Special Messages and Information

SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE "I'm waiting,waiting on the Lord..", I hear this song over and over on Spirit FM. Of course, it is the Waiting song from the movie "Fireproof." How much of our lives is spent in waiting in lines of one sort or another, waiting for appointments with doctors or dentists, waiting for mail to come to us, waiting for events to start. Does it seem to you that life all of a sudden has got a case of the "slows?' My favorite Bible verse is about waiting: They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). I also recall the Scriptures telling us that God's timing is not our timing. There are several kinds of time- chronos or clock time, chaos or disorderly time, and Kairos, which is God's special time. To everything there is a season and a time and purpose for everything. God makes all things beautiful in His time. I am not naturally a very patient person. I become very frustrated with the delays in answered prayers. I am slowly learning that waiting times can be useful to our spiritual development. They are not a time to grumble and grouch it out, but a time to rest our concerns in the Lord. There is a time to let go, a time to let the Lord fight our battles, a time to let God be God. Waiting reinforces this for us. I heard about how many people got "cabin fever" during the recent snows. A lot of people have a hard time being confined indoors and not getting to run around. People get tired of the winter season. In our lives there is often a winter season in which it seems nothing is happening. This is the time in which we have to open our lives to let God to do a deeper though unseen work. We have to trust that once again we will enjoy the springtime of God's blessings. God, who brought us to this season, will get us through it. We have to wait on the Lord. We will find one day that our strength will be renewed. The song "Still" speaks to me about rising in the Lord's power: Hide me, Lord, under your wings. Cover Me within Your mighty hand.When the waters rise and thunders roar, I will soar with You above the storm. Father, You are King over the flood, I will be still, know You are God. God will lift us up, and we will once more be surprised by His JOY! Shalom, Paul Beighley

COMMUNITY LAY DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE To The Emmaus Community: I would like to introduce myself as the new Community Lay Director for Southside Emmaus. My name is Jim Davis and I walked on Southside #53, "He Walks with Me", and my wife Joyce walked on Southside #52, "In the Potter’s Hand". Joyce and I reside in Farmville, Va., Joyce works for a local Dentist and I am retired from the Richmond City Jail and have one son. When I was first approached by the Emmaus Board Nominating Committee if I was interested in serving as the Community Lay Director, I said that I would have to pray about it. During my prayers over the next several weeks, I heard nothing as to whether I should take the position or not. Since I felt no desire to serve in this position, I informed the nominating committee that I was not interested and considered the situation solved. At the next Board meeting the list of nominees for the Board was presented. When the list was passed out, all I saw was the question marks behind the Community Lay Director’s position. We all have been surprised as to how God works on us. A feeling came over me and a voice said to me "Why Didn’t You", I had no answer. I was again asked would I consider this position; I had to say yes, since God had interceded in my decision. I again informed them I would pray about it and let them know. I immediately started praying and questioning my ability to handle such an awesome task. The next day I prayed as to should I take on this task and was struck with a need to go to the Bible for my answer. In my search for an answer, I was immediately led to James, Chapter 2, versus 14-26, verse 24 says, "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone", then in verse 26, is says "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" This made me think, I have the faith, but how can I do such a job, and show my faith in God, through a deeper involvement in the Emmaus Community? I was still questioning myself as to how can I carry out such a task? Later that afternoon I was contemplating this and I looked at my Walk #53 name tag and it said "He Walks With Me" how could I turn down the Community Lay Director nomination when I must show my faith in the Lord by deeds for him and he will walk with me throughout the coming year. My prayers for this year are that the Emmaus Community will show their faith in God and by deeds, in becoming more involved in the walks, gatherings and other activities so we can continue to carry out Gods purpose in allowing every pilgrim to experience their "Walk to Emmaus" as we all have. I am really looking forward to working with the Board and meeting many new friends who believe in and love Southside Emmaus as I do. Please feel to contact me at anytime with any questions, concerns or recommendations. See you at the next gathering God Bless/DeColores Jim Davis, Community Lay Director