MonroeOHUMC

  It's Not Too Late to Get Back Up Acts 9:36-43; John 10:22-30 In the series “Rise Up” The kitchen clock read 12:17 AM. I wanted to be asleep, but there I sat—staring at bills, ministry projects, school assignments, and a to-do list that seemed to grow by the hour. Many years ago, I hit a season in ministry and life where everything crashed at once. The church had needs. My family had needs. And somewhere in trying to meet everyone else's needs, I'd lost myself. That night, in the glow of my computer monitor, I pushed back from the desk and whispered words I never thought I'd say as a pastor: "God, I think I'm finished. I don't know how to get back up from this." The silence that followed felt deafening. No thunderclap response. No sudden clarity. Just the crushing weight of feeling knocked completely flat. What I didn't know then was that God specializes in people who've been knocked down. That's where resurrection begins. M...

Sunday, March 23, 2025 Scripture: Psalm 63:1-8 Devotion: "O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." The psalmist's words capture that deep, primal longing we all feel—a thirst that only God can quench. Like parched ground that cracks open, waiting for rain, our lives often reveal a profound thirst for something more. We try to satisfy it with achievement, relationships, or possessions, but the soul knows what it truly needs. The psalmist found that satisfaction in God's presence, declaring "My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast." What are you thirsting for today? Where have you been looking for satisfaction? True fruitfulness begins with recognizing our deepest need—not just for what God gives, but for God's very presence. When we root ourselves in this relationship, everything else finds its proper place. Daily Action Steps: Sit quietly...