“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” –2 Timothy 1:6-7, NIV
Fireworks. Who doesn’t love them?
In a letter to his wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776, he wrote, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
It would be another year before this founding father would witness the fulfillment of his vision.
On July 4, 1777, Boston and Philadelphia celebrated America’s first birthday with brilliant aerial displays of light.
Sadly, because of the coronavirus, our nation’s 244th birthday was less festive than previous years. Gatherings were smaller, the numbers who attended fewer, the night skies darker, and our collective dreams for America’s future somewhat dimmer. But the pandemic cannot unearth the grassroots of our freedom and our cause for celebration.
Even though our nation’s birthday has passed, it is never too late to celebrate.
Purchase a box of sparklers and create your own light show. Sparklers are pretty unimpressive in the box, but when a match is struck, and the flame is passed from one sparkler to another, a dazzling display of light erupts and overtakes the darkness.
The last words of the apostle Paul are found in 2 Timothy. While imprisoned in Rome and facing execution, his concern was not for himself but for his dear son-in-the-faith, Timothy.
As Timothy oversaw the church in Ephesus, Paul encouraged him to “fan into flame” the gifts God had placed in him.
He encouraged him to be bold, to persevere, and to ignite a blaze that would attract others to their Father’s heart and light up the darkness.
Today, more than ever, the world needs the light of Christ. If you are a believer, you are that light. Be brave, fan into flame the gifts God has given you, and watch for opportunities to share your faith like fireworks. From person to person, from one end of the continent to another—
Pass it on!
Happy Birthday, America!
Starr Ayers is a third-generation artist, inspirational writer, Jesus follower, rainbow chaser, incurable night owl, java junkie, and an avid iphone photographer who seeks to make the ordinary extraordinary.
She is published in two anthologies: Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts and Reasons to Smile, Celebrating People Living with Down Syndrome, and has written a monthly inspirational page for Thrive, a regional magazine, since 2013.
Starr is a member of Serious Writers, Word Weavers International, and American Christian Fiction Writers. She hones her craft through writing devotions and attending national writer’s conferences.
Her debut novel, For the Love of Emma, releases January 1, 2021, and she is pursuing the publication of her children’s picture book, Gracie, the Bird with Two Left Wings. Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency is her agent.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Michael, of fifty years. They have two daughters and a son-in-love. She is active in her church and has led a women’s Bible study in her community since 2003.
She invites you to connect with her on her website, Bringing Life into Focus at starrayer.org or via email at starrayers@triad.rr.com.
NEW RELEASE
Coming–January 1, 2021
For the Love of Emma
A compelling love story inspired by family letters and set in the throes of the Great Depression, portrays a young couple’s quest to keep their love alive, regardless of events that threaten to tear them apart.
When Caroline Myers discovers a box of letters in her deceased mother’s trunk, she’s captivated by the romance that unfolds between her mother and a handsome young soldier. Determined to read between the lines, she unearths long buried secrets and vows to fulfill the request her mother tucked inside the box sixty-four years earlier.
mimionlife
Starr Ayers