Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

This past week, up and down the East Coast most of us felt the moving of the ground like never before. I was getting out of the elevator on the fourth floor of our office building when I heard a rattling in the ceiling and then felt the building begin to sway.  At first I thought it was just me getting dizzy from the elevator ride. However, when someone called out, “What’s happening? Do you feel that?” I knew it wasn’t just me. Sure enough, I had experienced my first earthquake! Thankfully the quake was minimal with little damage done, and no loss of life. For a few moments, however, it was a bit frightening as we wondered whether or not it would intensify or come to a quick end. For a couple of moments, none of us knew exactly what would happen next. That’s how  our lives are so much of the time. The ground beneath our feet begins to shake and we don’t know whether or not it’s going to subside or intensify. We don’t know whether things are going to get better or worse. And, it’s not

This week for the first time in about a year, my three kids and I went to the rock climbing gym.  After belaying two of them, I took my turn scaling the wall. As I did, it became quickly obvious that I was both out of practice and out of shape. As I climbed not only did I feel quite awkward moving from one hold to the next, but the muscles, especially in my forearms, began to quiver with pain. Quite a few times I lost my grip and found myself dangling in my harness attached to the top rope, sometimes thirty feet or more in the air. At those moments, I was really glad for a strong rope (and a son who knew what to do with it!). Without the rope properly attached to my harness , I would have surely fallen and seriously injured myself. Without the right rope, I would have easily plunged to the ground below. In fact, without the right rope, I would never scale a wall as high as I did, hanging onto small rock holds up to thirty-five feet or more in the air. Before I climb a wall like that,

One of the most exciting things about embarking on a new place of work and ministry is the opportunity to make new friends. Although I am grateful for all the good friends I’ve had through the years, and I hope to keep many of those friendships alive, I realize that I am in a season of developing new friendships. As I have begun to meet the people of Promise International Fellowship (PIF) and City Vine Church, sharing a meal or a having a cup of coffee, meeting in my office or at a table during  our post-service receptions, I have met some really great people who, up to this point, I didn’t even know existed. I know it’s early, but I can sense that God is bringing  a new set of people into my life – people with whom I can share life and do ministry; people whom I will soon consider as good friends. I thank God for all the friends I have had through the years, many who are still good friends. And, I look forward to making lots of new friends in the weeks and months to come.  But, I’m