Tim's Topics: Being A Rainbow In Someone Else's Cloud

Tim's Topics: Being A Rainbow In Someone Else's Cloud: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ...

Being A Rainbow In Someone Else's Cloud

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 

As I sit in my office today, it is raining heavily outside. As the local Police Chaplain, I have the police frequency going on the scanner in my office. As I sit and work in the office, I am hearing our local law enforcement professionals responding to auto accidents that have been caused by the heavy rain storm.

I often think about those such as our emergency professionals that often respond to people’s darkest moments, whether it be a fender bender traffic accident or a situation in which injury or loss of life have occurred. 

Today while on the computer I saw beautiful words that had been written and spoken by:

Dr. Maya Angelou. 

Dr. Angelou shares a 19^th Century African American song that states 

“when it looks like the sun is never going to shine again, God put a 

rainbow in the clouds.” 

From this song came her beautiful words. “Be A Rainbow in Someone Else’s Cloud”.

She goes on to state that she has had so many rainbows in her clouds, and that wherever she goes and whatever she does she brings those who have been kind to her, with her. These rainbows of course come with her and appear in her heart, her mind and her soul.

Dr. Maya Angelou’s words spoke of such wisdom, power, and grace. Her words so powerful that they still speak today. She asked the people: “Have you been a rainbow in someone’s cloud?" Her call is for all of us that share this earth together to be a blessing to one, or a blessing to many, but be a blessing.

The text from Matthew 5:16 refers to the light of God that shines within us as to let others see God. Whether it be in their darkest moments or brightest moments. When we shine the light of God, it is bright enough to break through the light of day, just as it is bright enough to shine His light on the darkest night.

Being a rainbow in someone else’s cloud is truly when the brilliance of our Heavenly Father is truly seen. When we are there for others, they can see all the beautiful colors of God’s rainbow as well as the beautiful light that shines. This is called love, because whenever one sees a rainbow they can testify that the storm is over.

My prayer for you today is that you be in the same spirit as those that go out to be God’s rainbow’s in others clouds. Whatever Nationality, Sexuality, Economic Level, Friend or Foe, be the rainbow that God’s desires of us and that others so truly need in this world.

Attached to this blog post is the YouTube Link to Dr. Angelou’s video on being a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nYXFletWH4

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us Rejoice and Be Rainbows in it.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...

Tim's Topics: Standing Up For Will and Ben! Being Advocates Is O...: 1 John 3:16English Standard Version (ESV) 16  By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our liv...

Standing Up for Will and Ben! Being Advocates: Our Spiritual DNA

As we prepare to host the Missouri State Special Olympics Games in Kirksville at Truman University. 

1 John 3:16 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁶ By this we know love that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Just as Jesus Christ shed his blood out of love for us, we must remember that His blood and His love are sacred. What does that spell out for us that proclaim to be His followers, and His servants?

If some of you do not know, I am the proud father of a young twenty-nine-year-old man named Ben who at the age of four was diagnosed with Autism. My wife and I have been his voice as well as advocates since he was a small child. Whether it was getting him into the right speech therapy program or advocating for him at school as to ensure the correct needs were met for him individually. Yes, we all need advocates, we need those that will stick by our sides and stand up with us and for us, when we are unable to do so for ourselves.

Ben

As I prepared this blog I found a great story on the No Place 4 Hate Web Page: 

Here we see Will, a young man that suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. Will was being bullied, and it took a young man named Jaden to stand up for Will as to get the bullying to cease.

Will

 Hello. My name is Will. I am 14-year-old hiker, runner, and Boy Scout and I was bullied as well. These bullies weren’t as bad as others, but they did traumatize me.

I have a disorder called Asperger’s Syndrome. A minor form of Autism. I think differently from others and find it hard to be social. Since first grade. I have always been known as the nerd with his nerdy friends doing nerdy things. I could have been in the cool kid sports group, but sports weren’t really my thing. I loved video games and YouTube. I’ve had 2 very close friends who were twins. Karen, My best friend and Tarik, My 2nd best friend. Ever since I moved to my new school in 3rd grade. We met each other and had a close relationship. Our Semi popular group was made of 6 people. Me, Kaden, Tarik, Chase, Evan, and Dylan. I loved going to school to see them and even better, having the whole gang come over, play Minecraft, and eat pizza all night. But in 6th grade. That all changed. I was going through the change to adulthood and found different interests. I was done with Lego and Minecraft. But the others weren’t. Then one day. The group just wanted to ditch me right up in my face. I was heartbroken I didn’t know what to do. That was just the beginning. The group of 5 started to torment me. They knew about my Asperger’s and used it to their advantage. They always played the same games I played at recess and always target me to get me out and find a way for me to lose. They called me terrible names. Some curse words, some like Little Miss Boy Scout, Jerk, Stupid, and Nerd and so on. They stole my lunch, ran away and chased me, and spread sexual rumors about me. I was driven to the point of insanity and when I got back from school one day I ran to my room and cried like crazy. My only source of friends, gone. I stayed in my room drowning in tears for what seemed like hours. I then decided to go on Minecraft to calm me down. I remember playing On Minecraft when Chase logged on, bragged about a sleepover that I wasn’t invited to, and said it was my fault. I then talked with my mom, she encouraged me to find a new group, with a few kids. My new best friend named Jaden. He stood up to me when I was bullied and defended me. He invited me to play games and when Kaden and his group came to torment me, Jaden told them to screw off. I finally felt good knowing I had a real friend. I am now in 8th grade with new friends who like me for who I am. Kaden and Tarik moved to a different school. Chase tried to bully me in the beginning of 7th grade. But I got him out of the way. He now hangs out with a group of troublemakers. I barely see Evan and Dylan admitted his wrongdoing and we became band partners. Everything worked out great in the end and that is my story.

Beloved, as followers of the Living Christ, who sacrificed himself for us, we must be his living example by producing and living love for others. We must stand up for the weak, we must stand up for the poor, we must stand up for the addicted, and we must stand up for those living is darkness.

As Christians, standing in love for others is just not something that we do, it is a large make up of our spiritual DNA. Theologian Matthew Henry states that Apostles are to shining examples of that love. As modern Apostles, we too must be shining examples in loving and carrying for others.

Is there a Will in your life, is there a Ben in your life? Is there someone being bullied in your life? The time is now to go to their aid in and through the love of Jesus Christ.  Let us pledge this very moment to lay down the very best of ourselves to those that are oppressed and bullied for their differences. 

Let us understand that all have been made in the image of God, and that God does not make junk, every person is a high-quality production that has been given traits and tendencies as to bless the world and make it a better place.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Pastor Tim.

Tim's Topics: When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star

Tim's Topics: When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star: Romans 12:2   ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discer...

When A Hero Becomes A Falling Star

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As I was watching the news today I saw more information about the charges going forward against Bill Cosby. Growing up, the Cosby show was a staple in our home and many of us wanted to follow the advice of Cosby’s character Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable.  

At the end of the day, we can only understand that Dr. Huxtable was a fictional character.

Many of us in this world lift up sports stars, actors, and political figures up so high that we fail to see the imperfections. Beloved, we live in a sinful world, and we live in a world in which our trust is violated and abused from those that we counted on the most. 

Whether it’s the athlete physically abusing or emotionally abusing a spouse, whether it is a trusted official caught in illegal activities, whether it’s the Hollywood star falling from grace, or whether it is a trusted friend that abused our trust, people will let us down.

Am I saying that we should not trust in this world and that we should not have our hero’s? No of course not, but what I am saying is that humanity is fallible and can and will disappoint us at times.

My prayer is that you seek out a true hero, one that has never let us down. Yes, His name is Jesus Christ, and we are the ones that let him down. Only this true Savior that died for our sins as to restore our relationship with God can be looked upon as a hero and one who our faith and hope can always be relied on.

This is the Day That the Lord Has Made.   

Tim's Topics: Finding the Red Fire Truck

Tim's Topics: Finding the Red Fire Truck: Acts 20:28   ESV Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for...