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January-February, 2002

Articles

Glen Sell

From A Grandma's Perspective -        One Burned Out Light

Birth Announcements

• Lauren Hertzler
• Andrew Bast

Library Nook

Youth Retreat

Renewal .... by Pastor Tim Kennell

Webster's dictionary describes renewal in the following way: "Re-new, to make new or nearly new by restoring; to resume."

What does it mean to experience spiritual renewal in our lives? I suppose spiritual renewal works its way somewhat differently in each of our lives. However, there is undoubtedly a central focus. That focus is to allow God to break up our hearts, which we have allowed to get hardened and unfruitful.

Keith Green states it so clearly in one of his songs: "My eyes are dry. My heart is hard. My prayers are cold. But I know how I ought to be, alive in you, and dead to me. Oh what can be done with an old heart like mine? Soften it up with oil and wine. The oil is You; Your Spirit says, 'Come.' Please wash me anew in the wine of your love."

I remember often, back in the early '80's, singing along with Keith Green and praying, "Oh what can be done with an old heart like mine? Soften it up, Lord." But how often we get complacent, lazy and just plain lose our passion for being disciples of Jesus Christ. It's easy. All one has to do is nothing. Soon, our hearts get callous to sin and hard to others.