Connie Writes

  His Banner – November 2024 Connie’s Corner Give Thanks No Matter What By Connie Hawkins   When you read this article, the presidential race will be over. Some are rejoicing, while others hang their heads in disgust and wallow in hopelessness. The Office of Government provides oversight, policy, and guidance to the Executive Branch regarding ethics laws and policies. It is not to confer happiness but to give men the opportunity to work out happiness for themselves. Why wear the dismal mask of hopelessness? True happiness does not depend on who our president is or what our Congress does. True happiness depends upon a close alliance with God. Give thanks no matter what is happening around you.  

His Banner – October 2024 Connie’s Corner Electing a Leader By Connie Hawkins   It’s an election year, which means controversy as we evaluate the pros and cons of each candidate's platform. From as early as the Old Testament, the Bible has spoken about leaders. And we’ve read about how essential leadership is for Christians. Not only is it important to have good, strong leaders, it’s vital that we know how to be those leaders as well.   The real democratic American idea is not that every man should be on a level with every other but that every man should have liberty, without hindrance, to be what God made him. God Bless America.

 It doesn’t seem like Michigan gets much sun, but when it does peek through, it fills me with joy. No matter how you spell it, there’s joy in the sun—son. Living a joyful life is a conscious decision to take advantage of every moment carefully designed by God’s grace—each day a masterpiece for us to enjoy whether we are feeling joyful or not.   The real joy in life comes from finding out your true purpose—what God’s purpose is for your life and how you are going to use that purpose to serve others. The joy of the Lord is my strength. My goal for 2024 is to find something to be joyful about every day. “Find what brings you joy and go there.”  

 His Banner – March 2024   Connie’s Corner What’s in a Name? By Connie L Hawkins   “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name, would smell as sweet.”   Juliet is not allowed to associate with Romeo because he is a Montague. If he had any other name it would be fine. She’s complaining that his name is meaningless. What is so special about a name? A rose, even if it were called something else, would smell just as sweet. So Romeo would still have all the perfection that he has, even if he were not called Romeo. Romeo, take off your name and in exchange for that whole name, which is not really a part of what you are, you can have all of me.   The name Jesus means "Savior." It is the same name as Joshua in the Old Testament. And it is given to our Lord because "He saves His people from their sins," (Matthew 1:21). According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary, the name Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was ori...

Heart of My Heart Connie Hawkins   What does it mean to have the heart of Jesus to love one another as Christ loved the church? To have his Heart, we must see with His eyes. He saw the multitudes, and they were hungry, so he fed them. We need to feel like Jesus felt. He was moved with compassion, healing the sick and the tormented, making the blind see; he was a friend to all.     Jesus wants us to treat one another with compassion and love. See the broken-hearted with his heart. Pray with His heart. Love with his Heart.   It’s time, as Christians, we rise up and stand firm in the faith. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8