Darla Stewart: Summer Devo Series

Darla Stewart: Good morning, everybody. I'm glad this day is here. I've been worrying about this devotional for,
I don't know, six weeks since Josh brought it up to me and told me slash asked me if I would do it.
But anyway, I'm very glad to be here and it's an honor. So Dr. Blassingame started us off
this summer with her thoughts on and words on recreation and rest and play. And then
I didn't get to hear Melissa's talk, but she talked about the LCU community.
I mean, I know that was a blessing.
And then last week, Dr. Harwood blessed us with her words on the storms in life and who we can turn to and the strong tower that we have in the Lord.
And so there's really not a lot left to say, but I'm going to talk about our journey.
that Paul teaches us that we have a crown waiting for us.
And we all know that.
If you don't know that, come see me.
We'll talk.
But we have a crown.
It's not going to fade.
It is going to last forever.
And that's a blessing.
But we still, we have a journey, don't we?
Every day, it's that, it's not the storms.
It's not the play.
It's not the rest.
It's that every day, let's get up and do it again.
Maybe you're raising toddlers when you get home.
Bless you.
My daughter has had 10 years of uninterrupted sleep.
She has not had a night's rest for 10 years.
And it's the same thing every day.
You know, you keep going.
And that's a blessing, isn't it?
I mean, she has a beautiful family, and she's blessed.
But it's a job.
It's work.
And she knows it's all worth it, but it's a job.
And you may be walking through seasons of trials.
Maybe it's raising teenagers.
Maybe it's a season of dryness, loneliness, grief.
That can last a long, long time.
And what I want to encourage you with today is that God is our strength.
I know y'all know that.
But those days that we forget, when we get up and we're getting back up for work, we're going, we're cooking supper, whatever it may be,
He's there and He strengthens us.
I've had the blessing slash opportunity to teach kids at BSF for the last 12 years, 13 years.
And last year I had first graders from six to eight and we, we studied revelation.
Okay.
That, that was a little challenging and it was like herding cats.
Uh, I, you know, I don't know how, what all they gleaned.
One time, one of the co-teachers said, so, um, what did you learn in BSF this year?
And he said, uh, God's mercies are new every morning.
And that's so true.
But during that little season where I didn't sometimes want to go to BSF on Monday night,
I had to get my big girl pants on.
A friend sent me a little scripture, and it stays in my Bible now.
It's Romans 15, verses 5 through 6, and it says,
"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,
so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So God is there in giving us encouragement and strength during that journey.
And then at church, we've been studying Ephesians.
And there was a sweet prayer that Paul prayed over the Ephesians.
I want to read that to you.
It's this marker.
Okay.
This is Ephesians 3, starts in 14.
"For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
And I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all of the Lord's holy people to grasp how wide and high and deep is the love of Christ.
And to know that his love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
So as your journey continues, and some days those days are long and hard,
lean into that power and that encouragement that the Lord offers us.
and I'd like to say a blessing over you.
"The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine on you
and be gracious to you.
The Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace."
And I'd like to pray over you.
Dear Heavenly Father,
you are incomprehensible.
You are good
and you give us strength and encouragement
and endurance when we don't even realize it.
We look forward to that crown,
and we thank you for everything Jesus has done for you,
for us, I'm sorry.
And thank you for this group of people.
I ask your blessing on them,
and I thank you for this university,
the blessing that it is to us and to so many students
and so many people before us and behind us.
And we give you all the praise and glory,
and it's in Jesus name.
Amen.
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