It is so incredibly wonderful to be here at St. John’s with all these fantastic people who are committed to the work of Christ. Cindy and I are giving thanks to the Lord each and every day, and we’re seeking his direction for our service here.

   It’s also a great blessing to be back in the Sarasota area. What a great place to live. And since we have served not far from here in the past, I haven’t tended to get lost too many times as I make my way around. I have been reminded that some of these streets don’t always connect. And with all the new development, things get a little confusing sometimes.

   The other day, I was searching for a particular store. I figured that I could drive around and just run across one. So, I drove all over the county. No luck. Later, I happened to ask someone, and discovered that the store I had been looking for was just several hundred yards from where I began looking.

   A while back, I watched a movie based on a true story about a group of people who were involved in a mountain plane crash. The survivors suffered some pretty harrowing and demanding circumstances to say the least. Eventually, a group of them set out to find help. There was a small community of people living within a very short distance of the crash, but sadly, they went the other way. If only they would have known that help was so close at hand.

   More often than we’d like to think, people face the hardships and challenges of life all alone and in their own strength, or lack thereof, without ever realizing that there is direction and help close at hand. The Lord is near, and his love and guidance never fails. We church folk often take that for granted. But there are many who need some assistance to discover God’s great love. That’s where we come in.

   To those who may be tuning in via the Web, I want to invite you to visit us at St. John’s, or, feel free to give us a call. The answer to the challenges of your life may be closer than you think.

In His Wonderful Love,

Pastor Tom