A cool time line of the history that took place in the last 175 years and how the church and school fit into those years.
A year ago I made a trip home to celebrate the history of the church I grew up in and the school I attended and graduated from 25 years ago. The church, First Baptist Church of Elyria, was celebrating 175 years and a 35 year anniversary of First Baptist Christian School. I am so thankful for the part that this church and school played in my life. I have been blessed to have a great godly heritage and a school and church that supported what my parents taught us. My parents sacrificed so that I could have christian education my entire school life and I can't begin to thank them enough. My dad was part of the school board that started F.B.C.S. in 1976. Godly people have had a part in the school since then and have kept it a shining beacon to the surrounding area. I grew up under the ministry of Pastor Hull and then Pastor Quick and am so thankful for their testimonies and many years of service to God, their love of the scripture and for God's flock, and their part in the history of the school and church.
History...it's what has already happened...it cannot be changed but it can be continued. There is a lot of history that has taken place over the many years since God created the earth and placed us here. A lot of history has been recorded for us...in the Bible. I am so thankful that God loved us enough to leave us 66 books full of history for us to read-both good and bad-so that we can learn from it. I think of the Israelites and how many times they repeated history, with the same results and yet God still loved them and forgave them. (You can read a lot of their history in the book of Exodus)
It gives me the encouragement to know that although I am not perfect and will make mistakes again, I can ask for forgiveness and God will hear me and forgive me!
It also helps me remember that there are those that will come after me and I need to leave a legacy of faith for them. I want my testimony for Christ to shine and continue shining to future generations even after I am gone.
Matthew 5:16
" Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
It reminds me of a poem-The Dash-what will be your history? As we live one day at a time may we strive to live our lives so that those that follow behind us will be pointed to Christ and his saving grace.
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning to the end He noted that first came her date of her birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not how much we own;
the cars, the house, the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before. If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while. So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life’s actions to rehash
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?
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