Hymns

Amazing Grace – Don’t Wait for God to Harpoon You!

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

There are various stories about the early life of John Newton. While some of the details remain sketchy, the truth behind the details led him to write words that still resonate in hearts today. It is said that when John was a young man, he fell overboard and was brought back onto the ship only after being harpooned and dragged up on deck. I am not sure whether the harpoon was all they had to throw or how he was wounded, but the scar left behind was something he carried all his life. But we don’t have to wait for God to harpoon us to come back to Him. In fact, Jesus simply invites us to come. Our problem is sometimes we are so busy thrashing about in the waves that we can’t hear His voice. For some of us that may mean God has to allow us to be wounded to get our attention and to bring us safely into the ship. Here is His invitation – 

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV

If you would like to learn more about using nursing home ministry in nursing home ministry, I wrote a small book several years ago titled, “Music Matters in Nursing Home Ministry” which focuses on that subject. It is available both in regular print as well as e-book. There are also a few videos from a series of talks that I gave to our ministry team on my YouTube channel that are devoted to music ministry for those wanting an in-depth examination of the subject. Thanks for listening and reading. Have a blessed weekend!

God’s Banqueting Table is in the Valley!

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You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows Psalm 23:5 ESV

None of us likes to walk through the valley – But the Good Shepherd not only goes with us. He also sets up a banqueting table for us there in the valley! I hope you enjoy our little time of sharing about that at Sunshine Christian Home. Listen carefully and you can hear the voices singing with me. It may be memory care, but they remember the words when we sing Surely Goodness and Mercy together!

Flying Away to Jesus

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10 KJV

Years ago, I used to visit an elderly couple from our church, who because of age and its attending aches and pains no longer were able to come to Sunday services. In the corner of their little apartment, they kept a cage with two parakeets that tweeted happily off and on during our time, especially when we began to sing some of the hymns. Sometimes when the cage door was left open, they got especially enthusiastic and during the music they would swoop out with their wingtips brushing by my head and then perch up on top of the kitchen cabinets. In their balcony seat they seemed quite at home and didn’t miss a note in their singing. Now both of those birds as well as my dear friends have flown off to the presence of Jesus. Sometimes I imagine them looking down from their advantage point still singing and waiting for me and my guitar to come join them. Today I was delighted to sing I’ll Fly Away with the people I love to sing it with the most at our nursing home. I pray that you will be blessed by our simple rendition and that you will draw comfort and joy knowing that no matter what you are going through, if you have given your heart to Jesus, He promises that one day we will fly to meet Him in the air!