February 04th, 2018

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecc 3:1-8,11
 
The last month or so has been a rough one for us at Strong Tower Fellowship. Two of our beloved friends were called home; first Ray Bailey on December 28, 2017 and then Joanne Myers on February 1, 2018. It really hurts to loose brothers and sisters with whom you have worshipped with, served with, stood with, walked with, prayed with, laughed with, and cried with. I know many of you are grieving these loses and so am I, but understand that grieving is a natural thing. It is necessary for the healing process to begin. God built grieving in to the human heart as a way to release the pain of suffering or loss. Thinking of the inexpressible joy that our friends are experiencing right now in heaven is one way of easing the pain. Another is thinking of the good times that we shared with them and thanking God for allowing them to be a part of our lives. Finally, we must revel in the thought that someday, a day that the Lord has set, we too will join them and what a joyful homecoming that will be.
 
"...Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
                                                                                   Pastor Frank Dodson