ocean-grove-nj

Not Racing Thru Our Faith Race

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I fell asleep for powerful power naps yesterday afternoon – not ON the beach as I intended – but accidentally fell asleep listening to an amazing operatic singer up in the main town center at a free summer concert in the afternoon in my favorite Ocean Grove – in their tabernacle which is as old as the auditorium from the 1890’s – wow great acoustics and wow great singer… And the need for my nap? Not just traveling but VBS this past week and a few doctor’s appointments – and and … and well – my body knew it just NEEDED A NAP… 

She sang AMAZING – world class – and finally in the songs that I might know – well after favorite “Climb Every Mountain” from the Sound of Music – the songs after that I was so VERY tired that I dozed – luckily not embarrassingly – and hoping forgiveness from the woman seated behind me (who knows what she thought!)…

The song lyrics mean so much to me – Climb every mountain –  a dream that will need all the love you can give – every day of your life as long as you live…

YES !  And after my naps – well I was ready to drive home – skipping the ice cream this time – and just felt the peace of that place in my pace…  

This morning now (a beautiful backyard moment for me as I sit under my shade umbrella writing) – those slow down songs creep into my head – “Slowdown, you move too fast – got to make the morning last – just…” That is the Simon and Garfunkel lyric that calls to me this morning as I think about “a slowdown” – people would say this or that about my activities or not – but honestly we simply need to listen to our bodies – listen to our heart achings – be a judge of the season we are in and the weather we get – and MOST of ALL, Listen to God Who KNOWS us and is holding this WHOLE world in His Hands. Yeah… Let us run the race of FAITH at HIS Pace – at our pace – and in THIS place. 

The Race of Faith – Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I find these days that NOT RACING THRU OUR FAITH RACE is my best advice – to myself too. Stop and smell the roses – stop and take a nap for your body – listen to the Lord and even ask Him to repeat it – but then pick up and keep going…

I benefit from preparing sermons and this scripture above, from Paul from Hebrews, just ALSO stuck out at me when I was preparing the 1st Peter 4 sermon for yesterday, about serving as one body – and then Hebrews 6 appeared as the scripture of the day in an email I just got from Bible Gateway… Cool…  And cool that we all have a part and we are to use the gifts given to us. I also benefitted from the preaching to myself – that we (that I) have a part that God picked for me and placed fruit on my vine… 

I then benefited yesterday from online listening to Pastor Joe’s sermon from CC Philly for great teaching (while I was driving back from the beach after meeting friends) which spoke of God urging Moses to do the work that He picked out for him – that God knows us – God knew all our generations before us – that God is with us – that God cares and God dares us to live lives of faith depending upon Him… https://resources.ccphilly.org/SAM1438 Pastor Joe reminded that (Exodus 6) GOD WANTS US TO LIVE OUR LIVES AND YES HE PICKS US TO DO TASKS AND DO MINISTRIES AND DO LIVING FOR HIM…  GOD’S GOT THIS – DON’T BE AFRAID…

That is where I am – where we all could be:

DEPENDING UPON GOD forHE INCLUDES US IN THE PLAN,

And REMEMBER: worrying about tomorrow is a SCAM.

Remember that thinking in unstable ways is the devil of doubt’s SHAM.

GOD’S GOT THIS – STICK WITH HIS PLAN – HE’S THE GREAT I AM !!!

See – me doubting the Plan is a sham and I should not buy into that scam…  God brought me (BROUGHT US) safe thus far – and God has blessed so incredibly – and I do have plans but WILL TRY to remember to try to hold back worry for tomorrow – yes use it as motivation for today – but dig deep in knowing faith – and just now looking at the birds and listening to their morning songs – know that if God takes care of these birds, how much MORE He cares for us. (Matthew 6)

So – a fresh day – a new day – another plan to see where does God take me TODAY… Every day is a new day…

And remember to not STRAY – remember to take a nap if needed – or your body will ANYWAY…

And believe in the POWER of God – and HIS PLACEMENT – and to His Word let us OBEY…

AMEN

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Matthew 6:26-34 NKJV
Jesus said: “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

YEAH JESUS YEAH…

Ocean Grove NJ website https://www.oceangrove.org/

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting booklet for the summer events: https://www.oceangrove.org/2026

Whole concert: The Operatic singer Laura Zahn: https://www.youtube.com/live/vCSirvjOi3E?si=OydsGBeaJok8Sv1C

“CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN” Lyrics:

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow ev’ry byway,
Every path you know.

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Ford ev’ry stream,
Follow ev’ry rainbow
Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need all the love you can give
Ev’ry day of your life for as long as you live.

Climb ev’ry mountain,
Ford ev’ry stream,
Follow ev’ry rainbow
Till you find your dream.

“SEEK ME”, Faith Flourishes in Ocean Grove

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I knew it was the best opportunity to ‘escape’ to Ocean Grove, NJ. 

I wanted to know that I allowed myself ‘a decompression day’ from everything – which still allowed me to be connected (my new cellphone works great) and be in the super duper frame of mind to look for the presence of the Lord. AND THE BEACH TOO… plus excited that my friend joined me, she has moved so it’s good to see her when I can, this was her first visit here so I connected her with this gem of Ocean Grove, ‘God’s Square Mile’…

Driving 7am, started my day with catching up with one of the recordings of an online sermon from a great church – the pastor had a message about Joshua 1, Faith and Obedience… “Don’t just listen to God, DO WHAT HE SAYS”… and then after a great moment sitting on the beach at 8am (with a great parking spot) writing my morning blog, and attending half of a boardwalk church 9am service with a guest missionary sharing on college campus ministry, I made it up to the great Auditorium with revival vibes, met my friend for 1030am service, and guess what? the scripture was for the sermon? Joshua 1… WOW, it’s like God chased me to have me hear these messages and scriptures and connect with the people also who needed to hear… If there’s nothing else in my life, and there is, I know that the Lord makes me a connector of people… 

I nestled into what I figured would likely be a different take on Joshua 1, “FEAR NOT”, but fear not I was thrilled with the amazing message, structured in his own way, he was a natural speaker and leader and had the funny story at the beginning to engage the group… (about the hallmark movies, and I immediately sent his sermon link YouTube version to a couple friends who are hallmark movie junkies)…

FEAR NOT! I highly recommend his sermon, it touched my life and my friend’s life and I will tell you the punchline of not the joke but the message: “the opposite of fear is not courage, but FAITH…” the sermonist spoke about irrational fear, how that is evil and overtakes us, whereas the Lord gives us natural, healthy fear, that keeps us safe, but we have to be weary of that catastrophic irrational fear… 

I had to go up to the sermonist after and share my photo of my stick figure of when Jesus pulled me out of the water from some irrational fear… Yeah – and he was able to chat with my friend as well – very nice opportunity to chat… 

Well, also ran into old friends of mine and someone I consider a new acquaintance friend of mine – she runs the bookstore Hub and we chatted about blogs last time after I wrote one on her wifi (and my phone was broken but I got to log onto my laptop inside and outside her store at the beginning of vacation at the beginning of July) – and this time (end of July) she recognized me and we chatted again – it is good to meet Godly people – she wrote a children’s book about the spiritual history of Ocean Grove – using Genesis 1:1 as the Founders did – and this was founders day week – and camp meeting week…  It is – life is – the world is – our faith is – all started by God – because IN the beginning was God.

Ah – the little cottages there and the ice cream and porch of that place and then the beach – ah…  Love Ocean Grove… When I buy the beach tag I consider it a church donation – it is so good to be immersed in the Lord’s blessings there. And the Ocean was low tide and warm enough to take a dip – no real swimming for me that day but book reading – and reading about Peter from “A Fragile Stone” – my beach book – authored by Michael Card the singer – a great read as a book and a great ‘read’ on Peter – how Jesus worked with Peter and also called him friend…  Peter like us fragile and yet strengthened by the Lord and His mission for us.

Ah – time to roll home but not before I took a moment to charge my phone, computer (no I didn’t ever get to work on it – that is OK) and recharge some more faith via singing at the pavilion at 4pm before driving home, the songs I all new – both contemporary and classic and wow it was like the Lord knew to keep me in Praise mode… He did – He does…

Well, enjoy the day and get out there and FEAR NOT – no irrational fear – just day by day, hour by hour, live the life He leads us on..

Oh – the best reinforcement of this all came from my new acquaintance friend at the bookstore – who decided to get thru the roadblock of her blogs and social media and everything marketing by hiring an outside doer company and stay in her creative mode and let them do the marketing – she said she had prayed to the Lord about all her questions of life and direction (“especially at her age” she said – retired a few times from previous paths”  – and THE LORD essentially said to her: “You’ve been seeking answers, NOW SEEK ME”…   

YUP – Seek the Lord first – and let HIM lead…

YUP…

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

Ocean Grove sermon: “FEAR NOT” starts at the 40minute mark in the link – YES REALLY WORTH LISTENING TO!!!

Joshua 1:1-11 NIV

Joshua Installed as Leader

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

BLESSED ASSURANCE AT OCEAN GROVE

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You know – not really ready for vacation but had to get ready and I had the car packed in waves of unorganized mess with 3 times as much as I need – but well, I plan to get some time to organize this week – a week of vacation… Ahhhhh….

And so – not knowing but then knowing – whether it would work out that I could go to my new favorite beach place, Ocean Grove, for the 1030 church service before travelling onwards for vacation, well it worked out!!! Blessed Assurance that God is in charge – and He is. (FYI Blessed Assurance was written by Fanny Crosby while vacationing here in Ocean Grove).

I had Blessed Assurance last night and then this morning – well the outside cat that I am feeding for a friend turned up after going missing for a couple days – he gave 2 small meows when i arrived at 630am  = whew! and he had eaten the food – so that is a relief. Blessed Assurance that he will be OK this week with another friend feeding him. – and then BLESSED ASSURANCE at home I saw that my own cat – who has not been eating well – had used the litter box – TMI sorry but this is blessed PROGRESS ! Let us pray for an increase in eating…  one day at a time.

Blessed Assurance – rest assured divine. With all that – for sure I felt the freedom to leave the house and start my adventure with the beach and then vbs etc. (especially when i got the perfect parking spot – here with 0 time left before the church service – wow!)

And oh yeah – still don’t have my phone – well – there is WIFI and a table here at the bookstore – and the nicest host who also is writing a blog – and with the wifi at the picnic table next to the building, in the shade, I can check in with the world and my family… You know that feeling of unease not being reachable and yet they are ok even if they are not reachable by me. Well that melted away at the church service… Yeah!!! OCEAN GROVE IS WHERE I FELT (AND FEEL) THE PEACE – OH HOW BLESSED THIS BLESSED ASSURANCE!!!!

AND THAT BLESSED ASSURANCE IS THAT “JESUS IS MINE” – IS THAT IN OUR UNEASE, WE ONLY NEED TO REMEMBER THAT HE IS ALL WE NEED – HE IS ENOUGH. (I appreciated that someone this morning gave me a sticker that said “you are enough” AMEN !

And wow the sermon spot on – oh the music amazing – oh the vibrations of the organ music – I am going back at 230 for the Sunday organ recital concert.  and so spot on the preaching – the sermon by guest Pastor Vito Aiuto (link below) spoke of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter 3, as he urged them (even in his own distress) for them to keep going – and “DON’T LOSE HEART” – yes – we have so much but really in the worst of times, and Paul was in them, we still can pray for others and be at peace with this blessed assurance of Him giving us salvation – and we can live and be OK ultimately.

The sermon (and the whole service) is really worth the listen – and when he mentioned JOSEPH? Joseph being taken to Egypt against his will but in God’s plan? WOW – that is what my VBS is this week – I had to run up to him after the sermon and say thank you and God bless! cool… and wow the music so spot on – the hymns and Him.

BLESSED ASSURANCE!!!

God’s Got this!!! AMEN!!! Let’s get this vacation started!

WHEW!!!Here is a video of the service!