The History of our Freedom

May we never forget the price that was paid for the freedoms we enjoy today! Here is a little history to help us remember (from open source internet)...

On September 3, 1814, Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skinner, set sail from Baltimore aboard the ship HMS Minden flying a flag of truce on a mission approved by President James Madison. Their objective was to secure the exchange of prisoners. Key and Skinner boarded the British flagship HMS Tonnant on September 7 and spoke with Major General Robert Ross over dinner.

Because Key and Skinner had heard details of the plans for the attack on Baltimore, they were held captive until after the battle. After the bombardment, certain British gunboats attempted to slip past the fort and effect a landing in a cove to the west of it, but they were turned away by fire from nearby Fort Covington, the city's last line of defense.
During the rainy night, Key had witnessed the bombardment and observed that the fort’s smaller "storm flag" continued to fly, but once the shell barrage had stopped, he would not know how the battle had turned out until dawn. By then, the storm flag had been lowered, and the larger flag raised.

Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above the fort. This flag, with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes, came to be known as the Star Spangled Banner.

Aboard the ship the next day, Key wrote a poem on the back of a letter he had kept in his pocket. At twilight on September 16, he and Skinner were released in Baltimore. He called the poem "Defence of Fort McHenry". It later became and still is our National Anthem.

“O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Thank you Jesus for the freedoms we enjoy today!

Loving and Leading,

Jeff Powell

Be Still

My family and I are currently on vacation in South Carolina. Psalm 46:10 declares in part, “Be still and know that I am God.” This has been a challenge for me. I am a doer by nature. I don’t do well waiting. I like movement. I have had to learn this truth over the years that through all of life (in all my doing) I must be sure that in it I am “being still” and knowing that He is God. This expresses trust and reliance.

The challenge and goal of life is not to see how much we can accomplish, but is really to see how well we can abide in Jesus. As we abide in Him will there be accomplishment? Absolutely (see John 15). But it is His accomplishment through us. Our role is to be yielded vessels in His hand.

So why do we strive so much in life? I think it is in part due to a lack of trust in and reliance upon Jesus. We erroneously think that we have to make something happen. The only thing we have to make happen is our surrender to the will of Jesus daily. I don’t know about you, but this is enough work for a lifetime for me:)

Take the challenge: Allow yourself to be un-hurried, not busy, not striving, just abiding in Jesus. Through all your doing, be sure that it is Him living through you. Easy? Not always. But so worth it.

Jane and I love you and appreciate your support and prayers as we spend time with family. See you soon!

Loving and Leading,

Jeff Powell

The Heart of a Champion

Men are great. Men are strong. Men are needed! The heart of a champion resides not only in every man, but in every human.

James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Just do it! When you don’t feel like it - Just Do It! When it is hard - Just Do It! I believe that when we step out by faith into obeying His word, God will not only meet us, but will empower us and walk with us! Recently Pastor Ed Young from Fellowship Church in Texas had this to say about obeying God’s word....

“If someone is reading Scripture to seek only comfort, they may be drawn exclusively to verses of love and hope, missing the significance of verses that call for change and sacrifice. The Bible then becomes a temporary fix to relieve a heavy conscious, if only for a moment.

When you read, be sure to engage Scripture with an active and intentional mindset. Treat the words of God as powerful and promising—seek to apply what you learn. Even if it means making difficult decisions and taking chances. And through this process, you will be transformed into the person Christ created you to be, experiencing life like never before.”

You have the heart of a champion! Will you allow it to shine forth? Will you obey God’s word, not just when it is easy, but also when it is hard? Will you be the champion He has made you to be? I pray so!

Loving and Leading,

Jeff Powell

Avoiding Life's Stings

Several years ago Jane and I were visiting family in South Carolina. While on that trip, we enjoyed Jane’s cousins four wheeler. One day Tyler and Allie were riding it while Jane and I watched them. As they came near to us I noticed a wasp on the seat. I immediately told both of them to remain still. Thankfully they obeyed and I was able to remove the wasp from their presence. I then explained to them why I had told them to remain still and I praised them for obeying my instruction.

Life is a lot like that experience. There are times when God gives us an immediate command and we have a choice to make. Do we obey or disobey? If we obey we receive protection from our Heavenly Father. If we disobey, we remove ourselves from His protective hand. The reality is that none of us want our lives to be removed from God’s protective hand. Let us all remember that when God gives us an instruction - no matter what we may logically think - it is ultimately always for our good.

So how does God give us instructions? Here are a few of the ways He speaks to us: 1) Always through His word, the Bible. 2) Through His still small voice as we pray. 3) Through other people that share with us a word from God (preachers, teachers, mentors, parents, etc...). 4) Through circumstances in life. 5) And always through inner peace.

If Tyler and Allie had not obeyed me, one of them more than likely would have been stung by the wasp. In the same way, if we refuse to obey God’s voice, we will be stung by the consequences of our disobedience. If you find yourself being stung today, simply repent (turn back to God) and allow God to remove the sting from your life.

Loving and Leading,

Jeff Powell

Stuck in the Mud

Several years ago we were in South Carolina while Jane’s Granny was in the hospital. During the day Jane would head up to the hospital to spend time with her Granny and I would stay out at the lake / farm with the kids. Jane’s cousin had a four wheeler that he let us use on that trip.

One day we were in a field riding it through a mud patch and we got stuck. I had all the kids get off, but I still was unable to get it out of the mud. Finally Tyler offered to try. Reluctantly I let him give it a try. He was able to get it out. And the fun was then on as we went through the mud again and again that day!

Life is a lot like that experience. Many times we get stuck in life and try as we might, we can’t break free. In fact, many times the harder we try, the more stuck we become. We need the help of another person to get unstuck. We need the help of the Holy Spirit. Pride keeps many from asking another person for help. Pride keeps multitudes from receiving help from the Holy Spirit. The next time you find yourself stuck in life, don’t hesitate to ask for help from God and others. We need each other.

At Fellowship Church one of the best ways to make relational connections with other people and with God is in our network of Small Groups. In these groups you will discover relationships that will aid you through the sticky seasons of life. Don’t miss out on the joy of letting others help you. Check out the Small Group connection board in the Main Welcome Center near the Women’s Restroom to get connected to a group.

Loving and Leading,

Jeff Powell