A REASON TO CELEBRATE

Happy June friends and family!

What a great month to celebrate all the beautiful things in life. In the midst of so much chaos and tragedies all over the world, at times we tend to forget the little things that are special to us. All this negativity around starts to drowns and blinds us to the point that we take our precious blessings for granted. One of my favorite verses is found in Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice... Be careful for nothing; but every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The word rejoice is mentioned two times in verse 4. This is such a beautiful command. First, we should celebrate in the Lord for all He has done for us. And second, I encourage you this month to celebrate and rejoice with all the father figures that give their all to lead, protect and provide for their families. Fathers that do ...“everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving...” I am truly privileged to have a father that has always provided for my siblings and I, but most importantly he led us in the ways of the Lord. Proverbs 10:9 describes two types of men. It says, “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.”

The reality is that there are great fathers out there just like there’s fathers that neglect the fact that they are one. If for any reason your father was not around when you were growing up or even now, I am here to remind you that you have the ultimate Father, greater than any other father around; He is the Father of fathers, and He is the one looking after you. If he takes care of the birds, how much more does he love and care for each of us? Whether your reasoning for coming to the feet of Christ was the lack of a father figure or having a father that set the stepping stones for you, that, my friends, is a reason to celebrate. And because of this, you now have the peace that passes all understanding. For this reason, I encourage you to continue to celebrate. If you are blessed enough to have your father around this coming Father’s Day, buy him another tie (even if he has to many already), or maybe a new pair of socks with your face on them, or if you want to be fancy, maybe even a watch, and take him somewhere special like his favorite restaurant. Most importantly, remind him of how blessed you are to have him in your life. And for all of you that don’t have a father around find someone in the church or in your community that you respect, someone that you go to in trying times for a word of encouragement and let them know that they are special to you; For that reason, you would like to celebrate them. If you can’t think of anyone, take yourself out. Why not? Go shopping, go to your father's favorite restaurant and celebrate his great memories. I conclude with this thought: Always look for an excuse to celebrate life with your loved ones. Always make precious memories that last forever. My desire is for God’s favor and grace to be with you everywhere you go.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Brother Sammy Cruz