September 7, 2025

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday September 07TH 2025, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord + Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

I use the word “fellowship” often – and not just in a church setting. I use it at the museum where I serve. I use it here in my own neighborhood. Fellowship is now a way of life for me, but it hasn’t always been this way.

As I was planning for my relocation and retirement a few years ago – I decided that once I do relocate – I wanted to “flip the script” – and be a completely different type of person. I wanted to invest in fellowship.

Back in Homestead – particularly during the last 8 years (2015-2023) – I was close to being a recluse – aside from Sundays (church days). I went to work in the morning, I returned home in the afternoon, and I spoke to nobody before and after work. I knew none of my neighbors. They did not know me. Quite frankly I believe that they were suspicious of me, as I was not like them, and I did not speak their language. I think they thought that maybe I worked as a Secret Agent for the FBI, or the CIA, or the U.S. Marshals. Maybe they thought I was doing surveillance every time I was outside taking out the trash or checking my mail or walking to and from my car.

I decided that I no longer wanted to be that type of person that nobody knew outside of church and outside of the workplace.

When I moved away to Sebring – I trusted God and his gift of fellowship.

I immediately became an actively involved member of the Sebring Historical Society (a local non-profit organization). I even became a docent at our historical museum every Tuesday for about 9 months. Every Wednesday I spend up to 5 hours with my museum friends in fellowship. For almost a year I’ve served on our Board Of Directors, and I serve as our Social Media Director. (You can see my work on Facebook at our Sebring Historical Society page.) The former Chris in Homestead would’ve never imagined doing any of this in the local community.

I became active here in my own neighborhood. I’m part of the one-third to one-fourth of my 55+ community that participates in regularly scheduled activities and meetings. I started with BINGO every Monday night soon after I moved in. Nowadays I unlock the doors and cabinets and setup before anyone else arrives at our clubhouse, and then I handle all of the money coming in and determine all of the jackpot amounts. I’m the first to arrive and one of the last to leave. God’s fellowship has led to a feeling of importance – a purpose here at home. And then there are all of the wonderful meals that we’ve shared together in fellowship. And we even have a small Bible Study group that meets weekly throughout most of the year here in my neighborhood !

And then there’s my church family of the past 2 years. Sunday Morning Service is crucial, and so is Men’s Fellowship on the first Tuesday of every month, and so is Friday Night Bible Study each week. It’s fellowship with my brothers and sisters of my church family. It’s sharing our stories and our lives and our fantastic journeys with each other as we walk together towards God’s Glorious light.

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light – as God is in the light – then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus – his Son – cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7 NLT)

My testimony is featured each week here on #SundayScripture – whether it’s part of a sermon, a testimony, or just me writing about the events of the past week. Hopefully it encourages you and inspires you to seek the Lord – and get closer to Him with each new day.

If you wish to learn more about the God I know – then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.