From the desk of Pastor Jim

Have you ever been surprised by something wonderful?

Maybe you found an old twenty-dollar bill in a coat pocket, bumped into an old friend at the grocery store, or watched a spectacular sunset on what seemed like an ordinary evening. Life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it.

Jacob certainly wasn't expecting a surprise. He was tired, worried, and sleeping outdoors with a rock for a pillow—not exactly anyone's idea of a luxury vacation! Yet it was there, in the middle of nowhere, that God met him in a dream and reminded him, "I am with you."

Jacob woke up amazed and declared, "Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!"

That wonderful truth still speaks to us today. God doesn't only meet us inside church buildings. God is present in kitchens and gardens, hospital rooms and workplaces, family dinners and quiet morning walks. Every place can become holy when we recognize God's loving presence.



As you go through this week, keep your eyes open for those little "God moments." It may be a smile from a stranger, a kind conversation, an answered prayer, or simply the peace that comes from knowing you are never alone.

You never know when heaven might touch an ordinary day.

May God bless you with joyful surprises this week!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jim