The Family of God

I am pleased to announce that today, April 10th, is “National Siblings Day.” The aim of Siblings Day is to celebrate lifelong bonds between brothers and sisters. It was started in America in 1998, but has become an international event spreading to countries such as India and Australia. It is estimated that 80% of the U. S. population have a sibling and are able to participate by honoring their brothers and sisters.

I am blessed to still have my brother, Roy, and my three sisters: Juanita, Bonnie, and Kathy. Even though we are miles apart, we are very much connected by a familial bond of love. Make no mistake, when we were young we could wage war with the best of them! As a matter of fact, every Saturday morning when my mother left us to clean house a battle would erupt. It was what my grandson Spencer would call “the Silver War,” a fight between brothers and sisters. Yet when the dust settled, we still cared for one another. And that fact hasn’t changed.

I have also been blessed to have some special siblings beyond my birth family. I have several men that I consider my “brothers from another mother.” And despite having three sisters already, there are some ladies in my life that are too dear to be considered merely friends. God has given me a large number of spiritual siblings who each hold a special place in my heart. These are people who have been partners in ministry and members of the various churches where I have been privileged to serve. The list is too long to mention by name, but I hope that you all know who you are and how precious you are to me.

I was privileged to see a visual of God’s extended family this past Saturday and Sunday evenings, as a choir comprised of members from Colonial, Cordova, and Cordova Korean Baptist Churches presented the Easter Cantata, “Because He Lives!” It was a glorious sight to see these spiritual siblings from different congregations and various ethnic groups join together as one family to glorify our Heavenly Father. I want to thank Bro. Ken Goldsby and Bro. Stephen White for their joint effort in putting this program together. “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…”

Serving in love,

Bro. Jim