I write this weekly email from Delnor Hospital. I am waiting for my mother-in-law to return from surgery after breaking her hip from a fall on Wednesday night. At the same time my wife is in the New Life Maternity section of the hospital having some tests and preparing for the delivery of our twins next Tuesday.

We appreciate all your prayers. There has been an incredible outpouring of love and support. We have had more offers for help than we could ever possibly take advantage of. We are so blessed by all of you.

One thing is for certain – there are some big changes ahead for the Ressler household. We have some new challenges ahead of us. But we trust in God’s promises and know he holds the future in his hands. There is no reason to worry. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that worrying does us no good. We can’t add a single hour to our lIfe by doing so. God tells us to let him take care of the worrying. Although we know God doesn’t worry.

I recently learned a new word. This word is catharsis. Actually it is not a new word for me but maybe the first time I have pondered this word. Catharsis is defined as the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

We have all had such moments. These moments are a spark. Something changes. We see the world and the people around us in a new way. We have a renewed sense of urgency for the mission of God in this world.

When life pushes in from all corners God uses it as a way of refining us to use us in an even greater way. I have often talked with people who have gone through a difficult time of struggle, but during that time of stubble they pressed in on the Lord in prayer like never before. As a result they connected with God in a way like never before and grew a deeper intimacy with him that could never be taken away.

The challenge for us is to see the obstacles before us as God sees them. We may see them as obstacles, but God sees them as opportunities. What challenges are you facing that are actually opportunities for God to mold you into an incredible testimony of his grace?

I wanted to continue the discussion on forgiveness from last week. I believe this to be an important message. I see way to much bitterness among Christians. Too often we are not willing to forgive others as Jesus has called us to. We don’t readily follow his example.

The biggest hurdle we have to overcome is to recognize our need to forgive another. We live in denial. On the surface we convince others and even ourselves that everything is ok. But deep down the bitterness is there. Eventually, that bitterness comes out and it affects not only our relationship with that one person, but with others as well.

Here is what I would encourage you to do. Right now! Don’t wait. I know if you put it off now, you will not get around to it later. Take out a pen and paper. On that paper write down the name of every person who owes you anything. Then write down what they owe you.

You have a person who gossiped about you and ruined your reputation. They owe your reputation. Write there name down. Then write it down they owe you your reputation.

A drunk driver killed someone you loved. They owe you back the life of your loved one. Write it down.

A parent who was always over-demanding, whose expectations you could never live up to, owes you a word of approval. Write it down.

When you do this, there are probably a couple of things you will recognize. The people who owe you these debts may not even recognize what they owe you. And even if they recognize what it is they owe you, they may very likely not be able to pay you back. Does that sound familiar? The debt of our sin was a debt we could not repay. So God took it upon himself to pay it.

Consider what good it will do to hold a debt against someone that they cannot pay. It will only cost you angst. Forgive the debt! Take a red pen or marker and now cross out the debts you wrote on the paper. Then write paid in full. If that is not enough, take the paper and burn it or bury it in the back yard. Whatever you do, do what you need to do to erase the debt and let the tremendous load you have been carrying come off.

As I said last week, forgiveness is not an option. It is necessary for a right relationship with God and with others. It is not an easy thing to do, but the alternative is even less desirable. Live a life of forgiveness and find the joy God is waiting for you to discover.

Recognize it will cost you to forgive someone else. You will never have that debt repaid back to you. When you forgive you are letting go of your right for retribution. But that is ok, because we have received from Jesus so much more than any other person could ever give us. I have all things in Christ Jesus and I don’t need to hold on anymore to having made right what was wrong, because Jesus has made all things right.

There is an epidemic disease that is running rampant in America. It is highly contagious. It is being passed on in families and in churches. It is a disease that cripples and takes the life right out of us. It seems there is no stopping this disease and yet the cure is available to all. This cure is not cheap, but it is readily available to all who will receive it.

I am talking about the disease of bitterness and the cure of forgiveness. Too many Christians are walking around with bitter hearts unable to forgive those whom they have been hurt by. As a people we too often undervalue the power of forgiveness and its ability to make a difference in our lives.

Although we may deny it, too many of us are holding on to hurts and offenses that have come our way. We deny the bitterness that we hold deep within, but we know it is there. A great way to expose the bitterness is to ask yourself if you had the opportunity to get even or get back at someone for the offense they caused you, would you take advantage of it?

Make no doubt about it, forgiveness is not cheap. It cost God the life of his beloved Son. It led the famous theologian, Detrich Bonhoeffer to say, “grace is free, but it is not cheap.” To forgive someone else may cost you your pride, your reputation, and your right to get even. But to not forgive that other person will cost you even more. You will go through life bitter and robbed of the joy God wants you to have. It will tear you apart from those you love and cause you to live in isolation. Worse of all it will work to create separation between you and God. When you fail to fully love others there is an negative impact no only on your relationship with others, but also upon your relationship with God.

Forgiveness is not an option. It is not a suggestion. It is a command. God knows there is no other option. When we forgive it is a choice of obedience. When we fail to forgive it is a choice of disobedience. And we should know he is not asking us to do anything he hasn’t already asked us to do.

That doesn’t mean it is not hard to do. There are many times I have not felt like extending forgiveness. It was not something I wanted to do. But how often has the thing God wanted for me and the thing that was best for me been the opposite of what I wanted to do? When I choose forgiveness I am making a sacrifice. I am sacrificing my will for the Father’s will. I am sacrificing my right for revenge and retribution.

Next week I would like to continue this discussion and talk about some practical ways to extend forgiveness to others and ways to experience full healing from bitterness.

Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a wonderful summer. I know I have enjoyed this summer and I am looking forward to what is to come. We have some big things coming up at Lord of Life. Vacation Bible School is just around the corner during the last week of July. If you would like more info about VBS check it out at www.lolchurch.net/vbs. Also, the ONE service is scheduled for Labor Day weekend. On September 5 we will gather as one church with only one worship at 9:15am. So make sure to mark that date on your calendar.

As we approach the second half of the summer, my weekly emails may not be as weekly as they once were. As many of you know, Barbara and I have some twins on the way. We are busily preparing waiting for the big day to arrive. I am planning on the getting these emails out to you on a regular basis, but there may be a week or two that I miss coming up.

There is much to get ready for when these babies come. We need to make sure we have diapers, clothes, cribs, car seats, and all those other fun things that go along with having babies. We know these babies are coming. There is no doubt about that. I know my wife really hopes they come sooner rather than later.

The thing is that we would be foolish if we didn’t get ready for these babies. We make sure to get everything done in advance, because when the time comes there will not be enough time to get all the things done that will need to get done. So we are doing it now.

The Bible emphasizes preparation. In 1 Peter 3:15 “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Jesus tells us to always be prepared because no one know the day or hour of his return (Matthew 25:13, Mark 13:32).

A wise man once told me that failing to plan is planning to fail. If you don’t plan for success God is not going to give you success. He is not going to burden us with more than we can handle. If you don’t have the capacity to receive a miracle, God is not going to give you the miracle.

If you had a test in school that was coming up, the wise thing to do would be to study for that test. It would seem silly to ask God to give you an “A” on that test if you had not prepared for that test.

What are you asking God for these days? If God granted your request, would you be prepared to receive it? Pastors will often pray for the church to be filled on Sunday morning. But is the church adequately prepared to receive that many guests with the love and hospitality of Jesus? You might ask God to multiply your minutes in the day. But if he multiplied those minutes would you be prepared to use those extra minutes for his glory or would they be wasted away with other things.

Jesus says that to those who are faithful with little, God will provide them more. The question is one of stewardship. Are we being good stewards of what we have been given already? If not, there is no reason for God to give us anymore.

The thing is that God knows us better than we even know ourselves. He knows the breathe of our preparation. Lets pray today, God would help us make ready his coming!