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The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Are You a Builder?’ Day 1: Romans 1:17 - Building Faith - “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’” Day 2: Colossians 3:12-14 - Building Godly Character - “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Day 3: Hebrews 4:15, 16 - Building Relationship With God - “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Day 4: Hebrews 3:12-15 - Building Up Each Other - “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: ‘Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.’” Day 5: Philippians 2:2-5 - Building Relationship With Each Other - “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Day 6: John 15:4, 5 - Building His Kingdom - “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. ‘Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.’” Day 7: Psalm 34:18 - Building Up The Broken - “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘Do We Really Reverence God? For He Is…’ Day 1: John 1:1-3 - Creator - “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” Day 2: Psalm 55:22 - Sustainer - “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” Day 3: 2 Corinthians 9:8 - Blesser - “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” Day 4: Matthew 6:31-33 - Provider - “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Day 5: Colossians 1:13, 14 - Saviour - “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Day 6: Psalm 103:3 - Healer - “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.” Day 7: Psalm 18:2 - Deliverer - “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The other day, I was asked about the tradition of the prayer altar in our denomination and I had to say I had no clue. They had always been there and if you ever thought to remove them, there were those who would suggest that was a hard no. You see, the prayer altar is that place in the church were people come to offer sacrifices, prayers and intercessions to God. In the Nazarene church, this place is at the front of the church running, in most cases, across the front of the platform and has a padded kneeling area so it doesn’t hurt so much. In some Catholic church, there are drop down kneeling benches right in the pews where you can kneel in prayer without leaving your pew. I have also seen prie-Dieu (pray to God) which can be single or double stand alone kneelers that have s slanted table where you can put your elbows in prayer or even place your Bible for those times of contemplative meditation and prayer. There are those who go into a closet to pray in their special prayer room, others like Susanna Wesley would cover her head with her apron as a signal for others that she was in her alone time with God and there are those who will cover their heads with a tallit, a prayer shawl, and spend time with the Father there. No matter what, however, the purpose is the same, to spend quality time with God. I attended a church where the prayer altar was always full. We had an altar ministry where people were willing and able to come alongside those at the altar and pray with others should they wish it. There was never a force call, none felt they had to go to the altar during prayer time, they just came forward and knelt in prayer. Some prayed in intercession for others in their lives, some prayed for healing and comfort while others prayed with tears of joys for answered prayers. Regardless of what their prayers, they were never alone at the altar and it was a wonderful place of communication with the Father and the faith family came alongside to share in the good and the hardships. I do remember one person who went to prayer at the altar and I asked if I could pray with him. He was about to go into an interview the next day and wanted to thank God in advance for what was about to happen. Whether the results were positive or “try again”, he wanted to let God know he was fully leaning on Him for strength and that His will be done. He was there again the next Sunday giving thanks for the opportunity presented (he did not get the job) but also praised the Lord for the better job offer he got two days later. Here is the thing that really troubles me. I have seen the prayer altar go empty for months, even years, because people think that the congregation will assume they are there for confess all manners of sins but, truth be told, in that church I was in years ago, most of the prayers were intercession for others and prayers of thanksgiving for answered requests. This is not meant to brag or anything but on Sundays, I am usually at the altar an hour before I start to crank up the computers and get things ready. I am usually there again once the computer messes up but that’s a story for another time. The altar is that place where we can go for that time with Him, it is not a requirement for God to hear prayer but it is symbolic of kneeling before the Lord. The key is to pray, pray and rejoice.   Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thes 5:16-18 NLT Never let pride get in the way of kneeling before the Lord. This Sunday, Pastor Todd is going to dig a bit deeper into the blessing of prayer. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. The service will be broadcast online on our website ( https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms ) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Goals for 2025’ Day 1: Matthew 6:33 - Put God first - “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Day 2: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Pray daily - “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Day 3: Psalm 1:2, 3 - Read His word daily- “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Day 4: Hebrews 11:1 - Walk by faith - “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Day 5: Proverbs 3:5, 6 - Trust God daily - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Day 6: Lamentations 3:22, 23 - Focus on God daily - “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Day 7: Jeremiah 29:11 - Believe God has a plan for you - “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

A few days ago, I was watching a show where the big joke was a guy trying to tell his girl he lll... that he llloooo... that he looooovvvvv...that he loved her. Here is the thing, he did truly love her in his heart, but his lips did not work. Why is it so hard to say that, to say it from the heart? I hear it bandied about at times where it seems so fake, but there are those declarations of a heartfelt love that comes right from the soul. I have said this before and I will say it again, God is love and His Word, His Law, is love. An author quotes the prophet Jeremiah in his letter to the Hebrews: But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10 NLT God declares His love for us, for all of us, by letting us know His love is written in minds, and on our hearts so that we might lead with that right out of the gate. He has no problem saying that He loves us and that we only know a small portion of the fullness of His love. My second thought on this is that if we truly wanted to even start to understand the depth of this love, we would make it the priority of our lives in absolutely every aspect of our being. I fear, however, this is not the case. You see the world would rather we lead with anger and might rather than love and compassion. I feel the world has come to embrace the fallacy that caring, compassion and love is a weakness, but I would argue that the power of His love is far greater than anything this world can even imagine. Something else to consider in all this is the fact that to forgive is probably the greatest act of love one could ever bestow upon another person. Once again, God leads the way in this aspect of life: And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Hebrews 8:12 NLT “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:9-13 NLT Jesus has gone before us to show the way of agape love, the perfect love where grace is extended and is the preferred way rather than the way of the world. The strength of His commitment to us all, the fact that Jesus stayed on the cross rather than abandon us in the time of His greatest pain at the hands of those He truly loved is a guide that we should all follow. Remember, love always and forgive perfectly, and remember, not all will reciprocate but that is not your issue, let God deal with that. This Sunday, we welcome a very special guest speaker from Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Rev Greg Musselman. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. The service will be broadcast online on our website ( https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms ) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca

There is a box that sits atop the shelves over my desk. It is a plain black box with nothing in it, just air. I used this box as an illustration years ago and it sits there as a reminder, but I cannot remember what for, but it does serve as a primer for this week’s article. Something that struck me a couple weeks ago was when someone asked me why I believe in a myth, a story that is not empirically substantiated or confirmed and it occurred to me that I needed to ask this person to elaborate a bit further. I had just given a person with a loaded weapon the opportunity to take the first kill shot. Funny thing about this volley was he was very predictable the first shot missed the mark.  “No one has seen God and, therefore, no one has proven Him to be real.”   I asked him, “have you ever seen air?”  You see, I have never seen air, but I know it to exist because I breathe it, and I can assure you I would know if it did not exist because I would suffocate. To add to this, I have faith that air in the correct mixture exists so that I can live but even if you did not believe in air, you would still be alive because it exists. Now, after years of reading about the various probability factors involved in intelligent design versus the “poof there it is” theory where a single cell organism evolved over time to become everything we know on earth, I was prepared to enjoy a wonderful debate with regards to faith. You see, in my opinion, it takes a ton more faith to believe in the theories of evolution (you see there are hundreds of ideas of how things started) then it does to grasp the truth of intelligent design. According to science, matter can neither be created or destroyed so the question is this; where did the original matter come from to become every single particle, planet, star, or galaxy in the entire immeasurable universe? The big bang theory has a major question to answer yet it is not far off.   In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day. Gen 1:1-5 NLT   I bet you that made a big BANG! Did you also know that the earth sits at the perfect distance from the sun so as not to lose its atmosphere to the searing temperature of the sun’s rays or be in a constant state of frozen if it were further away? Did you know that the mixture of gases is perfect, even now, for the proliferation of life? Enough carbon dioxide for the plants and enough oxygen for the animals. That is not something that evolved, it was created on purpose. Which brings me back to the box. The box seems empty, but it is not completely empty, you see it has the elixir of life, air and it also has a reminder for me; there is a sheet of paper in the bottom that simply says “forgiven” and a picture of the cross. You see, Jesus went to the cross for us all, but we need to believe that He went there for each and every one of us, whether we believe or not, but for those who believe in Christ as Lord and Saviour, there is a promise of Glory. Secondly, God breathed the breath of life into His creation, Adam, and thus began our journey. Following up on the sermon from last week, this is what I believe, and you are more than welcome to dispute or confirm this, but I do know one thing that will never change, the grave may be empty, but the Breath of Life ensures the receptacle is never empty.  This Sunday,  our Community Pastor, Eryn will be bringing the second message of 2025. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. The service will be broadcast online on our website ( https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms  ) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB.   Blessings,   www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘Now is the Time to Draw Near to God’ Day 1: 2 Chronicles 7:14 - “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” Day 2: Isaiah 57:15 - “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.’” Day 3: James 4:8 - “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” Day 4: Psalm 80:19 - “Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.” Day 5: Psalm 19:7 - “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” Day 6: Psalm 51:10 - “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” Day 7: Joel 2:28, 29 - “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘God’s Glory Shown to Us’ Day 1: 1 Chronicles 29:11 - “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.” Day 2: John 1:14 - “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” Day 3: 2 Corinthians 3:18 - “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” Day 4: Hebrews 1:3 - “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.” Day 5: Isaiah 6:3 - “They were calling out to each other, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!’” Day 6: Psalm 19:1 - “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” Day 7: Ephesians 3:20, 21 - “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL READERS!!

The other day, I was talking to a person about my faith in Christ and was asked why I put my hope for eternity in what some would call a mythical being (his words, not mine). The conversation at this point could have gone two ways but I chose the path of helping this person understand why I believe what I do because, as I have stated in numerous counselling sessions over the past twenty some years, it is difficult to argue personal feelings as they are just that, my own. I took this as an opportunity to share the seeds of understanding, my understanding, with others so they have a wider base of knowledge to make their own decisions. You see, my relationship with Christ is so much different than anyone else's, that is why it is called a personal relationship. Where the foundation of my faith is in Christ and His message, I relate in a way that is different than that of my wife, Natalie yet we both love the Lord with all our heart. While the experience is different, our God is the exact same for us all and His love for us is perfect and exactly the same for each of us. I shared this with my friend, and we chatted even more about matters of faith, love and peace until we got to the big question on his mind; how do I develop this relationship with Christ? There are many ways to explain this one and if you talk with the scholars or great leaders of a church or denomination, there are many “methods of declaring your faith in Christ” but truth be told, there is only one thing a person needs to do and it is very, very personal; “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 NLT. This is the foundation of faith in Christ and from this, we can develop a deeper understanding through research, fellowship (bible studies, prayer groups etc.) and, over time, sharing with others. A while back, a friend confessed that their faith walk had become rather stagnant and boring, so I asked, “when was the last time you gathered with other members of faith in a prayer time or a bible study?” Their reply, (I don’t go to them because everyone talks above my head” to which I responded, “did you ask them to slow down and explain things a bit better?” You see, the seeds of understanding can only grow if you water them with the water of Life, His Word, and take time to let this river of knowledge wash away the doubts and allow Him to speak into your heart. I am going to be rather blunt here; if you are not going to take advantage of the resources God has placed before you, you have only yourself to blame. If I give you a pry bar to pull out a nail and I help you understand how to pull said nail and you still just sit there staring at the nail and getting upset because it is not coming out on its own, then the issue is not with the pry bar or the messenger but rather it is with the individual. Sow the seeds of understanding, take time to walk with the person during the growing stage, help them to understand their new relationship and introduce them to others who are also on the same journey. This, in my opinion, is how to develop a strong, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and how to grow in your own faith walk. This Sunday, Pastor Todd will be bringing the first message of 2025. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. The service will be broadcast online on our website ( https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms ) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB. Blessings, www.mainavefellowship.ca

I got a text from a good friend and peer (he is also my wife’s cousin) that got me thinking about the perfect gift for Christmas. Now I know there are some out there who are thinking “oh, he is going to talk about Jesus” and you are right, He is the reason for the season and the hope of the world and, yes, the perfect gift for all of us because He is the Saviour but I want to go for perfect gift part two. We talked a couple weeks ago about the citizens of Whoville and the drive for the perfect Christmas celebration. I refer to “The Grinch” starring Jim Carey where the competition was on for the best of the best, the best cooking, the best light display, the best celebration and how that took over the season, but it took a catastrophe to recognize what was the foundation of the season; it was all about relationships.   “It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Dr Seuss, The Grinch   The best gift you can share with anyone is yourself; your time, your fellowship and your love. A gift bought is a finite gift, but relationships are forever. That super itchy sweater you got from Gramma comes out a couple times a year near Christmas for office parties, but the rest of the year sits in a closet or drawer. That “awesome etch a sketch” might make it through the night but after that ends up in the bottom of a toy box until twenty years later when it is found and sold because it is in “mint condition having never been used”. The best gift is that given from the heart, the gift of love and caring for those around us. It is one that will last forever and is more precious than gold. There are “things” in this world that are judged precious by human standards, then there are gifts that are considered precious in God’s eyes, and we are it.   So, back to the text. We exchanged news about what we were doing and who we were going to see. We talked about sharing with our families and said nothing about the store-bought trappings of the season. Even the text from my brother in Christ was a precious gift that I will never forget. This is the season where we share of ourselves, our hearts and our time, with all those around us just as our Father in Heaven shared His Son with us to bring us all hope, joy, peace, and love. This is the season of celebration of the King of kings, let us all rejoice as the angels did that day so long ago. The perfect gift of the season, share this gift with everyone you can throughout the year and may God bless you all richly in His love and joy.  Dec 24 at 6:00 PM, we gather to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ nand afterwards gather around the fire behind the church to roast marshmallows and share in fellowship. Then, this Sunday, our Community pastor, Eryn Austin-Bergen, brings the message He has placed on her heart to close out 2024.  Please plan to join us either in person or online at 6:00 PM this Christmas Eve and 10:30 AM this Sunday. The services will be broadcast online on our website ( https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms ) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB.         Blessings,          www.mainavefellowship.ca

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks   ‘Why You Need a Saviour’ Day 1: Romans 8:23 - “And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.” Day 2: Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Day 3: Ephesians 2:1-2 - “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.” Day 4: Romans 5:12 - “It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.” Day 5: John 1:12 - “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” Day 6: John 3:18 - “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” Day 7: John 3:16 - “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation

The Perfect 7-day Diet – Peter’s Picks ‘Just How Important You are to God’ Day 1: 1 John 3:1 - “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” Day 2: Jeremiah 31:3 - “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: ‘I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.’” Day 3: Ephesians 2:10 - “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Day 4: Isaiah 49:16 - “See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.” Day 5: Romans 5:8 - “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Day 6: Ephesians 1:1-7 - “This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Day 7: Psalm 100:1-5 - “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” ** Verses taken from the New Living Translation