the power of the Holy Spirit. Please show our church the way that follows the teachings of Jesus. In Christ’s Name, Amen Larry W. Harrison, Christ United Methodist Church, Sugar Land

Often times when I feel the despair that life can sometimes bring, He gently reminds me ‘You have been here before and I brought you back from the darkness then as I will always do. Don’t worry everything will be fine.” Even Jesus in His humanness felt that despair in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked the Father to take this cup of suffering away from Him yet Jesus wanted the will of the Father done and not His own. It is comforting to know that the Father’s will is perfect and nothing else will do. We need not ask for anything more. Kerry Adams 

In Mark 14:27 Jesus tells his disciples that they will abandon Him and backs it up with scripture. I can imagine the scene and how each of them probably felt differently about Jesus’ words. Some outraged that He would think that of them, some unbelieving they would do that, but maybe having some doubt, and some feeling guilty as they knew He was right… oh man. David Daniels, Worship Leader, Christ United Methodist Church of Sugar Land

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See the devotional "Discipleship by the Sea" for Tuesday, May 1

Reflections:

Jesus walked over to see the disciples. Not too surprising except that he was walking on water. It was so different from what they expected that they didn't recognize him. How might Jesus walk into our lives today in ways that we don't expect and thus do not recognize him? Remember to look for Jesus to walk into your life in ways and in people that you least expect. There are lots of opportunities for that at General Conference and in everyday life. Jim Bankston, Sr. Pastor, St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas

In this world, with all of its distractions, we may lose sight of Jesus, but Jesus never loses sight of us. When we are in trouble, we must remember the threefold miracles of Jesus ability to walk on water; His ability to calm the storms and His ability to see His disciples boat safely to shore. Even with all of this, we often, like his disciples do not realize how powerful he is. All of us can recall the number of times when he has helped us in the past, and this should give us courage to submit our life to his loving care. God sometimes comes so near, his very nearness blinds us. Familiarity sometimes breeds contempt, but we must remember it always breeds containment. Knowing Jesus in little ways prevents our knowing him in greater ways. I pity those who study him, yet never really know him, I pity scholars who write of his life and times, but never feel his nearness. This is no different for the body of the General Conference, they too, must remember, to really know God, they too must die to self, and give up both time and personal preferences. And remember that when we they empty themselves, God can fill their hearts with His compassion. When we seek God, he gives to us freely. In order to have a closer relationship with our God, the General Conference  must consistently  and intentionally seek His face and His direction for their work, for He can bring a wisdom that can come only from Him.

Heavenly Father, let nothing distract their focus from your heart and the heart of others. Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Crossing to the Other Side" for Monday, April 30       

Reflections:

Jesus dealt with the source of the disciples stress by stilling the storms. But he did something else, something we can all do. We can place our faith in God. Ultimately the best way to manage stress is to relinquish our problems to God. Often when we get into to trouble, we question God’s love for us, not his ability and yet despite our lack of faith, God reaches out His hand and saves us. We must remember, even and have confidence that Christ, the Ruler of the secret Kingdom of God, has power over nature, over demonic powers, and over every illness. Knowing Jesus has such power gives us confidence to live by His Word, even if He, should not choose to heal every believers’ disease right now.

In the fruit God’s Word produces in us, the kingdom of Jesus flourishes today. As we commit ourselves to live as citizens of His Kingdom, we can be confident of His protection. Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Pray" for Sunday, April 29        

Reflections will be posted as they are available

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See the devotional "Only Believe" for Saturday, April 28      

The world is looking at the body of the United Methodist General Conference. Though they face unique challenges in their work, decisions reflecting the rights of privileges of people everywhere will bring greater impact because of the relational bridges they’ve already built. Jesus will challenge their faith regardless of the circumstances, He always urges us on to faith and away from our fear. In most cases, humble faith pays off. We must reach out in faith and never fail to approach God for forgiveness based on our visual circumstances. He is waiting for us to reach out and touch Him. No problem is too great, no scorn is too great. We must simply admit our failures and our mistakes and simply reach out to God for help. We must remember , that even at the General Conference, God is doing more than establishing policies and procedures through the delegates. As citizens of His kingdom, who have sworn allegiance to Him, He is working in the hearts and lives of those attending.

The experience of God’s grace frees us to love others and to serve a Lord who is committed to do us all, if only we believe.

Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "A Sower Went to Sow" for Friday, April 27

Dear friends representing us at General Conference 2012,

Today, as you struggle to change the church in committee meeting after meeting;

as you strive to use these few important days to plant seeds in the hardenedsoil of an institutional church which will grow to nourish future generations;

as the weariness of travel and hotels and long days and nights begins to slow your enthusiasm for sowing; I pray you will experience God’s peace.

For no matter what happens this week and next; no matter what words are rewritten or left unchanged;

our God who created the waters of the Sea of Galilee; who washes away our corporate and individual sins;

can also cleanse and refresh and revive us, as a church and as individual Christians.

Grace and peace, Rev. Carol Bruse

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See the devotional "It is All About God" for Thursday, April 26     

Reflections:

As believers, we often get caught up by the miraculous things that God allows to happen as a result of our own belief system. We must never think that it was my /our strength alone that accomplished the works. We must always be ever mindful that it is by the strength of the Lord that we do and have what we do and have. For there is no mistaking, the power God exercises over every natural and supernatural force! Its’ never about us, its’ always about God! We must remember that we all come to Jesus out of a sense of need, we must learn to love Him for His own sake, rather than for what He does for us. For a man who believes himself a sinner, who feels himself sinful, is already at the gates of the kingdom  of heaven.

Dear God, thank you for empowering the body of the  General Conference, with responsibility and with authority,  to get the job done right not by their spirit but by your spirit and your spirit alone!  Amen! Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "His Name Was Christian" for Wednesday, April 25  

Reflections:

God's love for us cannot fit on a scale of 1 to 10; sin is sin, though some may hold greater consequences in our lives than others, it breaks the Lords heart all the more to see us stray. Everyone has the potential for new life and forgiveness. How are we to build the very unity Christ calls for, when we put others beneath us, when we deem their sins worse than ours? If God is willing to give us unconditional love and forgiveness when our hearts and souls ask for Him to feed us, why not emit the very love that makes us feel so accepted and worthy ourselves? Falling in love with Jesus and his goodness, makes it all the more life-giving and beautiful to fall in love with all His people, our brothers and sisters, imperfect just the same.

Everyone is a sinner, and we have done absolutely nothing to deserve God's unfailing love, but God's grace covers all sins. "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). As Christians we're called to righteousness and not to look at others from a worldly point of view, so we should do our best to love everybody despite what the world might say. We are all God's children and He loves us all so very much. We should strive to be more Christ like every day, which includes not discriminating and loving everybody as ourselves. Eddie Erwin

Jesus was always associating Himself with the outcasts. The tax collector, the woman at the well, the lepers, the beggars, and truly the lost. Jesus did not consider these people rejects. He was the Physician that the people needed. He comes to us in our need. He provides a final and complete cure.  Jesus is the one who can heal. Dear Lord Jesus we thank you for your power that only you can save. In your name we pray. Joyce Moore, Jones Memorial UMC

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See the devotiona "The Call" for Tuesday, April 24       

Reflections:

Jesus has called the ‘delegates’ as ‘disciples’ for the United Methodist Church, just as He called the twelve (12) Disciples to follow Him. He is calling the delegates to follow Him.  I pray that the urgency for which was felt by the (12) twelve Disciples is that same urgency to the call  is felt by the delegates of the 2012 General Conference. Not only is it a privilege but an urgent responsibility to all who are Methodist and the world. In order to follow Jesus , we must deny  ourselves and lose sight of our own interests, to go one’s own way under the sign of the cross is peace and refreshment for the soul, it is the highest joy for we must not walk under our self-made laws and burdens, but under the call of Jesus who knows us and who walks under the call of God with us. When we are called and in communion with God, we can be certain  that He is near. Only belief in a higher power greater than our self ; that’s how our delegates should see this call as one far greater than they are personally. Under our own power, we are helpless against the power of egos and self- importance, we must consistently tap into the power by making conscious decisions to entrust this time to the care of God.  

It is my prayer that the delegates continually and steadfastly cling to Jesus in every aspect of the General Conference. The only way to experience true joy is to allow God to work through them to bless all of us. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "A People Set Apart" for Monday, April 23       

Reflections:

God instructs us to share the gospel with anyone who will listen. Since we do not know who will respond and who will not, the most unlikely candidates often come to faith, we are to make our appeals to the many. We all have a dual citizenship,  participants in human society and at the same time in god’s kingdom. We are to live as good citizens of each, honoring both God and our government. It is exciting to know that with God all thing are possible. In our human thinking we hit brick walls, so to speak and we come up against something that is impossible for us. We feel frustrated and hopeless. But with God, that never has to happen. When we put our trust in Him, another world pops up to us and a world of possibilities that we would have never thought possible in the natural. Two different worlds. There is hope no matter how bad things may look. If God can take a hard, sinful, hateful, bitter heart, and make it soft, holy ,loving and forgiving, then He can do anything.

If we keep believing and praying, God can keep working, but if we give up, we close the door on the miracle God has in mind for us. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Compelled to Shout "Hosanna!"" for Sunday, April 22        

Reflections:

The Book of Psalms is my favorite book in the Bible, for in this Psalms, we are compelled to praise God , give Him thanks, we can almost hear the cantor calling to the people, priests and those who fear God to praise God’s unending love. In today’s culture, we recognize these liturgy in our Call to Worship, in our hymn choruses, in the scripture readings every Sunday morning in worship, they are readings of praise and thanksgivings. When we repeat these readings, it is like saying “I Love You , Lord” over and over. It reinforces that truth in our hearts and minds. Instead of throwing away the Sundays’ bulletin after worship service on Sunday mornings, we should use it all week long to praise and thank God over and over into our daily life. We should use the scripture passage and the hymn and make it our daily devotion over the course of the week.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "The Ways of the Lord" for Saturday, April 21      

Reflections: 

Gracious God, we pray for all those readying themselves for service at General Conference.  There are times when all of us need help remembering that you know our mind and heart, even if others do not,  and that you will vindicate faithfulness even if the world does not.  Like the psalmist, may we trust in the Lord ‘without wavering,’ for we pray in Christ’s name.  Amen. Rev. Gail Ford Smith, Center for Clergy Excellence      

Psalm 26:2 of today’s devotional especially spoke to my heart in a very personal way. The last few years I’ve been heavily “tested” in many different situations;  yet instead of those tests tearing me apart….they have truly brought me to a closer, stronger relationship with God.   I, too, praise the Lord. Beez Beasley

“Holy Father, remind us that through the faithful death and resurrection of your son Jesus Christ we, who belong to Him, have been vindicated for eternity. May we continue to follow in your ways as we stand firm on the assurance that in your infinite grace, you will always have compassion on your servants and never abandon the work of your hands. I fear not, o God, for You, who vindicates me, are always near.” I pray this works. Do you need anything else from me on or before 4/21? Rev. Arturo (Artie) Cadar, ChristWay Community Church 

It is so frustrating to be treated unfairly! We feel victimized and angry. What a good time to turn to the Psalms and remember: 1. It has happened to others. 2. There is comfort in the rituals of faith. 3. God's grace assures us wholeness and healing. Becky Wallace

Even as we stumble, we must keep trying to live an honest and open life , doing all we can to discover and fulfill God’s will for us. We don’t have to fear God’s judgment, since he loves us, even with all our faults. As we seek God’s will for us, we also need to avoid the activities and people that will lead us back into destructive lives. Nothing good can come from trying to associate with people or situations who formerly dragged us down. When we make a conscious decision to take the side of good rather than evil, we recognize we need forgiveness, God preserves and protects us as he helps us to have integrity and live counter to prevailing moral standards. We should ask ourselves, did not Jesus die on a hill? For those who understand the real topography of faith, where the cross stands, the ground is level. Here there are no Jews or Gentiles, no slaves or free, no ethnic specialties, no gender favorites. Here on this level ground, there are only sinners who have seen their neediness in the light of the cross.

Make no mistake, as we journey through this life, we need and pray for God’s guidance. Believers must always come together for worship and mutual encouragement that helps us to stay focused. Amen

Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "The Lesson of Wilderness" for Friday, April 20

Reflections:

The disgrace of Egypt was not that there was inequity and injustice for God’s people. The disgrace of Egypt was that there is inequity and injustice at all. As God’s people wandered in the wilderness, following the promise placed in their hearts by the God who had liberated them, they learned that it is God who provides equally and justly for all. When they entered into the land of promise the temptation was to claim its abundance as the just and equitable recompense for the suffering they had endured, rather than seeing it as plenty to be shared. It is the work of God to roll back the disgrace of inequity and injustice whether God’s people live in Egypt or in the land of promise. It is the work of the people gratefully to participate in God’s work.

Lord, let us not forget that you are at work in behalf of those who are oppressed. As beneficiaries of your liberating work, let us accept the freedom and power you give us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. Amen.

Submitted by Laura Young and covenant/study group at Linden United Methodist Church. 

Eighty – five per cent (85%) of our problems stem from the way we feel about ourselves. God provides exactly what we need, when we need it in fact. He assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. When we feel lost or without answers, we need to go to God and submit ourselves to him for we do not have to go through painful processes without God. At the General Conference, we need only to defer to God when the challenges become unbearable, though we don’t understand, we still need to give the challenges to God. We must remember, God is not our foot soldier in our personal campaigns, He does not make his resources available to us so we can achieve our own personal agendas. But He comes as our Lord and Savior to save us all. We must recognize, he is our Savior, He is our Lord and we must serve him, we must worship at his feet for in His presence we stand on holy ground. We must deal with God in terms of who He is , our Lord , our God, our Creator, our Savior and our Commander in Chief.

We pray though we are in the wilderness, we must ever be mindful, God goes before us, He fights for us, He always gives us the victory through him, so we must stand our ground, never give up and give God the glory! Amen Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "God the Host" for Thursday, April 19

Reflections:

God wants us to have what is best for us. He is our guide, He knows what we need better than even we do. As long as we keep Him as our guide, he will be able to guide us to places of safety. He knows how to direct us away from places where we will be tempted to stumble. Even when we fail, he can deliver us from our pain and suffering. God will help us avoid the places where we have stumbled in the past and guide us as we make healthy choices. At some point in our lives, all of us walk through the shadow of death, either facing our own death, the death of a loved one or some other extraordinarily difficult time. Where there is a shadow, there must be light, and the light of the world, Jesus, has promised to be with us always. We pray to God to always be with us in every situation, to be our comfort and guide us. He will lead us in the path of righteousness, uprightness and right standing with Him. He has a path that is right just for us and when we allow him to guide us,  we will be able to fulfill the great purpose that He has for our lives.

I pray that I allow God to guide me and I know that I will find contentment. Please help me not to go my own way, but to follow your lead. If I can do this, I am assured of a life filled with peace, love and joy Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Beyond Limitations" for Wednesday, April 18  

Reflections:

The Christian life is not a matter of doing great things for God, that’s religion. Christianity is doing great things with God and that’s the life of Jesus in us. We need to look up to heaven as we go through our day! We must realize that Jesus is able to do the impossible, and He is concerned with all of our pressing needs, He is committed to meeting all of our most physical and most mental needs. Jesus did not do everything himself, he used his disciples to help meet people’s needs. He meets our needs through human instruments. God may well be working through human instruments, through concerned friends and others who are hurting just like us. We can practice the ‘each one, reach one’ philosophy. We should never refuse the help offered by godly brothers and sisters. We should seek opportunities to encourage others in their life and be thankful that God has chosen to use us.

We pray that our Council of Bishops, who meets starting today, will remember that Jesus still performs miracles. If we have the compassion and the willingness to offer what we do have to others, then Jesus can miraculously multiply our little to meet the needs of many. Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Choices for Abundant Living" for Tuesday, April 17

In today’s devotional written by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of Illinois, we are reminded of Jeremiah’s words about trusting God, particularly in the light of Judah’s constant temptation to look for help elsewhere by forming political alliances with both Babylon and Egypt.  And as the General Conference opens in just a few days, that would seem to be a good word to all those who will gather in Tampa.  For the very real temptation facing our delegates will similarly be to look to political means or models for resolving tough issues rather than spiritual ones. What Jeremiah reminds us, though, is that doing so is like expecting a tamarisk bush (verse 6) with stunted roots planted in the desert to thrive and grow when it has no real possibility of ever doing so.  Likewise, hearts which have not been touched by God are not simply gravely ill (verse 9), they are beyond cure!  If contrast, however, if we can learn to trust in God and to put our complete reliance in Him, we can be like a bay tree that is planted by the waters.  Not only will its’ leaves stay green, such a tree can continue to bear fruit even in times of real drought such as we experienced here in Texas last year.  Every generation needs the regeneration of God’s Spirit.  Our prayer for this General Conference is that our church will experience that rebirth as well, expressed as the bishop has put it, in “a greening of our days and lives.” Chappell Temple, Lakewood UMC

Plants need their roots. It is the appendages that reach into the surrounding soil to seek the

water and nutrients. If the plant's root system finds what it needs, the plant will grow healthy and bear fruit upon its branches. The root system also serves as an anchor for the plant in the case of wind, storm, or any natural occurrence that threatens the plant. The plant can even appear to be dead above the surface, but if its root system is healthy and thriving the plant can come back to life to bear fruit again.

Jeremiah reminds us that our “root systems” should be firmly entrenched in trust of God. No

matter what comes our way as individual plants or as the orchard called the United Methodist Church, if our trust is in God, not only will we survive but thrive and bear fruit.

Eric Ryburn St. John's United Methodist Church Richmond, Texas

If God is only acknowledged but not consulted and involved in life decisions, then His will cannot be known.  Life is much more complicated than we can manage alone.  If we trust Him and consult Him, His will can be known and followed.  Involving and trusting God every day on every decision brings peace. 

Lord, make us like a tree planted beside the flowing water.  Let us bring forth fruit in due season.  Prune our tree, O Lord, so we may be more fruitful.  Lord, we desire to live a life pleasing to you. Amen. Kay Harlan

To be a rich healthy tree.  As I read the line, "We live in a broken world; we easily fall into isolation and try to become self-reliant" I feel the truth of this statement resonate through my life.  The countless times that I have tried to do it on my own.  Even if I spent the time listening, praying and discerning what God's will is for my life, I often don't stick around to listing, pray and discern the how.  I am so quick to run off and TRY to do His will on my own, in isolation and only realying on my self.  I now pray fro roots that run deep, never running off on my own but allowing God's grace to always flow through me. Alex Zeisig 

Our hearts are deceitful above all things. Self-deception is one of the easiest traps of the enemy that we can fall into. The self always helps the self gets whatever it wants. When we have a strong desire for something, we can easily deceive ourselves by telling others whatever we want to hear. If my will wants a thing, my mind will give me a variety of reasons I should have it, and my emotions will certainly produce ample feelings that agree with my will’s wants. We must learn to live deeper than the shallowness of our own minds, wills and feelings. Deeper living means that we go beyond what we want, what we think and how we feel and live by the Word of God. We must bow our knees in humility to God’s Word and His will because that is where we find true blessings. We must be encouraged to have regular times of waiting in God’s presence, asking Him to reveal any impure motives we might have.

I pray to be more knowledgeable about God’s wisdom in my heart, because if I do, the less likely I will be deceived. Holy Father, save me from myself and help my unbelief. Blessed is the person who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is.  Amen. Frankie Watson

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See the devotional "Imagine That" for Monday, April 16

Reflections:

“God is continually testing our moral fiber, and He accepts the fact that as humans we will be weak and sin; as was the case of King David with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11: 1-15). “Yet despite our weaknesses, God, through the sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ, forgives our sins.  We need to go to the Lord in prayers of forgiveness and seek his compassion, everyday,  as did King David, so that we may also re-gain favor with our God.” Jim Rutherford

It strikes me that these weaknesses of men in leadership are common today yet God forgives those who truly repent!  There is always hope in God’s love and grace. Steve Reeves

This episode was the great king David’s darkest hour and he suffered the consequences of a very bad decision. The good news is that he repented and God did not give up on him. He went on to become Israel’s greatest king and was part of the lineage that led to the birth of Christ. God does not give up on us and wants so much for us to repent and return to the work of the Kingdom. Tom Wussow

It is in the idle times in life that frequently get us in trouble. Staying busy with healthy activities can do much to protect us from temptation. We must guard what we allow our self to watch or think about. Failure in our thought life will usually lead to a fall. The mind is subject to the will. We each control what we choose to think about. We have the ability to screen, select, admit, and cultivate what goes into our minds. We can keep our minds from wandering into evil thoughts by choosing to focus upon what is good. We also have the ability to choose how we will think about what we perceive with our senses. While we have no control over some things that come into our field of vision or within the range of hearing, we do control how we will think about what we perceive or sense and how we will act on that information.  

Imagine that to achieve the extraordinary in discipleship, our self-control must also be extraordinary. We can only have victory over Satan when we have triumphed over spiritual laziness in our lives. Only those who resolve to keep their relationship with God strong can ever wage war effectively against Satan. Frankie Watson

Compassionate Lord, on my own, I am more likely to fail under strain and pressure. Only in your strength can I choose to be fully engaged in your call on my life. With growing confidence in you, help me to see the opportunities and the joy you have placed before me.  Strengthen my body so that I may ready for the challenges of today.  Strengthen my mind so that I may focus on the heart of the business before me.  Strengthen my heart so that I may encourage others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Nancy Denison, Mission Bend United Methodist Church, Houston

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See the devotional "Our Help Through Crisis" for Sunday, April 15        

Reflections:

Perhaps every generation believes they are poised and place for a unique moment in God’s work in the world and perhaps they are. As we find ourselves in such a time as this approaching General Conference 2012 I am encouraged by Esther’s story. There is great cause for concern among the people called Methodist in this present hour but people of faith and courage who are open to the power and possibility of God’s presents are not defeated by their circumstances. I pray this day for the courage, faith and hope of the Methodist people to seize this moment to be the ambassadors of God’s kingdom we were called and created to be. Ben Trammell Pastor Faith UMC Richmond

Upon receiving Mordecai’s message, Esther understood exactly what was at stake – a death sentence for the Jews.  So before going to King Xerxes with her request, she fasted and called upon all of the Jews to fast as well.  Then, instead of meeting privately with the King and demanding that he act on her plea, she invited Haman to be present as well.  Esther then boldly, but respectfully and humbly, pled for the lives of her people and revealed Haman’s plan.  Haman, who had been the King’s top advisor, suddenly had the tables turned on him, and was put to death.  Although Esther had found favor with the King, she was still aware of what might happen to her by going to the King with her request.  But Esther didn’t stand on the sidelines.  Rather, she risked her own life and responded to Mordecai’s call.  Esther fasted before God calling upon others to join her, and then courageously but tactfully, petitioned the King in the face of her enemy.  Esther’s approach may be viewed as a blueprint to follow when we face crises either individually or as the Church.  In following her example, others who are watching may see how we, as followers of Christ, rely on God’s might, to give us the strength, courage, wisdom and protection to see us through our trials. John Harrity Lay Leader Faith UMC Richmond

We are called to be a godly reflection for others. That is to direct persons to God and not to ourselves. May the work of General Conference reveal God’s glory and not present others’ personal agenda. Rev. Mary S. Bates

Our character is often best revealed in the day-to-day sameness of our lives.  The attitude, love, and faithfulness with which we approach the repetition of unglamorous tasks reveals our character and relationship with Christ.  We should remember that we have been placed in this time, job, family, and circumstance for His purpose.  Our reflection of Christ in the uneventful, yet important, simplicity of life is what draws others to Him, confirms our worth, and glorifies God.  Let us be shameless in our acceptance of where He has us and what He has given us to do each day. Gail Armatys, Faith United Methodist Church/Richmond, Texas 

We can worship God by our obedience and willingness to stay in situations that may be unpleasant to us. When we are willing to lay aside our own plan and accept God’s plan, even though we do not understand it for a period of time, God’s plan is better. . Each act of obedience is a type of worship that God does not ignore. When we keep our eyes on God, stand firm in our faith, continue to worship him and hold fast a good confession, we will always see the devil’s plan for evil in our lives work for our good and to his demise. When God decides to bless someone, no person on earth or devil in hell can stop him. When you don’t receive the honor or credit  that you know is rightfully yours, trust God, He does not forget, and He will be faithful to reward you. When we trust God, the evil that is planned against us will come to ruin and God will give us the ultimate victory. Even in the midst of the horrible situations, we must demonstrate an humble spirit and a restrained attitude. We must maintain a godly self- control rather than a perform violent outbursts . Even when things go dark, we can stand on God’s Word and pray that He will intervene for our good and His glory. Wisely evaluating situations before jumping in further is often necessary. Waiting for the proper timing is much easier than trying to repair damage done by being impetuous. Frankie Watson

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