FIRST THINGS FIRST

"Be still and know that I am God." – Psalm 46:10

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work we go! The Christmas and New Year break was wonderful after the mad rush prior to Christmas. Unfortunately, all too soon we're back to the crazy-making pressures of modern day living. In the midst of my own busyness, one of my biggest struggles is to make time for "soul nourishment" by spending time reading God's Word and meeting with him in prayer.

So the following is my suggested prayer for today:

    "Slow me down, Lord.
    Ease the pounding of my heart
    by the quieting of my mind.
    Steady my hurried pace with a vision
    of the eternal reach of time.
    Give me, amid the confusion of the day
    the calmness of the everlasting hills.
    Break the tensions of my nerves and
    muscles with the soothing music of the
    singing streams that live in my memory.
    Help me to know the magical, restoring
    power of sleep.
    Teach me the art of taking minute vacations
    of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat
    with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few
    lines from a good book.
    Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to
    send my roots deep into the soil of life's
    enduring values that I many grow
    toward the stars of my greater destiny.

– Author Unknown

"And, Dear God, please help me to be still and know that you are God. Every day. In Jesus' name. Amen."

DAILY ENCOUNTER: Reaching 11,568 readers
around the world! Will you help by forwarding a copy
to friends suggesting they might like to subscribe.

To be a PRAYER PARTNER for ACTS Int.
Click ON: http://www.actsweb.org/prayer.htm

For EASTER web pages:
Click ON: http://www.actsweb.org/easter

NEW: January "Daily Encounters" Archived
Click ON: http://www.actsweb.org/de2000

[2] To be sure you're a real Christian without having to be
       religious (and help beat the bias),click ON:
       http://www.actsweb.org/htbs1.htm

[3] About ACTS International and Dick Innes
       Click ON: http://www.actsweb.org/about.htm
       See February report letter AT:
       http://www.actscom.com/report.htm

[4] For friends to subscribe to Daily Encounter have
       them click ON: http://www.actsweb.org/encounter.htm

[5] Easy way to share the gospel with a friend.
       Recommend ACTS' web site. Click ON:
       http://www.actsweb.org/announce.htm

[6] WEEKEND ENCOUNTER
       Try it. You'll like it. Effective outreach tool too.
       Great to encourage friends to subscribe to. See
       current issue AT:
       http://www.actsweb.org/eencwknd0800.htm
       Subscribe from: http://www.actsweb.org/encounter.htm

[7] FANTASTIC FREE SERVICES
      1. To donate FREE (to you) food for the hungry
      2. For FREE Bible concordance and Helps
      3. To find your ZIP+4 Area Code (U.S.)
      4. How to find & write to your U.S. Representative
      5. ASK JEEVES. . .your questions answered fast
      6. Send a FREE Greeting Card. . .Birthdays,
            Easter and all occasions
      7. See the weather report and temperature for your
           town or area
      8. Plus many more sources of helpful information

      GO TO: http://www.actsweb.org/links.htm

[8] If copying or forwarding please include the following:
       <From Daily Encounter (c) Dick Innes 2000.
       Subscribe from: http://www.actsweb.org/subscribe.htm>

DAILY ENCOUNTER is written by Dick Innes
and published by ACTS International, a non-profit
organization. It is supported by interested friends.
(U.S. gifts are tax deductible). ACTS secure
web site for an opportunity to help is AT:
https://www.access2k1.com/secure/actscom/reply.htm

Dick Innes
ACTS International
250 W. Colorado Blvd., Suite 100
Arcadia, CA 91007-2608
U.S.A.