Month: November 2024

#48- No One is Overlooked

52 Reasons to Love the Church

By Kathy Pollard

Jesus saw everyone. He saw the crowds and the individuals. He saw the young and the old. He saw the rich and the poor. He saw the ones everyone else tried hard not to see.

A blind beggar heard Jesus walking by and cried out to Him for help. Everyone else told the beggar to hush but Jesus said, “Call him over!” (Mark 10:46-52).

A lonely, desperate woman worked her way through a crowd just to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment. Jesus turned around and looked at her and called her “daughter” (Mark 5:25-34).

Jesus went out of His way to encourage a woman who’d lived a hard life and tried to keep to herself (John 4:4-42).

Jesus chose to stay in the home of a man whom everyone else hated (Luke 19:1-10).

He offered hope to a man who was condemned and at the end of his rope (Luke 23:39-43), comfort to a woman everyone else avoided (Luke 7:36-50), and great value and worth to a poor widow who brought little to the table.

No one was overlooked by Jesus. And because of that, no one is overlooked by His church. Jesus left an example for us and now we get to see, engage with, and value those who may often be invisible to others (1 John 2:6). How do we prove that God’s love abides in us? We see others and open our hearts to them (1 John 3:17).

“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me.”

(Psalm 40:17)

#47- Joyful Hearts

52 Reasons to Love the Church

Kathy Pollard

I’m so thankful for Rheanna Plemons. She is a remarkable Christian woman who organized ‘Joyful Hearts,’ a program which makes it possible for those who are physically or mentally challenged to feel like they are the valuable part of the church they truly are. Our church family has been blessed in many ways because of our Joyful Hearts:

A place to belong. Joyful Hearts has brought us delightful folks from the community because Rheanna has provided a service that caters especially to their needs. Everyone desires a place to belong. Everyone wants to feel seen and understood. It’s a reminder of what God’s church is all about.

Extra smiles. Those who show up for the Joyful Hearts class have extra wide, beautiful smiles. They light up our gathering!

Big hearts. Many hands have joined together to make this program possible each week. Rheanna, of course, and also Michele Wheat, Kim Eubanks, and several of our young people. Joyful Hearts is the perfect name for it because it aptly describes those who jump in to help, too.

Opportunities to serve. Speaking of our young people, Rheanna has provided a way for them to be involved in serving our church family and community. I especially love it when she has young men join the class to help teach song-leading! Serving causes growth and a sense of purpose. The Joyful Hearts program brings about much of that as many serve together.

Shining the Light. Every now and then we get a card in our church mailbox from a member of the Joyful Hearts class. They also do various service projects (like helping gather supplies for flood relief). Their ages are different, their challenges are different, but their souls are the same. They are God’s children and He is using them in His kingdom. We’ve all been blessed and encouraged by them. We’ve all learned from them.

God has shown us such goodness through these Joyful Hearts and we’re thankful they’re a part of our family!

If you’d like to learn more about Joyful Hearts, visit their fb page.

Rheanna and her son, Caden

#46- Seeing God’s Goodness

52 Reasons to Love the Church

By Kathy Pollard

“Anyone who says, ‘God is not good,’ clearly has not met His church!” Our oldest son, Gary, wrote these words. He definitely experienced it firsthand when he spent 10 days in the ICU. Christians from all over rallied around him with visits, cards, money, and gifts. It was so touching for all of us that I wrote about it.

Now my husband’s brother, Brent, is in the ICU. And once again, our hearts are being stirred by the thoughtful gestures of fellow Christians. We’ve received countless messages and lots of prayers. People have offered to sit with Brent to give his parents a break. Others have offered to house them so they don’t have to make the hour and a half trek each day. It’s a helpless feeling to be far away from loved ones in times like these but, oh, how relieving it is to see surrounding Christians jump in to help!

God’s church clearly demonstrates His goodness to any who are paying attention. These are just a couple of examples. I could share MANY more, and I know you could, too. In addition to practical help during times of trouble, the church family embraces each other in love and appreciation and holds each other up in times of weakness. This shows they’re doing their very best to live by grace, mercy, compassion, generosity, and love…the very traits of God.

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.“

(Gal. 6:10)

I’m so, so grateful. When I pray for those I love who are hurting or struggling, I also thank God for the caring hearts of His people.

I know God is perfect and His people are not. I know there are times when we miss opportunities to help, we let each other down, we hurt one another. We’re flawed, we’re busy, and we can be selfish with our time and resources. Hopefully we acknowledge it when it happens and strive to do better next time. Because God keeps using us anyway to be a light to those around us (Matt. 5:16).

I’ve seen way more grace than grumbling, way more help than hostility, and way more appreciation than apathy. It makes me want to do my part better to show others the goodness of God.

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!“

Psalm 27:13


#45- Sweet Communion

52 Reasons to Love the Church

By Kathy Pollard

A few quiet moments every Sunday, head bowed, heart lifted. Maybe you close your eyes and rest your palm on the cover of the Bible in your lap. Or reach for the hand of a loved one next to you. Maybe you flip to one of the gospels and read about your Savior’s sacrifice.

This precious time in worship centers our souls in at least four ways:

  • The Blessing. Jesus set the example when He blessed the bread before breaking it (Mk. 14:22). The prayer before the Lord’s Supper is an opportunity to give thanks (1 Cor. 11:24), to remember Him (Lk. 22:19), and to examine ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28).
  • The Body. “This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:24). The unleavened bread represents the body of Jesus, willingly sacrificed on the cross for us. “He bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:23-24).
  • The Blood. The “fruit of the vine” (Matt. 26:29) represents the blood of Christ. “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
  • The Body. Not the physical body of Jesus this time, but His body the church (Eph. 1:22-23). We “gather together” for this memorial (Ac. 20:7). Even though we are many individuals, we are one body because of the cross (1 Cor. 10:17). We are united because of the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13). It is sweet fellowship! “Hearts are brought in closer union while partaking of the bread.”

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”

(1 Cor. 10:16)