Look at this sunflower!  I grew a bunch of them this summer, but this one is the biggest. It truly lives up to the variety’s name: “Mammoth Sunflower”. I am amazed that such a humongous flower–with such a heavy head of seeds and such a woody stalk–can come from such a small seed.

I took a few minutes in the sunshine today to look around my yard. The vegetables in my garden have maxed out the square footage I gave them. The plants in pots on my patio have spilled over the edges.  In just one season, so much has happened!

It reminded me of the verse-of-the-day that popped up in my Bible App earlier this morning:

“⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”   (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV, Spiritual Fullness in Christ)

I made a note in my heart and want to encourage you, too! Continue to live your life in Christ.  Root yourself in Him. Build yourself up by His Word. Strengthen yourself with the testimony of what He has done in your life and for those around you. Let all of that work together to produce the fruit of thankfulness in your heart.

Sometimes I imagine us as plants and God as a gardener. I think of Him taking a look around the flowerbeds when the season is coming to an end, noticing how much we’ve grown and enjoying the fruit and flowers we’ve produced. Personally, I want to be like this sunflower: a bright, strong testimony of God’s goodness and glory.

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Here’s your handcrafted playlist for the September 8th/10th episode of Some Sort of Rock Show:

Hour 1

1. The Coming Storm – Matt Moore
2. Tear It Up – Kutless
3. Modern Slave – Sun City
4. Stereo – Mike Mains & The Branches
5. Underneath – Zahna
6. Source of Life – DaysEye
7. This Is Who We Are – Written in Kings
8. Hard Love – NEEDTOBREATHE
9. Safe & Sound – We Were Once
10. I Give Up – Stellar Kart
11. The Resistance – Skillet
12. A Different Kind of Dynamite – Thousand Foot Krutch
13. Mic Drop – Manic Drive
14. Nebulous – Manic Drive
15. Crash – Crossing Fire

Hour 2

1. Until The Night’s Gone – Graceful Closure
2. The Lining Is Silver – Relient K
3. Let Go – Set for the Fall
4. Tell Me – As We Ascend
5. Found – Seventh Day Slumber
6. On My Own – Ashes Remain
7. Get Down – Finding Favour
8. Get Down Get Down – KJ-52
9. Prizm- Pax217
10. Stronger – Spoken
11. Don’t Be Long – Army of Bones
12. Holy Water – Switchfoot
13. Evil Lies – Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh
14. House Of Cards – Manafest
15. The Broken One – We Are Vessel

JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Promise of Hope is based on Second Corinthians 5:17.

“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!”

Through faith in Jesus, we are made new. This is evident in various ways.

In relationship with Christ, we have a new mind with a new attitude. Ephesians 4:23 says that we were taught to put off our old self and be made new in the attitude of our minds.

In relationship with Christ, we have a new heart. Ezekiel 11:19 says, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”

In relationship with Christ, we have a new home. Philippians 3:20 reminds believers that our citizenship is in heaven.

And in relationship with Christ, we have a new start. According to First Peter 1:3, “In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Becoming a new creation is a promise of hope for those who follow Jesus in the Year of Trust.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend
September 8-10, 2017

5 Conestoga Herb Guild Herb Fest tomorrow (Saturday September 9) 9am-2pm at the Boettcher House Museum in Landis Woods in Lancaster. Herbal crafts, jams, jellies, baked goods, herbal food and beverage samples, wreath demonstrations, Potpourri, soaps, garlic, garden décor and more. More Info: Conestoga Herb Guild Facebook Page

4 Praise Jam 2017 tonight (Friday Sept. 8) 7pm-9:30pm at Grace Point Church of the Nazarene. Worship teams from local churches including: The Living Room of Ephrata, Grace Point Nazarene of Ephrata, & Grace Community Church of Willow Street. Local non-profit Ministries will also have tables and information available. More Info: www.nazgp.org

3 Community Day at Spring Creek Church of the Brethren of Hershey, tomorrow (Saturday September 9) 3-8pm. Presentations by Zoo America, Firetrucks, Teddy Bear Clinic, Derry K9 Unit, Ice Cream, Games and more. The evening will close with a worship concert. More Info: SpringCreekCOB.org

2 9th Annual Peach Festival tomorrow (Saturday, September 9) 3-6 pm at The Lititz United Methodist Church in Lititz. Jazz music with the “Swing Street” trio, Encore Dance Group, candy scramble, Inflatable Skeeball, Free games, PLUS Peach ice cream, peach cobbler, peach pie, and assorted homemade baked goods. Rain or shine. Proceeds benefit Warwick Release Time! More Info: www.lititzumc.org.

1 Landis Homes Fellowship Day & Community Auction, at Landis Homes, East Oregon Road, Lititz, tomorrow (Saturday, September 9) 8am-2pm. Bounce houses, barrel train rides, petting zoo, face painting, balloons and more. KCB broadcasting live 9am-noon with free goodies like Chick-fil-A cookies, requests, games and more. More Info: Landishomes.org

JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Trust, today’s Focus on God examines the tears of Jesus.

There were several times in the Bible when Jesus wept. One of those times was by the gravesite of his good friend Lazarus. John 11:35 records that “Jesus wept.”

Also, in Luke 19:41, as Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it. He saw the devastation that was coming to that city because the people failed to recognize the time of God’s visitation.

Jesus was a man of sorrows. In these two examples, we see Jesus shedding tears in the death of a friend and the coming tragedy of those who would reject Him. He sympathizes with us in our grief, and He cares for the lost. His tears reveal the genuine expression of His love for people.

The tears of Jesus are reasons to trust in God for today and forever.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Kristi Leigh – WJTL DJ

Kristi@WJTL.com

Here’s your handcrafted playlist for the September 1st/3rd episode of Some Sort of Rock Show:

09.01-03.17

Hour 1

1. House of Cards – Manafest
2. Light Up the Sky – Thousand Foot Krutch
3. Mic Drop – Manic Drive
4. Get Down Get Down – KJ-52
5. The Coming Storm – Matt Moore
6. Lights Out – Silverline
7. Evil Lies – Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh
8. Live Again – torndown
9. Crash – Crossing Fire
10. Come Alive – Attaboy
11. This Is Who We Are – Written in Kings
12. Grindin’ – NF
13. Don’t Be Long – Army of Bones
14. Promise – Delirious

Hour 2

1. Bring Me to the Water – Everything New
2. The River – Decyfer Down
3. Stronger – Spoken
4. The One – Disciple
5. Holding On – Sun City
6. Say It Like You Mean It – Switchfoot
7. Get Down – Finding Favour
8. Shouting Grounds – Crowder
9. Memoir – Audio Adrenaline
10. Until The Night’s Gone – Graceful Closure
11. Tell Me – As We Ascend
12. Back From the Dead – Skillet
13. The Broken One – We Are Vessel
14. Found – Seventh Day Slumber
15. Source of Life – DaysEye

JOHN SHIRK – For today’s Life at the Crossroads Moment, loving God with our eyes.

The dominant news story this week has been the historic storm in Texas and Louisiana. Houston has been particularly hard hit. The widespread flooding and devastation is unimaginable.

People will typically respond to storms of this magnitude in different ways. There are the looters-People who steal and vandalize vacant buildings. There are the spectators-those who watch what is going on from a distance. And there are the heroes-the rescue workers, the aid workers, those who contribute financial resources to relieve human suffering. We see those different kinds of people in the story of the Good Samaritan.

A man was on the road to Jericho. He was robbed and beaten up by thieves. There were religious leaders who saw him lying on the side of the road, and walked right by him. They were the spectators. And then there was the Good Samaritan. And he shows us how we can love God with our eyes. “He came to where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.” Then he took him to a motel and took care of him. And he took care of this man’s expenses too. This Good Samaritan noticed the need and did something about it.

So, when we see human suffering, whether we are watching this situation unfold on our TV screens in Texas, or a neighbor who is grieving the loss of a loved one, we have a decision to make, as to how we respond. Compassion will prompt us to do something helpful. The Good Samaritan was the example of someone who loved their neighbor as himself. Luke 10 gives us wisdom for turning to God at the crossroads of life.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Five Fun Free Family Things To Do This Weekend
September 1-3, 2017

5 That Pet Show tomorrow (Saturday, Sept 2) noon-1pm at That Fish Place – That Pet Place, Centerville Road, Lancaster. Reptiles, amphibians, small pets and more! Learn about animal diet, habitat, communication, adaptation, and more! The free show is hosted by animal expert Stacy Davis. More Info: ThatPetPlace.com

4 First Friday Lancaster in Downtown Lancaster tonight (Friday, September 1)  5-9pm.  Art galleries, studios, museums, music, and more in downtown Lancaster.   More Info: VisitLancasterCity.com

3 Hammel Associates Architects in Lancaster First Friday Lego Building Party tonight (Friday, September 1) from 5-8:30pm at their offices on Grant Street in Lancaster. Architectural, Trains, Freestyle, Connects, Creator – more than 40,000 bricks, plates and specialty pieces to build with. More Info:  Hammelarch.com

2 Hospice & Community Care Labor Day Auction, tomorrow (Saturday) Sunday and Monday (September 2-4) at the Solanco Fairgrounds in Quarryville beginning at 7:30am each day. Art, Plants, Quilts, Food and more. The event is free, proceeds from the auction benefit local Hospice & Community Care. More Info: labordayauction.org

1 30th Annual Heart of Lancaster Arts & Crafts Show tomorrow (Saturday) & Sunday (September 2 & 3) 10am-4pm at Roots Country Market, Graystone Road, Manheim. Over 200 Exhibitors and over 50 demonstrations. Live music by Susquehanna Pipes and Drums. More Info: hlcshow.com