Blessings in Unhurried Moments
By now, most children are back in school and the hustle and bustle of preparing for this is behind us. Whew! In today’s society, it seems like just as we’ve finished one thing, there’s something else we have to start planning for. Yes, there is an expected cadence to life and we have to accomplish things — but it’s how we go about doing them that makes the difference.
I want us to try something new as we (dare I say) look ahead to the holiday season. For a lot of people, and you know who you are, what should be a glorious and special time ends up being stressful and a hurried experience. I often quote Dallas Willard, a well-known Christian Scholar. He said, “You can’t be compassionate and in a hurry.” In other words, he felt strongly that life couldn’t be good in a hurry and people couldn’t be good in a hurry. He was right. Proverbs 19:2 states: “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.” Proverbs goes on to state in 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Notice God’s Gifts of the Season
When we don’t take the time to savor the special moments God has made possible, we fail to see His wonderful blessings all around us. We get too caught up in the craziness of the holidays instead of just relishing in the joyfulness of what they represent. Thanksgiving and Christmas are wonderful reminders to give thanks for all the blessings we have — to look around us and see all the good that our Heavenly Father provides. If it stresses you out to host family for the big meal, allow someone else to do it. If you have to cook, then try to remember to take everything in stride. Rarely do guests notice or care if something isn’t perfect. Make the meal a potluck if you can. Guests are just happy to be there. Christmas celebrates the birth of our Savior, Jesus! It is a Christian’s spiritual reflection of His Kingdom that is revealed in the precious moments and miracles of our everyday life. If Christmas shopping at the mall stresses you out, buy gift cards or shop online. Let’s revel in the true meaning of the holidays.
You Don’t Have to Hurry
As we focus on the meaning of the holidays, I want to focus on the meaning of a line in the Creed of the Beloved. I’ve been talking about the Creed lately because for something so short and simple, it’s very long on wisdom. There are lessons and inspiration to be had as we study each line. “I don’t have to hurry” is just that. YOU don’t have to hurry through life because you feel “life is short.” This looming societal anxiety only heightens our inclination to hurry. If you want to feel as though life is going by slower and not faster, slow down your pace and experience new things! Ever wonder why your childhood seemed to last a very long time? It’s because you were experiencing mostly everything for the first time. It was the first time you went to the zoo. It was the first time you swam in the ocean. As we age and settle into our careers and habits, we tend to experience the same things over and over. But, if you break the routine by doing something new, even if it’s simple, you’ll stretch your perception of time!
You Can’t be Compassionate in a Hurry
In First Corinthians 13, the first thing Paul put on his list was “Love is patient.” In other words, “Love is not hurried.” There’s self-importance in hurrying. When we hurry, how can we see the hurts of other people? When we are in a hurry, how can we pray with someone or say an encouraging word that really means anything? Being unhurried means you are walking through life with a listening posture, listening to others and to the Holy Spirit. It also means special moments are there for the taking. They present themselves to us and we must be alert to them and take it all in. When it comes to loving our loved ones well, there’s only one way to do it — by giving them our time. It’s such a beautiful thing to model to our children, family and friends.
Friend, I’m lifting you up in prayer and rooting for you as you strive intentionally to slow down enough to walk at the pace of Christ in a trusting and wise way. May He encourage, equip, and empower you to glorify Him through words, attitudes, and actions that will inspire and bless your loved ones. Especially as we approach the holiday season!
God loves you and so do I!
Viewers Take Time to Write In…
The Lord guides us to do His good will and share it with mankind. At Hour of Power, we feel truly honored to be a part of a ministry that inspires, heals, and moves people forward in their journey with the Lord, our Savior! We absolutely appreciate all of the testimonials that people take the time to write and send in. We wish we had enough space to publish them all. Also appreciated are the suggestions on how we can improve our ministry, as we want to put forth the best program possible to serve our viewers.
It warms our hearts to know that lives are being transformed as the Holy Spirit works in and through our global church family. Here are just a few of the testimonials we have received recently:
“I absolutely love Hour of Power. Bobby always has the right things to say at the right time, and I feel so much better after listening to him. I think of you so much. God is good all the time.”
—Lynette, Iowa
“I wanted to let everyone know how much I enjoyed the entire service…especially Pastor Bobby’s message about just being yourself. I thought the word he used to describe those that just put on, was especially true and neat. Thank you to everyone at your ministry for continuing to proclaim the Love of our Lord to a hurting and dying world.”
—Richard, Florida
“Thanking God for you and your beautiful, truthful and anointed ministry. Your sermons are powerful and encouraging! The music is a wonderful bouquet of so many different ages and styles of music! I love the heart of worship.”
—Susan, Austin, Texas
“It was a pleasure meeting you and Hannah last Sunday at church. Thanks for taking the time to have a little chat with us. We have been watching Hour of Power for many years starting with your grandfather and then your dad and now you. God has bestowed many blessings upon us and it is nice to be able to support your Canadian ministry as an Eagle contributor. We were sorry to have missed you when you came to Edmonton, but hopefully you will make that trip again. God loves you and your family and so do we.”
—Grant, Canada
If you would like to share your story, email us at info@hourofpower.org or by mail at Hour of Power, PO Box 100, Garden Grove, CA 92842-0100.
Now you CAN Take it with you!
Now you can carry the Lord’s blessings with you and encourage others to do the same…
Leaving a Legacy, One Chapter at a Time
You would think that someone who has read the entire Bible 18 times would either be a pastor or a know-it-all. Well, neither is the case for Dave Wheelon of Seattle, Washington, a very humble and self-taught Christian who is a retired senior vice president. Along with his wife, Debbi, they’ve been Hour of Power viewers and on-site church members for over 30 years with many stories to share! They are Golden Eagle Partners and Legacy Donors, which means they have bequeathed a gift to Hour of Power in their estate plan.
Dave started attending church at age 12 without his parents. “I accepted the Lord when I was 15 and have been on board ever since,” he said. When asked about reading the Bible, he said, “I started reading a chapter a day when I was 12. It helped me to maintain a Christ-centered life. I am not perfect by any means, but I’m a lot better off since I did.” Debbi grew up in the church, saying it was a family affair with a strong bond in the community.
Debbi remembers when she discovered Hour of Power and shared an emotional story about her father, who was lying in a hospital bed with terminal cancer. “I’ll never forget it,” she said. “There he was, dying, and he said, ‘Life isn’t fair, but God is good,’ and I remember saying, ‘How can you say that, daddy?’ He answered, ‘Well, that’s what Dr. Schuller tells me.’ “
That’s when Debbi knew Dr. Robert H. Schuller made a huge impact in his life. Present day, Bobby Schuller is making an impact in their lives. Dave told the story of when he was about to have brain surgery in 2018. “At 5:30 a.m. Bobby called to pray for me. That’s just who he is.” The Wheelons said they enjoy Bobby’s uplifting messages. “They are real and applicable and not condescending at all,” they said in unison. “They really do reach the unchurched and we just want to keep it going. It’s very important.”
You too can make an impact on yearning hearts for Christ by leaving a legacy through this ministry to keep the positive teachings of the Gospel alive around the globe!
To learn more about how you can update or create your Will or Living Trust, we invite you to call us at 714-971-4111 or email livinglegacy@hourofpower.org.
Letting Go is a Gift We Give Our Children
“Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”
—Genesis 28:14
Wind bites at my skin but I’m determined. It’s murkier than I imagined. I stick my toe in to check the temperature. “Burrrrr!” “Just do it!” I yell in my mind. I force my body under the surface. Frigid water hugs me; “It’s freeeeeeezing!!”
“You don’t have to get in,” says Bobby. “I’m not missing an opportunity to lay in self-floating water,” I combat.
“Hmmm…yeah I am kind of floating. Not as much as I imagined but I am kind of floating without moving my limbs,” I analyze to Bobby. “Cool!” I say through chattering teeth.
“Do you know one reason why people call this the Dead Sea?” asks our tour guide. “It’s because it only takes and does not give. Rain water pours in but the sea does not share. It does not allow any water to flow out, it only receives; therefore, the water can’t stay fresh. There are no fish, plants or visible life in the sea. Everything dies.”
“However, the Sea of Galilee has the Jordan River flowing through it. It receives and gives water through the Jordan River. Therefore, it provides fresh water and good fishing for the whole region,” he finished.
Just like a body of water, the human soul is most alive when we receive and give. Not only are we most alive when we do that but those around us get blessed too! I love how often God promises that if we obey Him, He will bless “all peoples on the earth” through us!
It’s no secret that the world can be dark; pain and suffering are strangers to few. But in the midst of this world we get to be a reason that the lives of others all over the earth are blessed!
God has called all of us to help bring the goodness of His Kingdom here and now. And when we invest in Kingdom causes, we fashion a powerful legacy and streams of water will flow through us to bless multiple generations all over the earth.
Thank you for being a sea of Living Water to those around you!
God loves you and so do I,
One Response
I started watching Hour of Power 20 years ago when Robert Senior was Pastor. It has made a real difference in my life then and Bobby does the same now. I didn’t think anyone could equal Robert Schuler Senior but Bobby does. I feel that he is inspired by his grandfather and God, of course. His words lift me up every Sunday, especially when times are hard. His wife, Hannah, is wonderful too.