International Prayer Day First Monday each month 10 am

Joel Griffith 8/12/20 Joel Griffith 8/12/20

We need hope.

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Many theologians have said that this message could have very well been the Apostle Paul’s last words from a Roman prison. At this time of writing, Paul knew it could be his final contact with Timothy because his execution was most likely imminent. It is important to know what gives hope in the face of a painful death like the one Paul encountered. Paul, in his letter to Timothy, gave two points that should keep a believer strong: gaining strength in the grace of Jesus Christ and gaining strength in all the testimonies in the Word of God.

Do you know people who might be in a similar situation as was facing Paul in prison? You have most assuredly been entrusted with the Word of God throughout your life. Are there reliable people within your voice or touch who will share your love of Jesus Christ and knowledge of the Word of God with others after you have gone?

The young girl in the photo is from Ouanaminthe. She attends the Lutheran school there and she is praying; giving thanks for her noon meal and for people like you who are helping her to be qualified to teach others along her journey about the grace of Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Word.

I recently heard the song ‘Whispering Hope’ which was written by Septimus Winner in 1868. The words reminded of this small child living on the Northern border of Haiti, in her own type of prison. He soft witness will change lives because of your answering of His call to prepare others to share the Good News of a risen Savior.

“Soft as the voice of an angel, breathing a lesson unheard; hope with a gentle persuasion whispers her comforting word. Wait till the darkness is over, wait till the tempest is done. Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, after the shower is gone. Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice, making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. If, in the dusk of the twilight, dim be the region afar; will not the deepening darkness brighten the glimmering star? Then when the night is upon us, why should the heart sink away? When the dark midnight is over, watch for the breaking of day. Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice, making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. Hope, as an anchor so steadfast, rends the dark veil for the soul; whither the Master has entered, robbing the grave of its goal. Come then, oh, come, glad fruition, come to my sad weary heart. Come, O Thou blest hope of glory, never, oh, never depart. Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice, making my heart in its sorrow rejoice.”

Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/11/20 Joel Griffith 8/11/20

All lives matter.

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

A recent devotion stated that God’s care includes people of all ages; those in diapers unable to walk, those in jeans and sneakers running everywhere and those using walkers who can ‘run’ nowhere. We are all God’s children, no matter our age, our physical ability, our status in the eyes of this world, the color of our skin or the type of blood flowing through our veins. We ALL matter to Him.

God’s care includes and does not exclude. When infants and small children were brought to Jesus he didn’t say “take them away, I am too busy.” The children attending school at Petit Amis in Caredeux would be welcomed by our Savior to sit on His lap, tug on His arm and share their love with Him who came to save us.

Our Savior, the Good Shepherd invites us to ‘come’ and be with Him here and one day in Heaven. We place our faith in Him, lean on Him and call upon Him daily. I heard a favorite song this morning, ‘Leaning on the everlasting arms’ by Elisha Hoffman that was published in 1887. It is such a wonderful reminder that there is a Savior to lean on, no matter who we are, where we are or what we have done; He is always there.

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms. What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms. Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/10/20 Joel Griffith 8/10/20

Have no fear.

“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:25-27, 33

Pastor Darrell Stuehrenberg from Bethlehem in Ft. Meyers, FL gave a message some time ago that has always stuck with me. If I remember correctly it was titled “So, what are you afraid of?” We read in Matthew 14:22-33 what Peter and the other disciples feared. Peter, the brave one, asked Jesus to make it possible for him to walk out on the water and be with Him. Peter walked out and then began to sink when he realized where He was and satan brought him back to this world and the power of gravity.

What fears do you have in your life’s journey? Health, money, relationships, wrong directions or non-productive temptations or this pandemic? The children who attend the school at Pont Quenepe in the Artibonite District fear that when they go to school, the pot of food will be empty and the fire will be out. The vodou priest is telling them that God does not love them, Jesus is still in the grave and the power of the Holy Spirit cannot match their evil spirits. Most of the children attending school check every morning to make sure the fire is burning, and they like us and the disciples can exclaim “truly you are the Son of God.”

So what are you afraid of today? Worried that your donation will be too small and insignificant? Twenty-one dollars will fill the pot at Pont Quenepe. God continues to fill the pot at 130 schools in Haiti every day. “Truly, you are the Son of God!” Pastor Darrell shared verse one of the song ‘Have no Fear little flock’ and these words are a gentle reminder that we truly have nothing to fear. Have no fear, little flock, have no fear little flock. For the Father has chosen to give you the Kingdom, have no fear, little flock.”

Go out into the world in peace; have courage; hold on to what is good; return no man evil for evil; strengthen the faint-hearted; support the weak; help the suffering; honor all men; love and serve the Lord; rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And may almighty God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit bless you.

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/8/20 Joel Griffith 8/8/20

Retiring soon?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Have you heard the saying that “even the best laid plans will go wrong”? I retired nine years ago this month and at that time, several co-workers and a few friends from Church asked what my future plans would be? I retired before I reached that magic, or culturally correct age that our world tells us is the proper time, but I told them that even though the voices in my head may not be real, they have some good ideas!

I have never heard of anybody in Haiti ever retiring. The men and women reach an age where they can no longer put food into their bodies and they go to live with relatives and die; that is not my plan. The attached photo is of some of the children and teachers at the Lutheran school at Bongnol which is located in the Artibonite District. There are sixty-three children attending school here and for me that is sixty-three reasons to volunteer my labors for Trinity/HOPE to help feed these children while they learn about Jesus Christ.

As long as my feeble fingers can type out a daily devotion or my body can travel and give a presentation that will help to feed 30,000 children in Haiti; that is what I will do. What are your plans for retirement? Have you given any thought to helping feed children in Haiti when you retire or even before you pick that date? These kids need you and your talents. Imagine how many could be touched by your life or by your legacy when it is your time to leave this world. I was listening to Amy Grant sing on my MP3 the song ‘I can only imagine’ recently and the words placed thoughts about what the future will bring.

“I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side. I can only imagine what my eyes will see when your face is before me. I can only imagine; I can only imagine. Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Halelluja, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine; I can only imagine. I can only imagine when that day comes and I find myself standing in the Son. I can only imagine when all I will do is forever, forever worship you. I can only imagine; I can only imagine. Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Halelluja, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine; yeah I can only imagine.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/7/20 Joel Griffith 8/7/20

Where are you from?

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.” Isaiah 51:1

What part of this earth did you come from? Where did your lungs get that initial filling of the outside air? The two small children in the attached photo live in Cap Haitian, Haiti. I am certain that their nostrils drew their first breath of air from inside of their home and probably on their parent’s bed. The mission team worker next to them, and probably you as well drew that first lung filling inhalation in a clean hospital in North America.

These two girls, Dr Paige and you and I all have one thing in common; we are all united in the same belief of a risen Savior. Doesn’t matter where the quarry was that we come from. Ancestors from Germany, England, France, Africa or Haiti; we are all His children here on earth and will be together in Heaven one day.

I listened to a song recently, ‘Let there be peace on Earth’ sung by Vince Gill and a small child. Listening to the two of them brought back memories of me singing ‘Lavi’ with children in Haiti about the same age as these two girls. One day, you and I will be singing praises to our Triune God together in Heaven, singing with our brothers and sisters from this generation and generations before us.

“Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth; the peace that was meant to be. With God as our father, brothers all are we. Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony. Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now. With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow. To take each moment and live each moment with peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/6/20 Joel Griffith 8/6/20

Who am I?

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4

Have you ever looked into the mirror in the morning after stumbling out of bed; you know when your eyes are still puffy, your breath smells just like Lazarus after a week in the tomb and your mind asks the question “how can God use me?” After all that our Triune God has accomplished and continues to do on this earth, who am I to think that my words matter to Him?

Look into the faces of the six children in the attached photo. They attend the Lutheran school in Ouanaminthe in north central Haiti. If you think that your life matters or is even remotely important to our Triune God; what about their lives? They live in homes with dirt floors, are wearing one of the two sets of clothes that they own, don’t have a doctor or a dentist, don’t have air conditioning or running water in their homes; how could our Triune God possibly use their lives?

For a dollar and fifty cents Trinity/HOPE will feed these six children at their school; most likely their only meal for the day. Your donation will be taking part in His plan for them, and also His plan for you. Amazing how He has accomplished His work through shepherds, fisherman, virgins, carpenters, tax collectors and children throughout the Bible and now, well now He is ready to use you. While sitting on my deck recently I listened to the song ‘I stand amazed’ by Squire Parsons Jr. When I consider how God is using me, and you and these kids in Ouanaminthe; well I too stand amazed.

“When I examine that old rugged cross the mighty gulf did span; it reaches down to the brinks of hell, to heaven's golden stand. I stand amazed, I stand amazed; of the love that has sought me, saved me and bought me. I stand amazed. When I imagine in glory that day, when all of heav'n stood still as God, incarnate, the Savior of man, died upon Calv'ry's hill. I stand amazed, I stand amazed; of the love that has sought me, saved me and bought me. I stand amazed.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/5/20 Joel Griffith 8/5/20

Wi.

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Psalm 95:1-2

A fellow mission worker once ‘chided’ me for sharing with him photos of healthy and happy children living in Haiti; wanted to see more of the downcast children. The verses from Psalm 95 explain the reason for the smile on the face of the child in the attached photo who attends the Lutheran school in Cap Haitian. I have heard this child ‘Shout’ and ‘Rejoice’ when asked if she knew of the Triune God and if she loves Jesus; not just a monotone ‘yes’ but an enthusiastic “OUI”.

There are times when we, and she, do not feel like praising God enthusiastically, and certainly not out loud. It seems too easy to focus on our hurts, pressure from this world and the vodou priest down the street. Doubt, fear, defeat and hunger become the enemies of joy and these can bring a suffocating could of depression that. Consider the joy that this young girl now has and what her face reflected while still living under the chains of the vodou priest before coming to know Jesus. Think of how listless her eyes and smile were like before she began receiving daily nourishment from a Trinity/HOPE donor like you.

We all must be reminded to raise our hands and our head and look again at whom our Triune God is and what He had done for us. We must remind ourselves that He is our Savior, comfort, shelter, refuge and our strength. No one can ever compare to our powerful and loving God. On the drive home recently I listened to Randy Travis sing ‘Shout to the Lord’ and the words to that song, the face of that little girl and you came to mind.

“My Jesus, My Savior, Lord, there is none like You; all of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You. My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength; let every breath, all that I am never cease to worship You. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King; mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, nothing compares to the promise I have in You.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 8/4/20 Joel Griffith 8/4/20

Carry Me Home

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

The children in the attached photo are a handful of the 100 or so, students that attend school in Lauture which was established in 2003 in the Jacmel District in the south central part of Haiti. Prior to attending this Lutheran school, the vast majority of them had never opened a book and certainly not a Bible, heard the good news of Jesus Christ, understood the need to confess of their sinfulness or probably had not even thought that they were living outside of God’s commands as they only knew of what the vodou priest had told them and their ancestors.

Then a person like you came along, brought the good news of a forgiving God and the promise of a meal where there was none and the understanding of the difference between right and wrong. The Holy Spirit worked through people like you to touch lives such as these. These children now accept the Bible as their authority and have learned to confess their sins and how important that is and how important it is to know that our sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ.

Confession is so important for those of us who profess our faith in the Triune God. We still stray at times as do the children in Lauture, but we confess and are forgiven. What will happen on the day when those still locked into the chains of the vodou priest meet our Lord Jesus on Judgment Day? I listened to an evangelist recently telling about what will happen when we meet Jesus and have to account for our life and then turned the radio dial and listened to the song “Please carry me home” by Jessi Colter; must have been a God moment in time.

“When the blood curdlin' scream of the fear in my veins pierces the darkness circlin' my brain. When the pain in my soul is too great to explain I reach out for you, I'm callin' your name. Lord, please have mercy on my troubled soul. You keep me together when there's nothing to hold. Lord, please have mercy, I've nowhere to go when the temptation is over, please carry me home. Would the jewel of deception rest in the crown upon the heaven, the tempter who's hand keeps me down. Living so carelessly, so easy to do. But now that I'm paying, I running to you. Lord, please have mercy on my troubled soul. You keep me together when there's nothing to hold. Oh, Lord, please have mercy, I've nowhere to go when the temptation is over, please carry me home.”

May God be with you…Jay

Joel Griffith 7/31/20 Joel Griffith 7/31/20

August International Day of Prayer

Psalm 99:1-5; “The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble

Adoration

Psalm 99:1-5; “The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name; he is holy. The King is mighty, he loves justice, you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.”

Sitting outside on my deck at sunrise this morning; watching the hedge apples drop and seeing the leaves on the trees gently dancing in the southernly breeze. Listening to a few blackbirds encouraging me to leave my deck so they can approach the bird feeder without fear. Admiring the cornfield thirty feet to the east, at how quickly and tall it grew last month with the rainfall and warm days. Here I am sitting outdoors, enjoying how wonderfully awesome our Creator is; He is holy. Where do you see Him in your life?

A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Heavenly Father.

· Please take time to sit and reflect how our Triune God has impacted your life, as a child, teen, adult and perhaps a parent or grandparent. Consider with sincere amazement all the ways He has created, molded, and brought you to this very point in your life’s journey.

· Be mindful of the Haitian children who this summer are eagerly awaiting and hopeful that their school will restart this month so they can learn more about You, seek Your directions for their future and give Witness of their Risen Savior to the souls still caught up in the lies of vodou.

Confession

We were born, sinful and unclean, through no fault of our own, but because of the sins of our parents, grandparents…Adam and Eve.

God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Jesus did everything right while he was here on this earth. He loved you with a love that cannot be measured. He gave to the world when there were no thanks returned to Him. He healed when there was no hope, and He died without complaint. Jesus did nothing wrong and everything right; all this for you. He lived for you and died for you. Our sins nailed Him to the cross on Calvary and kept Him there until His life on earth had ended.

Psalm 32:1-7; “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD" and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

· A time of personal confession.

Our sins are placed at the base of the cross...His cross, and we give thanks that the times we have fallen short in the eyes of our Heavenly Father have been washed clean and we have been forgiven through the Blood of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

There is so much to be thankful for since COVID 19 swept into our homeland five months ago and disrupted and uprooted the normal daily activities in our lives. We live in a world that has been broken since sin entered in through the devil’s appearance in the Garden of Eden. Through the ages our God has always been with us, providing us with more and more reasons to be thankful.

Romans 8:31-32; “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all; how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

When we stop to give Him thanks, we too often think of the things we possess in this world to be thankful for; our physical blessings, health, family, talents, treasures, freedoms, and neglect the true treasure that our Savior gave to us on Calvary.

We are thankful that our Heavenly Father has protected us through this and other challenges along our journey and continues to be near us as we eagerly await His directions for the next opportunity to serve Him.

Psalm 95:1-7; “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

We come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with ‘Thanksgiving’.

· We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Spirit.

· We give thanks for the countless donors here in the U.S. who joyfully give of their time, talents & treasures to the work of Trinity HOPE.

· We give You thanks for the Haitian children who are not only the prime purpose of Trinity HOPE but also Your missionaries for the future generations in Haiti.

· We give You thanks for the countless hours that Keith, Denise, and other board members have expended putting together a program to place food into the homes of children when COVID 19 forced their schools to close early.

· We give You thanks for the work that is being accomplished by the Haitian parents, school principals, and Feeding Program Directors who are gathering the expected attendance numbers for the coming school year.

Supplications

At times we ‘ask’ for things without really considering how they will impact our calling and our journey; to serve Him as He desires us to serve Him by bringing others into the Kingdom. Heavenly Father, we seek your wisdom.

2 Corinthians 5:15; “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

School in Haiti is scheduled to start early this year, August 10th, in hopes to make up for the weeks of learning that was lost due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Much needs to be accomplished before that date with the school feeding programs in Haiti and with Trinity HOPE volunteers here in the U.S. We seek Your Wisdom and then ALL hands on deck for another school year.

Heavenly Father, we bring our supplications before You;

· Heavenly Father, give an extra portion of wisdom and energy to ALL those involved with feeding Haitian schools this coming year.

· Lord, please bless the annual Trinity HOPE Board meeting that will be conducted via Zoom.

· Lord, please continue to place Your healing hand upon Mark Gudlin as he continues to battle infection in his knee joint.

· Heavenly Father, please bless new donors unknown to us but out there ready to help to feed Haitian children.

Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You sent it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14; “Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send their greetings. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

May God be with you dear sister and brother in Christ,

In His love

Jay Brinkmeyer

Joel Griffith 7/3/20 Joel Griffith 7/3/20

July International Prayer

Adoration

Isaiah 40:28-31; “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

The world that we live in is slowly opening back up following the COVID 19 pandemic. The leaders in this world are telling us that we are returning to ‘normal’. I live in Normal and from my vantage point this is not ‘normal’. Our worldly ‘normal’ was taken away from us in March, but as Isaiah wrote, if we had our ‘Hope’ in the Lord then nothing had really changed. HE is in control. Did you not know? Have you not heard? HE is in control for eternity.

A time of Adoration to our Triune God.

· Please take time to sit quietly and gaze at His creation and what is taking place around you; and feel His presence in your life.

· Think about the provisions, protection, hope, and love that surround you because of His unfailing love for you.

· Try to grasp the immense work that our Creator is doing in the lives of each Haitian child who attended a Christian school this past year.

Confession

James 5:16; “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

We were born, sinful and unclean, through no fault of our own, but because of the sins of our parents, grandparents…Adam and Eve.

God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Jesus did everything right while He was here on this earth. He loves you with a love that cannot be measured. He gave to the world when no thanks were returned to Him. He healed when there was no hope, and He died without complaint. Jesus did nothing wrong and everything right; all this for you. He lived for you and died for you. Our sins nailed Him to the cross on Calvary and kept Him there until His life on earth had ended.

· A time of personal confession.

Our sins are placed at the base of the Calvary cross...His cross, and we give thanks that the times we have fallen short in the eyes of our Heavenly Father have been washed clean and we have been forgiven through the Blood of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

Haiti is into the leaning-edge of the pandemic now and if that terrible challenge were not enough; it is hurricane season as well. The children who attend Christian schools with a feeding program have Hope and are thankful that God, our God, is watching over them every day.

Psalm 20:4; “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”

Heavenly Father, we come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with Thanksgiving.”

We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer, and Holy Spirit.

We give thanks for over 30,000 children who received a daily meal form Trinity HOPE this past year.
As we give of our first fruits may we also give a portion of our best to His children in Haiti who need the assistance we can provide because of You.
We give You thanks for placing Your healing hand upon Your children here in the US, in Haiti, and around this world.

Supplications

Lamentations 3:21-26; “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

The words, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him,” is such a comforting reassurance. Our Triune God is in control of the Universe and listens to our voices and responds to us through His Word…again and again. We seek His Wisdom and wait patiently for His response.

Luke 11:11-13; “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

You have most likely been earnestly praying for many years and know, without a doubt, that our God answers your prayers. I can put my finger on the time in my life when prayer became an important part in life. During confirmation instructions some 55 years ago, Pastor LW Heidemann told us why God wants to hear our prayers, that He listens to our prayers and He answers our prayers and it’s not always going to be “you betcha”. Many times, He has had me wait and for some requests; I am still waiting patiently, because I haven’t felt the rushing of the wind with the door closing just yet. We continue to pray for our country and for Haiti.

Heavenly Father, we bring our supplications before You;

· Heavenly Father, please continue to lead and bless Trinity HOPE with Your loving hand; may our donor base grow this summer.

· Lord of the Harvest, please bless the efforts of the Haitian farmers, may they be shielded from the pandemic around them and may their gardens and homes be protected from tropical storms this summer.

· Heavenly Father, please bring lasting peace to our country and end racism. Please bring an end to devil worship in Haiti and usher in new Godly leaders into their country.

· Lord, keep watch over the children, their parents, teachers, principals, pastors and feeding program directors living in Haiti during this pandemic.

May God go before you to guide you; may His arms be beneath you to support you, around you to protect you and above you to bless you. And may the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you always dear sister and brother in Christ,

In His love, Jay Brinkmeyer