3/31/2007 Devotion and Comments

Today's Devotion:

Today's devotion reminds us of the Good Shepherd. He knows his sheep and His sheep know Him. And, He is willing to die for His sheep.

And how do we know His voice? We study scripture and listen.

Lord, keep my heart, eyes, and ears open so that when you call, I will hear your voice. Give me the courage so that I can continue in the path that you want me to follow.

Today's Comments:

Another devotion that hit the nail on the head for me! After I completed my bill paying chores, I spent the day studying. I have another New Testament exam, with a lot of memorizing to do. At this age, I can't keep up with the younger people in the class. However, I am doing OK in my exams so far (a 100% and a 95%). I just have to study harder and smarter. Lord, please continue to show me the way.

3/30/2007 Devotions and Comments

Today's Devotion:

The devotion today talked about God's plan for our salvation. What love He has for us, that he was willing to sacrifice his only Son so that our sins can be forgiven! Tonight, in our Bible study, we talked about John's Gospel Chapter 12. Jesus did not come to judge the world. He came to bring salvation to those who are willing to believe in him. By his plan, we are son's and daughters in the light. Thank you, God!

Today's Comments:

This was definitely a day for catching up on things at work and in my email. After I went to the VA and had the stitches removed from my arm (a basal cell skin cancer was cut out three weeks ago), I stopped by to see my friend at the Vet Center, Dr. Jack Steingart, where we had coffee and muffins. Then, I finally got to work. By 5:00, I finally had all my email answered and my time sheets turned in. I didn't have time for much else, except for lunch with my co-worker Cesar.

I am learning that, as God had a plan for Jesus, he also has a plan for us. Dr. Jack is going to check with the VA to see if I could do my Clinical Pastoral Education while working for the VA as a patient advocate. What an idea! In the meantime, for the foreseeable future, I will be spending part of my time in the Field Office (Norwalk and Long Beach) training their veterans reps, capacity building, and providing services to veterans. Out of that, I trust that God's plans for my ministry will further unfold. Please pray for my success.

3/29/2007 Devotion and Comments

Today's Devotion:
Today's devotion talked about discipleship and walking in somebody's shows. Since I wear a size 14 shoe, I need to find somebody whose footprints are big enough for me to walk in. Of course, there is somebody. It is the Lord who gives me the strength to carry on and persevere. While I am not worthy at all to walk in his footprints, he leaves them there for me because he loves me and has given me his salvation.

Today's Comments:
I was back to the Long Beach office to help train our new veterans' specialist. It is amazing, after all these nineteen years with EDD, how much I take for granted, when it comes to doing my job. So many things just come automatically. There is a fine balance when it comes to mentoring. The mentor has to make sure that his trainee gets the information that he needs but then has to insure that he doesn't over-supervise or over-correct. I pray that I am doing it the right way. This is really good training for my ministry. The devotion today is most applicable to my job. Please pray that I learn how to do it right.

3/28/2007 Devotion and Comments

Today's Devotion

Today's devotion points out that I am a child of God. We are, of course, all God's children. And, sometimes, like all children, we need to be disciplined. While I can see that my studies at Talbot are helping me to grow in my faith and understanding of the Bible, I still consider myself a baby and have a lot more growing up to do. I pray that I may continue in the path that He has chosen for me and that, as I grow, I will gain the understanding that I need to serve Him.

Today's Comments
The Disabled Advisory Committee met this morning, and we are proud that we accomplished a lot in our meeting yesterday. We discussed the need for further review and developed additonal action items. It will be interested to see how much our EDD Director will be able to accompish with our suggestions.

I got back tonight just in time for my New Testament Survey class at Talbot. We covered Romans, Colosians, Philemon, and both I and II Corinthians. Now, I have to study for another quiz next week plus start a paper which is due two weeks later. Studying the New Testament is not easy. But, if I want to develop a ministry for veterans, I will need to get through all these classes. I just wish, sometimes, that I was a few years younger. I also ask that all who read this will keep me in their prayers.

3/27/2007 Devotion and Comments

Today's Devotion:

In the mornings, I usually have the luxury to read Grace for the Moment out loud to an audience. But, since I am here in Sacramento, there is just me. That audience is my fourteen year old "puppy" Pickles. She likes to listen to me read while she eats. In fact, she will listen to me whenever I give her the opportunity. You know, that's kind of the way that God works. He listens to us, whenever we give Him the opportunity. I guess that dogs are a lot like God. Why not, they spell their name with the same letters.

This morning, Grace for the Moment talks about depending on God. I can see a parallel in the paragraph above. Pickles depends upon me for all of her needs: a place to live, food to eat, and love to sustain her. And God gives to us even more. I remember when my late wife, Norma, was starting to have a lot of medical problems brought on by her Multiple Sclerosis. I was working at a sales job where my medical benefits were being cut back and the new owner of the company wanted to put me on strict commission. I left that job praying that I would find another that would better take care of our needs. I ended up working for the State of California, where after nearly twenty years, I am still employed and am planning my retirement.

Again, as Norma's disease became worse, I really needed a vehicle that would allow her to enter and exit in her wheelchair. All of a sudden, the VA disability that I had applied for in 1992, and was rejected and appealed, was approved by the Court of Veterans Appeals, and I received a check for $30,000 - enough to buy a Dodge RAM van with a wheelchair lift.

I pray that I will continue to trust in the Lord and remember that he cares for us and will help us to provide for our needs.

Comments:

We finished the first day of our two-day meeting, and the Veterans' Subcommittee on which I served, completed the final draft of its charter. Our purpose is to increase the hiring and promotion of persons with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, in state service. We decided that we want to recommend the following to our Director:

1. Open up all the entry level positions in EDD to the Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP).
2. Arrange to have all LEAP exams posted online to make it easier for persons with disabilities to apply.
3. Allow automatic acceptance of 30% or more Service Connected Disabled Veterans into the LEAP exam process, as long as they meet the minimum qualifications of the position.
4. Develop an internship-like program (similar to the federal Government's Veterans Readjustment Act) which would allow veterans to learn entry level positions on the job, even though they might not meet all the qualifications.

Our initial thought was that we would spend additional time studying the issues. However, EDD Director Patrick Henning, dropped in on our meeting and was willing to hear our recommendations right away and will discuss them with our Deputy Directors, to see if they can be implemented. Mr. Henning is certainly a man of action and is willing to consider anything that we have to say. I have a feeling that things will start happening much faster than we ever imagined. And that is a wonderful thought.

After our meeting, Mr. Henning invited us into his office to look at all his photos and memorabilia, including pictures with the Kennedys, movie stars, and a note from Mother Teresa. He also told us a story about Sirhan Sirhan, who filed an overtime complaint with the Department of Industrial Relations, before he killed Robert Kennedy. We had a most wonderful day, and I look forward to our meeting tomorrow.

3/26/2007 Devotions and Comments

Today's Devotion: The Power of a Godly Touch -

A close friend gave me a devotional book called Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado. I plan to use that book for my own devotional comments and prayers, when appropriate. Today's devotional talked about the Touch of God. The touch of God comforts us. The touch of God also leads us. Whether it be a sharp nudge, or a gentle push, he makes his will known, if we are willing to wait, watch and listen. I pray that he his touch will nudge me in the direction of His will, that I will follow his way, and that He will use me to be His instrument as a Deacon in the church.

Today's Comments:

I am in Sacramento tonight and am typing this entry from my room at the Vagabond Executive. It was the only room that I could find downtown that had a rate near the standard State Rate of $84 per night. There must be some convention in town, since the best I could do was $88. However, when I checked in, the manager gave me the state rate, even though my room has a King Sized bed. What luxury.

There is a Chinese restaurant down the street called the New Lu-Shan. I thought that I would stop there for dinner. They are having a 20% off special. However, their family dinners require two or more people. When I expressed my disappointment, the manager offered me their lunch special ($5.25). I was brought a huge plate of broccoli -Beef, Fried Rice, Pot-Stickers, and Orange Chicken. It was so much, that even I could not finish it. Of course, I left a rather healthy tip. Tomorrow I meet with the EDD Director's Advisory Committee for the Disabled. I hope that I can convince them to go there for either lunch or dinner.

3/25/2007 Devotions and Comments

Bible Verse of the Week - Romans 1:16-17:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Today's Devotion:
In this world we are to expect problems and inconveniences (John 16:33). But because of the salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ, these problems are only temporary. Let us pray that we can get through the day knowing that our reward is yet to come and that once we arrive at our final home, our troubles will be gone forever.

Today's Comments:

This weekend, at Blessed Sacrament, we were visited by Bishop Keith Ackerman, Episcopal Bishop of Quincy, IL. What a marvelous intellect, and what a quick wit. We had four baptisms and eleven confirmations this morning, and what a wonderful experience it was to see. Water that was used for the baptism came from the Jordan as well as other important places from around the world. Father David, my pastor and priest, Father Michael Eldred, Father Earle Fox, and Father Richard Avery performed the baptisms, and Bishop Ackerman did the confirmation.

Last night, we had a potluck dinner for the Bishop, and tonight, Rita Falkner, a fellow vocationer and postulant for Deacon fixed a wonderful dinner for us. At this point in time, the Episcopal Church has rejected the call of the Anglican Primates (Arch-Bishops) to halt the ordination of practicing homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions. It is bishops, like Keith Ackerman, who, in my opinion, are willing to speak the truth that the scriptures teach.

Christ was not politically correct, neither should we be. While, as Christians, it is our duty to minister to all sinners, it is not our duty to enable their sins. If the Episcopal Church looses its participation in the Anglican Communion, due to the unilateral actions that it is taking, it will be the Bishop Ackerman's of this world who will be able to offer us shelter that can keep us connected to the Anglican Communion. I pray that those who administer the Episcopal Church will somehow realize that justice is not the reason for our relationship with Christ. Our relationship in Christ is one where we, without reservation, let him into our hearts and lives, and he protects us in His Grace. We all need forgiveness, and we need to ask Him for forgiveness from all our sins, including immoral homosexual and heterosexual activity.

My Profile

My name is Steve Sterry, and I am a 64 year old male. I work on the staff of the Los Angeles - Ventura County Job Service Division of the Employment Development Department(EDD). However, most of my EDD career has been spent helping military veterans overcome employment barriers and obtain employment.

I also serve as a Captain in the California State Military Reserve, a military organization that serves under the Governor of the State of California and provides training and support to the California Army National Guard.

I will be retiring from EDD at the end of 2008, and in the meantime I am studying for a second career. I am a candidate for the Diaconate in the Episcopal Church and am attending, on a part time basis, graduate school at Talbot Theological Seminary (Biola University) to complete the courses that I need for ordination.

My home church is Blessed Sacrament in Placentia, CA, an Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical Episcopal Church, which holds to Biblical teachings and rejects some of the liberal theology that is currently being preached by the Episcopal Church in the United States.

I am starting this Blog as a means of recording my thoughts and activities as I travel down the road to my ordination. My eventual goal is to establish a ministry for military veterans and active duty military personnel. I pray that I can be an effective instrument in serving those who have put their life on the line for their country. I ask for His continued guidance and your prayers.