"Declaring God's praise!"
For this Hi Sky Emmaus Community, God is most worthy to be praised! This year, we have gone forth in faith and God has honored us with two full women's walks, two full men's walk's, as well as two full Chrysalis-girls and guys. We have been blessed and all the praise belongs to God! God has placed His hand on us, so we need to declare GOD's praise.
We read in Isaiah 42:6; "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles..." Isaiah's testimony is that God chose Israel for a purpose -- to declare God's praise! Israel was not chosen because God loved Israel more than the other peoples of the world. Israel was chosen for a purpose -- to declare God's praise to all nations.
This is why we were chosen as well. Please understand that! We are a very blessed and fortunate people. To interpret our good fortune to mean that God somehow prefers us to others would be a disastrous mistake. If God has chosen us, and blessed us, it is for a reason. It is because God wants us to declare God's praise before our friends, neighbors, coworkers and wherever we are. So how do we declare God's praise? We do it by living a life of genuine Christian love, by showing the love of Jesus to all we are in contact with.
Max Lucado tells of a woman in a small town who was a single mom with a frail baby. She had a neighbor who would stop by every few days and keep the child so the mom could shop. After several weeks this neighbor shared more than her time, she shared her faith in Jesus Christ. This young mother was deeply affected by her neighbor's actions and words and she gave her heart to Jesus. Some friends of the young woman objected. "Do you know what those people teach?" She told them, "Here is what I know, they held my baby."
What that young woman knew and what mattered to her, was that she had experienced the love of Jesus from her neighbor. That is what it means to declare God's praise before the peoples. How do WE declare God's praise and show the love of Jesus wherever we are? One great way to declare God's praise is to sign up to pray for the walks.
We have only one men's and one women's left this year. So please sign up to pray for these walks.
There is a poem I want to share with you, called "ANOTHER DAY."
I can remember a time when I forgot to pray; but that was long ago now and so far away.
Now, I am grateful for I have received God's grace; and know that nothing can ever take HIS place.
Why couldn't I see the void within my life? I was my own enemy- the source of all my strife.
Why did I run away from the one who died for me? Why didn't I recognize my friend from Galilee?
I am so glad he found me and now I can see; I was so very foolish- there was no need to flee.
HE is standing right beside me and will never turn away; I have HIS calm assurance that HE will lead me on my way.
A prayer for my salvation- I will never go astray. And help others along a dusty road- to find a better way.
The enemy sought to rob me and take my life away; but that was before I knew HIM- that was another day. (Author unknown)
Perhaps this poem will serve as a reminder to always pray and to continually declare GOD's praise!
God's praise, grace, peace, and love be with you all,
Carol Crumpton, SD
Calendar 
