I’ve been studying Psalm 23 for the past few weeks. I encourage you to dig it out and refresh yourself with the great promises found in this Psalm. If you’re like me, you may have memorized it as a child and now need to take a deeper look at the encouragement you can find for your soul in this beautiful Psalm.
“The Lord is my Shepherd…” is a phrase that has inspired both art and poetry. People read this Psalm at funerals, and yet, it isn’t about death. Instead it’s an invitation to a way of life. The Good Shepherd will lead us by green pastures and quiet waters. He will restore our souls and restore our joy. If we invite Him to, He will even LEAD us through the dark valleys we face.
“The Lord is my Shepherd…” – what would our days look like if we truly embraced this promise? How would our lives be different if we truly lived in the everyday grace of the Good Shepherd?
I invite you to join me as I try to notice God’s gracious provisions found even in the ordinary. Let’s let God lead us in the green pastures and by the quiet waters and then, notice that He has restored our souls.
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Last week we sang the worship chorus “That’s Why We Praise Him.” As we were singing I was reminded of the great privilege we have to offer our praises to Him in worship.
Why is Christ worthy of praise? Revelation 5:9 tells us: because He died, purchasing mankind with His life’s blood. When the moment came He did not back away from the task. He did it.
As Psalm 103 reminds us, let’s not forget the benefits we have because of the Lord. One of those benefits, the chief benefit, is forgiveness of sins and restoration with God for eternity. That’s why we praise Him! He gave everything so that we might benefit. He has earned our song of thanksgiving. Bring your praise to the sanctuary as we worship together!
See you Sunday,
Pastor Holly
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I’d like to share with you a little of my spiritual journey and my call to ministry. It may help to explain my recent pursuit of ordination in the Covenant.
I was raised in a Christian home. My solid Lutheran heritage played an important part in my childhood identity. My grandparents were Swedish immigrants. When they settled in America they were part of a group responsible for establishing Swedlanda Evangelical Lutheran Church.
As a young child I was involved in the children’s ministry at the Evangelical Free Church in my hometown. Through the influence of Godly neighbors from that church I came to know Jesus as my Savior.
During my high school years I was very involved with Youth for Christ. Following college, many of my Youth for Christ mentors helped build my ministry skills and challenged me to pursue a call to ministry, side by side with them, in full time evangelism of youth.
Following graduate school, Mark and I moved to Bemidji. We began attending the Covenant Church and both felt like we had found HOME. While studying about our denomination, in preparation for my ordination, I understood why we felt “AT HOME” in the Covenant. My Augustana Lutheran roots, my exposure to the Free Church movement and my experience in evangelism all find significance in our Covenant historical roots.
During the past 20 years I have served the Bemidji Covenant Church through planning and leading worship. I also serve as Chaplin at Oak Hills Christian College, where I have the opportunity to disciple and mentor young people as they develop as worship leaders.
As a young woman beginning her ministry in the 70’s, I never imagined that 33 years later I would have this opportunity to become ordained. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to continue to follow my call.
Pastor Holly
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