September 2020

If this were a normal year, my letter would be all about the Hawkeyes and the start of college football.  

But 2020 is anything but normal – right? 

Each Fall, beginning this week, Tom would wake up early Saturday morning and hang his Hawkeye flag outside, waiting anxiously for College GameDay to begin. He would proceed to watch any and every game until the Hawkeyes played for the week.  

Yet, even without the start of college football, Tom would have been glued to the television watching the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention. Election years were, although nerve wracking, frustrating, and totally unpredictable--Tom’s favorite.  Tom liked to watch both conventions--minute by minute--to see, hear, laugh, criticize and most importantly, to gain an understanding of each candidate. Tom would get twisted in the mess of politics, the arguing, the blaming, “It’s the democrats’ fault!!  “The republicans are the problem!” 

“This guy/gal is off, don’t they realize what they are saying?”    

“If ‘so and so’ gets into office we are doomed.”  

“If ‘so and so’ is elected, the economy is going to fall apart.” And on and on . . . 

Well, from what I see and hear lately, a bunch of us are feeling the pain and convictions of election year. We know what is right for our country and we want to be sure everyone else does too.  But let’s refocus.  Here’s what I really know--regardless of which candidate is elected, God is still on the throne and my identity is in HIM, not in my political affiliations, the economy, whether I have to wear a mask, or exactly how our country reopens safely. 

I get it.  These are important and significant issues impacting our livelihood, daily lives, and future.  Yet, even bigger than all that is God. Our identity, our futures and our hope are in Christ and to Him we owe everything. Can we all take a deep breath and rest in the fact that we are HIS children?  In 2013 Tom did a great message from a study in Romans entitled “Who is your Master?”

Here’s a note from Tom’s files: 

“If we are enslaved to Jesus, we need to know what is important to Him. What was Jesus’ agenda? Perhaps it might be valuable to first note what was not on His agenda. He was not here to be happy. He was not here to look out for Himself. He was not here to advance a political platform. He was not here to be successful by the world’s standards. Wow, He did not come in pursuit of the American Dream. That is right, He came to advance His kingdom. To seek and save the lost. To proclaim the gospel. To care for people, especially the hurting. To obey the Fathers’ will. To reach out to all people.  

The bottom line--what matters to God and, therefore, should also matter to us, is lost people, His people and His Word.”

Let’s do our part by voting, making decisions illuminating His light and love in this dark world, and living our lives to honor and glorify Him.

And remember, God either causes or allows all, for our good and His glory. We ARE gonna be okay on November 4th. . . Because Jesus is our hope.  

So, how about if we advance His agenda?  How about if we seek Him and rest in His hope? 

Talk soon,

Sandy
Executive Director
saeps2@yahoo.com

PS.  In case you missed Redemption-Arcadia’s “Shraderisms” last month, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozsrl0lDSzE