Greetings all and Happy Sabbath! Just a quick programming note - tomorrow I will be in Charlotte and Hickory and next Sabbath I will be in Columbia. I look forward to seeing everyone again!

Rapid Fire

2026 is only 9 days old, but there’s been a lot going on. Venezuelan oil tankers seized, their president removed, an ICE involved shooting in Minneapolis and revolt in Iran, just to name a few. Of course, it’s not all bad - the Panthers made the playoffs!

All these events happen so quickly, it can be difficult to keep up with them. Our world seems to be stuck on ‘rapid fire’ mode.

Personal Pressures

On top of world events, there’s the things that happen in our personal lives. Sickness, stress, resuming school and work after the winter break. It all adds up and can be tough to deal with. 

So what do we do? How can we deal with it all? Is there any way to make the world slow down?

The short answer is no. We can’t make life and the world we live in slow down, but we can do something to help ourselves cope with it.

The Long View

In preparing for this week’s sermon, I read across a verse that struck me: “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister,” (Hebrews 6v9-10). 

What’s interesting about this verse is that it comes right after a warning about turning away from God (verses 4-6). The writer is saying he is confident that the people would NOT do that.

As your pastor, I have ups and downs in life too - no one is immune from trials, or their rapid fire nature. How do I deal with them? Like the writer of Hebrews, I try to take a long view. I know that while difficult times come and we might be tempted to reject God, He is not unjust, He does not forget our labor of love and most important, He has good things in store for us all!