The first S.O.S. Saturday

Who can you challenge to join you in making a difference for "Somalia on Saturdays" in August? 

This is more than giving to meet a physical need; this is giving in Jesus' name.

S.O.S. ~ Somalia on Saturdays with me?

What does your Saturday look like tomorrow? Mine includes back to school shopping, some cleaning, and an airport run to start with. It's also the first Saturday in August and the first chance to join in S.O.S. to think, pray, and give for "Somalia On Saturdays."  

Take what you would spend on solid food for a day and give it, instead, towards compassionate meeting of needs in the horn of Africa. 

• To see the post telling more details, click here.
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• To see the Facebook event page, click here. 

If you want to help spread the word for others to join with us as we think, pray, give for S.O.S., grab the button on the details post. If you have questions, send me a message. Maybe you can get a friend to S.O.S. with you, or your small group, or your Sunday School, or your family members. Use your influence to invite others to S.O.S. with us!

I'm praying that those who love God will not ignore the cries of those suffering in Africa in this severe famine, but that we will give sacrificially in His name.

Think, pray, give,

A song ... so we'll remember

Yesterday we reflected on how David's past prompted him to write a song to dedicate the temple in the future, after he was gone from this world. I also think I may've suggested that King David was the first to do ZUMBA. ;)

We are so forgetful. It's harder than ever today to keep facts in mind, because we're inundated with information. We don't have time to absorb content or even "mentally file it away" before we're hit with new facts and ideas. A song is a great way to help us remember vital truths. The nation of Israel used songs to mentally (and in their hearts) hang on to their history, and it still works for us today.


Psalm 136 repeats one line over and over, 26 times, once every verse:  "... for his steadfast love endures forever." His steadfast love is His covenant love, His love that is pledged to us, love that cannot be undone, love that always follows through, love that lasts forever.


The point is that because of who He is, what He's done, and how He cares for me, God deserves my thanks and praise for His steadfast love.  It can be gut-wrenching-hard to remember this when we're in the midst of mess or pain or angst,  but those are the times we need to remember God the most.

The song begins with a truly beautiful section about our Creator God: 
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
²Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.
³Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; ⁴to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁵to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁶to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁷to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁸the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;
⁹the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

The  rest of the Psalm is the part that helps God's people remember ... all He's done in the past to intervene, to provide, to exercise that steadfast love. It's so good to remember. Maybe you'll want to do some remembering with me today by personalizing the "remembering parts" ...

• God's character to me is ...........
• God's creation of me is .............
• My Egypt was (set free from being a slave) ..........
• My Promised Land (God's blessings to me) ...........
• God's continuing care for me now is ..........
• I want to thank Him for ...........

Because of who He is, what He's done, and how He cares for me, God deserves my thanks and praise for His steadfast love. 

His steadfast love endures forever!

Now in case you're like me (and King David) and songs help you remember, let me give you this song as a gift, sung by a church choir in Nigeria. Nigeria is not in the horn of Africa, but on the continent of Africa. Maybe it will also remind our hearts of needs in Africa right now and of SOS this weekend and our chance to help display the steadfast love of the Lord. I'll warn you, the picture quality is not great, but I think you'll agree that the quality of the voices is ... heavenly.  (If you receive this via email, click on the post title so you can enjoy the video. You'll be so glad you did.)

(Based on Lamentations 3:21-23)

Insomnia, Dust, Old Clothes and Zumba

Have you ever done Zumba? This girl has no dancing aptitude, so when friends talk about going to Zumba, I fade into the shadows. Psalm writer David had his moment of public praise dancing, and not everyone received it well. His heart wasn't always full of praise.That's how he knows how to hit us right where we're livin' life, right in between insomnia, dust, old clothes, and Zumba. Find it in Psalm 30.


David really wanted to be the one to build God's temple, but God only let him prepare for it; David's son Solomon was tasked as the builder. Before David died, he penned Psalm 30 to be sung after his death, at the dedication of the temple. It's a song describing David's personal ups n' downs, challenging worshipers to follow him in praise. To do that, David gets raw and real with us.

God takes our pride and our problems and deals with our insomnia, dust, and worn out clothes, giving us ZUMBA instead!

David had cried to God for help after laying awake at night crying (v.5). He said, "Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning." If you've ever gone to bed weeping and crying out to God in prayer, you know the joy that can come with the morning.Only God can give that joy.


David struggled with his pride (v.6) but learned God was the source of all of his strength (v.7). God rebuked him for his arrogance (v.7), and David did what a person with a heart for God does ... he repented (v.8). He knew he lived in his changed state in order to praise God.



The dust of death and earth won't praise God, but the man who has experienced God will! (v.9) Though we may find ourselves for a time in the "sackcloth" (v.11) of grief, we aren't meant to stay there.

• Do you hear yourself complaining often? 
• Are you marked by negativity? 
• Would people say you're a "downer?" 

God isn't a God who leaves us weeping, in the dust, and dressed in the worn out clothing of mourning. David testifies here that God "loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness" (v.11). A pity party is not a place to stay.


Because of who God is and what He does, we can give thanks to Him "forever" (v.12). We're meant to get over the insomnia, dust, and sackcloth of mourning and let Him change our "mourning into dancing" (v.11). We have to praise Him and not be silent!

• Just like David, our past is filled with God's deliverance and favor.
• Just like David when he penned Psalm 30, our present is meant to be full of joy, never ceasing to plead for God's mercy (v.8).
• Just like David ... we're meant to outdo the dust and PRAISE HIM!

Do you need to get over your insomnia, shake off the dust, clothe yourself with gladness and praise Him? In case you need a visual, this is ZUMBA ... praise style. ;)
(You might want to turn up your computer and stand up ... and don't be surprised if someone else joins you from the shadows!) ....
(If you receive this via email, be sure to click on the post title to go the actual blog and see this video.)