Good morning, and a most blessed Thursday to you.

In light of the recent tragedies—flooding here in Texas and now in New Mexico, along with devastating fires in New Mexico and California—I wanted to share an excerpt from a sermon that was sent to me recently. The sermon, titled “The Paths of Trust,” was written by the preacher Frederick Buechner.

Let me read a portion of it for you. I pray it brings encouragement and reminds you that we have a God we can trust—a God in whom we can find true comfort:

“Not at every moment of our lives, heaven knows, but at certain rare moments of greenness and stillness, we are shepherded by the knowledge that, though all is far from right with any world you and I know anything about, all is right deep down, and all will be right at last.

I suspect that is at least part of what ‘He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness’ is all about. It means righteousness not just in the sense of doing right, but in the sense of being right—being right with God. Trusting the deep ‘downghness’ of the life God has created for us, and riding that trust the way a red-tailed hawk rides the currents of the air in this valley where we live.

I suspect that the paths of righteousness He leads us in are, more than anything else, the paths of trust—the kind of life that grows out of that trust. I think that is the shelter He calls us to with a bale in either hand, when the wind blows bitter and the shadows are dark.”

As so many face the bitter, dark shadows of tragedy—losing loved ones, losing homes and property—this is what we can hold onto:

They can trust.
They can trust that they do not mourn alone.
They can trust that they do not suffer alone.
And they can trust that Jesus has already risen victorious over the darkest day, the darkest night, and every sorrow.

I encourage you to keep our brothers and sisters—our fellow Texans, and the communities in New Mexico and California—in your prayers. Pray that they may know the peace that passes all understanding, a peace that only comes from God. Pray for them. Hold them in your heart. Lift them before the throne of grace. Pray that they will be comforted by God's Word, by His Spirit, and by His ever-loving presence.

Let us pray together now.

Heavenly Lord,
We thank You for Your graciousness.
Even when we are full of questions—questions of why or how—we thank You that You know all things, and that You bear the weight of all our suffering.

We ask that You would be near to those grieving the loss of loved ones, those still searching for the missing, and those who have lost homes, dreams, and hope for the future.

Lord, we know none of this is a surprise to You.
You alone are capable of giving the comfort we so desperately need in such tragic times.

We pray for the search and rescue teams, that You would guide and sustain them.
We lift up the communities that have been most damaged and affected.
Bring healing. Bring restoration. Bring hope.

Thank You, Lord, for the peace You promise—a peace not as the world gives, but as only You can give. We know this world cannot offer us peace. But You can. And You do.

Lord, please envelop these families and communities. Overwhelm them with Your perfect peace as they begin to rebuild and navigate the days ahead.

Thank You that we can trust You.
Thank You for the image shared by Pastor Frederick—the red-tailed hawk riding the wind.
Help us to ride the current of Your love, to trust in You deeply, to lean into Your faithfulness, especially in the unknown.

Be with all who suffer.
Be with all who grieve.
Be with all who grieve for those who are hurting.

We lift this prayer to You, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Have a wonderful rest of your week. Continue to hold our brothers and sisters in prayer, and I look forward to worshiping our good and loving Lord with you this Sunday.

God bless you.

Pastor Malinak