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September 21, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Some days I feel like John the Baptist about which the prophet said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness…” Though I may, as did the Baptist cry out, “Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!” few hear, and fewer care. So then, why do I keep on with this seemingly feudal task of preaching the word of the Lord? I march on, preach on with the prayer that one soul might be saved. I continue with the hope that salvation will come to just one more, maybe even you. Being a pastor, preaching is a lot like fishing. In fishing, with every cast there is the hope of the catch. With preaching the word of the Lord, with every sentence preached, there is the hope that one more soul might be touched. Yes, there are people who walk away from the salvation message of the Lord. I think I lay it out pretty clearly that there is only one of two places that you can spend eternity, heaven or hell. But even knowing the agony of hell, some choose to walk away from the glory of heaven. When I see this happen, my heart hurts for their poor decision. Then I think of Jesus and notice that as the rich young ruler walked away from the Lord's invitation, Jesus did not chase after him. But maybe Jesus knew that later on, the rich young ruler would come to his senses. We don’t know. Have you come to your senses? But I'm not Jesus, I don’t know the future. So, if you say “no” to the Lord, or, if you haven't said “yes” to Him, I will not give up and fail to tell you that despite your rejection of Him, Jesus will always take you in. The Lord pursues after you like the Hound of Heaven. I'm just a pesky bee trying to get your attention so that you might be saved. So, that's the bottom line of why I do what I do. Sure, there are days of frustration with evangelism, but oh the joy on earth when someone comes to salvation! Is that one, you? Blessed be the name of the Lord! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved
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September 14, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius So…where did summer go? Wasn’t just last week July 4th? I remember, when I was a kid, it seemed “time” moved ever so slowly. But now, in the blink of an eye, a whole season has flown by! Yes, the beauty of fall, with all of its gorgeous colors, is upon us. I think that’s one of the reasons I love Iowa. The seasonal changes, from the onset of spring, with its “new beginnings” of life, to the summer days of watching the beauty of growth as Iowa farmland turns into God’s garden. Fall comes and, almost overnight, leaves begin to turn into magnificent colors of red, yellow, orange, and purple. Truly, God has artistic abilities way beyond what we can imagine. When I was young, winter brought with it so many opportunities for sledding, snowball fights, ice skating, or in my case, ice falling. 😊 Now that I’m older, I can even find beauty in a gentle snowfall, followed by a walk in the woods. There, I am surrounded by the wonderful silence of nature. I am very aware, however, that in the depths of winter when the temperature drops to single digits, a warm fireplace with a hot cup of coffee makes that beautiful snowfall something to behold from the comfort of my living room! All of this to say, God has blessed us with so much---including every aspect of nature that He has created. Do you take time to “treasure the moment” and thank Him, not only for the things He has done for you, but for the very surroundings in which you live? Take a moment---go for a walk, a bike ride, or simply go outside and enjoy the beauty of His creation! It’s so easy to take for granted the treasures that God has provided for us. So, as you breathe in this wonderful fall crisp air, tell Jesus how much you love Him and remember, He loves you more! Thank you, Jesus…. Love in Him, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved September 7, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Early on Sunday morning, a wife says to her husband, with some gentle prodding in her voice, “Time to get up and go to church.” The husband, laying there in the warmth of the bed, responds with, “No, I don't want to get up. I don't want to go to church today. Let me sleep in!” With a little bit more assertiveness in her voice, again the wife says, “Come on! There's not much time left. You need to get up and go to church.” Again, the husband retorts with, “I don't want to go. Nobody likes me there anyway.” Now with exasperation in her voice, she says rather loudly, “You must go to church. You are the pastor!” 😊 Now that I've been doing this pastoring thing for a while, I've come to really appreciate a pastor's wife, especially mine! Yes, a pastor's wife is often overlooked and underappreciated. Here is a typical day in the life of this pastor's wife.
Ode to the pastor's wife… love you honey! Pastor Allan 2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved August 31, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius My world feels like it is getting smaller. My oldest grandson, Micah, just left for college and now there is an empty chair at the table. My second grandson, Noah, is entering eighth grade and I realize that soon he too will be off to make a life for himself. My old friends seem to be dying off faster than new friends come into my life. Indeed, my circle seems to be getting smaller. I am reminded of a lady who recently celebrated her 95th birthday. Instead of being joyful in her long life, she was melancholy, and in fact, somewhat depressed. I asked her, “Do you feel this way because you have outlived all of your friends and relatives and are now lonely?” Her answer was, “Bingo!” She too felt the tightness of the circle closing in around her. Shortly after our visit, she died. My circle just got even a little smaller. What I've noticed about life is that over the years there are “phases,” through which we pass. In our 20’s, everything is hunky-dory, and life is uncomplicated. You begin to build your network and circle of friends. In your 30’s and early 40’s, you begin to see some of those friends go through difficulties in life--divorce, discontentment, and other issues that you didn't anticipate in your 20’s. In your 40’s, a few of your friends get sick and might even die. About then you begin to contemplate your own longevity. In your 50’s, things begin to level off. Now at 60, you wonder how this happened so fast. In your 70’s, your friends are beginning to die off in what seems like rapid succession. That's where I'm at, in my 70’s. Long standing friends and relatives are beginning to die. My circle, sad to admit, is getting smaller. What am I to do? I know! I will push back on the ever-tightening circle. I am now taking applications for new friends. 😊 Although, I truly only need one friend, Jesus. Honestly, if Jesus is on the inside of my circle, I know everything will be just fine. Where is the Lord in your circle, on the inside or on the outside? When you come to die, it is better for you that Jesus is on the inside, than for you to keep Him on the outside and wish at the last moment that He was on the inside. Don't forget to send in your friendship application! Space is unlimited. 😊 Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved August 24, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Isn't it funny how, as you grow older, your horizons change? As a boy on the farm, life was all about getting up at the sound of the rooster’s crow and just having fun for the day. Climb into the haymow of the barn and embark on a treasure hunt for a new litter of kittens. Sometimes the hunt meant swinging across a great chasm of hay on the rope that hung from the top of the barn. Then off to the rabbit hutch to see if there were any new baby bunnies. Look in the brooder house to check out the baby fox pup. Never could get the wild out of this one. Off now to the cow tank to rescue honeybees swimming in the water. Never could figure out why these guys thought they should swim instead of fly. Finally, the day was done and, in the dark, I would lay on the grass, look up, see the Milky Way, and watch the Russian Sputnik cross the sky. Life was simple and my horizon was only as far as I could see. After a move into town, my farm adventures became precious memories. Now a new thing entered my mind, a longer-term horizon came into view. At age thirteen, I left my boyhood behind and decided it was a lot of fun to make money, go to the bank downtown, and watch the bank teller write my deposit into my passbook savings account. What was even more fun was, every once in a while, the bank would give you free money just for having a deposit at the bank. It was called, interest. I discovered then that there are two ways to make money. There is “hard money,” money you work for, or “easy money,” money that works for you without you working, as in interest. For a long time my goal, my horizon, was to make money. After a while, I discovered that living your life just to make money was a pretty short-term and unrewarding horizon. Now that I'm older and have placed all of my trust in the Lord, I no longer look to the horizon for what is coming. I now look for what is coming from beyond and over the horizon. What do I see coming from beyond and over the horizon? Jesus coming for you and me. That, my friends, puts everything into perspective. There is a legend that the tiger can see over the horizon. I so want that kind of vision. I think it's called God's wisdom. Living life for the Lord, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved August 17, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius For one reason or another my family has taken up fishing. They all say that the thirty second thrill of the catch is worth the hour of waiting time for the catch. Recently, my wife, my daughter, and my grandson have caught lunkers of bass. A lunker is “fish talk” for a really big fish. Then while fishing in the Des Moines River, my grandson caught a humongous northern pike. It was big enough to land his picture with his prize fish in the local newspaper. All of these miracle catches seem to have given them all, “fishing fever.” I've been fishing for many years. None of my catches have been a prize, nor has there been one that is worthy of putting its picture in the newspaper. However, along the way I've learned a lot of wisdom about fishing. Here's just some of that wisdom.
For those of you who are avid fishermen and insist on fishing on Sunday when you should be in church, did you know that the fish don't bite during church? Just so you deer hunters don't feel left out. Why is it that if it snows two inches on Sunday you can't go to church, but if it snows twelve inches on Sunday, you can go deer hunting? Jesus said, “Come, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Now, that is fishing wisdom worthy beyond measure. I'm one of those fishers of men which Jesus invited to follow Him. Have you been caught? Love in Christ, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved August 10, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius So, you must know that I like history, particularly folklore history. For instance, in a previous reflection, I recounted for you how my grandmother told the story of Jesse James and his gang of outlaws staying in the barn on her and grandpa's farmstead. The story continues with this intriguing piece of suspense. She always maintained that Jesse James and his gang buried a barrel of gold near the barn. Years later, as my dad demolished all the old buildings and buried what was left of the rotten lumber in a deep hole, this piece of evidence emerged. The man he hired to dig the hole with his Caterpillar stopped his digging to investigate the side of a barrel that had emerged in his excavating. However, water began to fill the hole, and he had to quickly back his Caterpillar out. Not knowing the legend of the barrel of gold, now underwater, he proceeded to fill in the hole. The question remains, is there a barrel of gold on the farmstead? Here's another piece of folklore history, this one involving the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) denomination. During the Alaskan gold rush, in the late 1890’s, the ECC sent three Swedish missionaries to Alaska to evangelize the indigenous people, the Eskimos. Instead of doing missionary work, these three lucky Swedes discovered gold and filed a claim in their name for a gold mine named, Number 9 Above. As they worked the mine, they struck it rich, when they should have been doing missionary work. I assume the ECC had them on the payroll. The ECC then sued these guys claiming ownership of Number 9 Above. Here's where the local folklore comes in. An Eskimo, by the name of Constantine Uparazuck, was to go to Chicago to testify in the case. On the way to Chicago, he stopped at the Lanyon Covenant Church, became ill, and died in 1904. He is buried at the nearby Lost Grove Cemetery. I love old folklore stories. Even the name on a tombstone has with it a story. What will your story be on your tombstone? If it only says, “He/she loved Jesus during life,” that is enough. Blessings! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved August 3, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius He was always there. Strutting around so tall and proud, king of his domain. Always ready to tackle a little boy who might cross his path in his Kingdom there on the farm. Any venture to the outside could evolve into a confrontation with this beast. As a precaution, look out the window before you open the door. Once outside, listen to his taunting declaration to know his whereabouts. When met with silence, run for the barn as fast as you can. Surely, he is lurking around the corner waiting to pounce upon his prey, me. Intimidating, boisterous and loud, he ruled with an iron claw. Rocks did not affect him. Shouting did not deter him. More than once, I was locked in mortal combat with this giant goblin holding a stick as my sword. Don’t take your eye off him, because once you do, he just might outmaneuver you and attack you from the rear. The only safety was to run for a door in the barn or machine shed, anything to come between this winged monster and me. Then, one day, it happened. The real king, my dad, saw how this winged monster was treating his little boy. With an axe in his hand and grabbing that wicked gobbler, he who I battled against, was suddenly silenced. I’m free at last! Free from the tyranny of that Thanksgiving Turkey. Life is kind of like that unfriendly turkey. He who wants to do us harm, Satan, chases us around with sin as his weapon. Though he may be intimidating and strong, there is One Who is bigger and stronger than he. You want to be rescued from Satan? Like I called upon my dad to rescue me, call upon Jesus and He will rescue you. Call upon Jesus and be free! Love in Christ! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved July 27, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Have you ever thought that buying a new car is like having a baby? Think about it. Like anticipating the birth of a child with excitement, likewise there is excitement in anticipating the purchase of a new car. You look forward to the day of the birth of that child just like you look forward to the day you can drive that spanking new car home. Then the day of delivery is upon you when you least expect it. Suddenly, you realize that the delivery of a new child comes with a lot of pain. As a mother, you go through the pain of delivery, getting your child registered with Social Security, and double checking to make sure the baby's name is spelled correctly on the birth certificate. Before you take delivery on your new car, likewise there is pain in that process. The most obvious pain, the one that hurts the most, is to write the check. Then there is the pain of going to the courthouse and getting your car registered. Oh, should the car be registered in your name, your wife's name, jointly, or in the name of some other legal entity? Trust me, there is nothing fun about going to the courthouse to register your vehicle. So, everything is fine, and you take the baby home from the hospital and everybody is happy. All of a sudden, the baby poops its pants, and you have to change it. Not only that, there’s also all kinds of other stuff in taking care of a baby. That smiley little face that you love so much comes with a lot of maintenance, and if you don't like it, you can't take it back. That new car is not very different. It continually runs out of gas, you have to change oil and tires often, and for sure, once you drive it off the dealer’s lot, you can't take it back. There are a lot of similarities in having a baby and buying a new car. Besides the similarities I listed above, they are both expensive. What's the point of me telling you all of this? Well, God loves you just like you love that baby, even more. God needs you to accomplish His mission just like you need a car to get to where you want to go. Love in Christ, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved July 20, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Let me share some words of wisdom regarding investing your money.
In the financial world, the most frequently asked question is, “Where should I invest my money?” I would tell you to invest in God's Kingdom where rust will not destroy, moth does not eat, and thieves do not steal. How can you go wrong with something that will last forever? I knew in my opening comment regarding wisdom and money, you would read the entirety of this reflection. That hook brought you to this place. So let me ask you one more piercing question. What good is your money if you are not saved? Love in Christ, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved July 13, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius In my lifetime, I've met a lot of good people. Of course, then I've met some bad people as well. One fellow I met was so crooked that I said of him, “He is so crooked that when he dies, they will have to screw him into the ground.” 😊 Now I pray for his salvation. One time, while sitting in my airplane seat waiting for everyone to board, I looked up and, entering through the door, I saw a man with tattoos all over and piercings in his nose and ears. I thought to myself, “I hope that guy doesn't sit next to me.” Guess what. His seat assignment was right next to mine. After he had settled in beside me, I asked of him, “How in the world did you make it through the metal detector?” Well, that ice breaker could have gone either way. Fortunately, we laughed together. I don't remember our conversation exactly, but I know I would have told him about the Lord. I decided then that, even people who don’t look like me, are made in the image of God. For a long time in my life, I had a tainted view of the world. I trusted very few people. Somewhere along the line, Jesus gave me a different set of lenses through which to look. Now I trust almost everyone, until they prove to me that they are unworthy of my trust. Don't misunderstand me, the Lord has given me a measure by which to evaluate people. It is called wisdom. Here is my go-to Bible verse in my evaluation of people. Jesus said in Matthew 10:16 (NASB) “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” As a Christian, our Lord calls us to be wise in our dealing with people. I'm glad God puts people in my life that don't always fit the expectations that I have made for them. I've learned to pray for my enemy, love those who don't look like me, and lift up those who are in need of help. There was a time when I was distant from God and He took me in. God loves me in the morning, when I don't look so good, and later in the day when I look a little better. Oh, how many times have I needed help? The Lord was always there to give me His mighty hand. Love people. That's what we're called to do. Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved July 6, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius If you follow my reflections, you have come to appreciate some of my stories, maybe😊. As you know, generally somehow, and it is by God's grace, I spin whatever story I’ve weaved together to give God glory, and if you don't know Christ, I ask of you to give your life to Him. Once upon a time, I thought retirement would be all about sleeping late and watching John Wayne in cowboy movies. Not that I'm retired, now I wake up in the early morning hours. Not only that, but cowboy movies have also lost their luster. So now, my life quest is not retirement, but to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Besides, sitting around in the rocking chair doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me. When I was younger, one of my older friends shared this piece of wisdom with me. I asked of him, “Rex, when are you going to retire?” His response went something like this. “Allan, I've seen too many of my friends retire, go home and sit in their chair, and six months later they are dead.” I know there is an army of those of you who are retired, or maybe you are bored and looking for something to do. Instead of going out with a whimper, join me and go out in a crescendo. Here are some ideas for you to consider, to pray over.
I have discovered that being clear and direct accomplishes much for the Kingdom of the Lord here on earth. Here's about as clear as I can get. Jesus came to seek out and save the lost. The mission of the church, the mission of each person, that includes you, should be no less grandiose. Just one of many, doing my part for the Kingdom. Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved June 29, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius If I were to title this reflection, it would bear the title of, Escapades on a Mud Road. Kids of today don't even know what a mud road is. If you don't know, it's a road with no gravel, no blacktop, just two paths for your tires. It's bumpy, grassy, and when it rains, it's muddy. It's not the kind of road that the plastic cars of today can go on. When I was growing up, the steel cars driven then had no problem on a mud road. Your biggest concern was that hidden rock that stuck up in the middle of the path. Hit that hidden puppy and off comes your oil pan, and the sudden need for a new engine. On the mud road, you can practice your dirt track racing. On the mud road, there you can hone your skills in driving in the mud. On the mud road, you can practice driving through snowbanks until you hit one higher than the car. One thing about driving in the snow is that there is no stopping. No stopping until the snowbank is so high that the car won't go forward or backward. No escape from this monster snowbank, you can't even open the car door. Your only escape is to crawl out through the window. Of course, all these things about the mud road, I was told.😊 Believe that, and I have a bridge to sell you. Life can be kind of like those mud roads. An unproven path, bumpy, grassy, and sometimes treacherous, with hidden obstacles to trip you up, maybe sometimes trap you where you are. When you’re all alone, it's up to you to figure out how to get going again. Sometimes you are so alone that even calling 911 is an empty call. But then, you are not alone. No matter how stuck you are, how alone you might be, God can lift you up, lift you out and bring you to a place where the road is firm, smooth, and straight. God can do that, you know. The days of my driving on mud roads are over. I choose now to stay on the straight and narrow road, close to God. If you need a tow, I'm here. Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved June 22, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius When I was a boy, I delivered the morning Des Moines Register newspaper. Rain or shine, hot or cold, every morning up before six. Ride my bicycle to pick up my bundle of papers for delivery, always on the bench outside the gas station downtown. Put them all in a bag and strap the bag onto the back fender of my bicycle, all forty pounds of them. During one summer, the city must have decided to put in a sewer system. There were no paved streets, only rough pathways upon which to ride. Whenever it rained those pathways turned into mud. The motto for the Pony Express was, “The mail must go through!” So, it was for me each and every day as both my bicycle and I were covered with either mud or snow every day. In less than one year, my bicycle was no longer new or shiny. How I was reminded of that when my good friend showed up with a brand-new Schwinn bicycle with white wall tires, silver fenders, hand brakes, a speedometer, 3 speeds, and even a thingy that when you pulled up on it, it rubbed against the tire and made a whistle. The best I could do to match that was only to put Topps baseball cards fastened with a clothes pin on my spokes to make a clickety clack sound. Ding dong me, I probably used a dozen Mickey Mantle cards just to hear that clickety clack noise. Why do I call myself a ding dong? I just read that a Mickey Mantle card recently sold on auction for over $12 million. That hurts! In the 10th commandment, the Lord tells us not to covet your neighbor’s possessions. Need to tell you, I was only a little jealous of my friend's bicycle. As we grew older, I had a 1956 Sherman tank called an Oldsmobile while my friend drove a 1963 Chevrolet Impala with the 327 souped up engine. Man could that thing fly! Over time this is what I learned about being jealous of my friend’s stuff. My friend spent his money and I looked pretty cool riding in his car. What's the best kind of hunting dog? The answer is, “Your friend’s hunting dog.” Still trying to look pretty cool...just a little older, 😊 Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved June 15, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Too many times, as a pastor I have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death with so many of my family, so many of my friends. No journey, no walk the same. But the end of the journey is always the same, one last gasp for air. What follows then is a serene silence. For loved ones left behind, suddenly it is the realization that, though they may think they have prepared for this moment, when it arrives, they are not. The silence and serenity of the moment is often broken with cries of anguish. To me, the moment of death is a most holy moment for those who love the Lord. Other than the moment of being born again, death has to be the second most holy moment in the life of a Christian. It is the moment they step into the presence of Jesus and see Him, for the first time, face to face. I've been there at numerous moments of death. There was a time when something within me caused me to look upward in the hopes of seeing an angel, there to receive the soul of the departed believer. At the moment of my mom's death, and for that matter, at the moment of my dad's death, both times I looked around the room for that elusive angel. Believe it or not, on both occasions I did see that angel. The first angel I saw was lying right there before me. Her name was Mom. Four years later, as my dad breathed his last, I saw another angel lying before me. His name was Dad. I no longer look around for that angel at the time of death. What now I see before me, in the face of my departed loved one or friend, is the face of Jesus in whose image we have all been created. Yes, death is a most holy moment for those who love the Lord. Ironically though, in the quiet, in the holiness, in the serenity of the moment, life barges in with no respect at all. There is laughter in the hall. The television has never been turned off and still drones on with the mundane news of the day. There is a frenzy and a hurry to call others as to what has happened. There is no time to sit in the quiet and reflect. No time to absorb the meaning of life. Here is some sage advice. At the death of a loved one, take a moment and be with God. After all, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants.” (Psalm 116:15) In His grip Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved June 8, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius As of yesterday, Armona and I have been married 55 years. I look back over those years and say to myself, “How blessed I am, that on the day I proposed to her, she said, ‘yes.” She has been and always will be, the Queen of my world. Like most young men and women starting out in the world, there was a lot of trial and error. I've looked for an instruction book on how to live life, but other than the Bible, there is none. We tried a lot of different things over our life together and some of those things worked out, and others, not so much. But here we are today, happily living our lives by the grace of God. We've laughed together at times like this. When we were first married, we lived in the country on the top of a hill, a steep hill. At the bottom of the hill, we had planted a garden and, in the fall, had plowed it up. One cold wintry night with a full moon overhead, with plenty of snow on the ground—that kind of evening, we decided to go sledding down that hill. Did you know that one sled with two people on board can zing down a steep hill at breakneck speed? Rushing wind in our faces, a fan of snow rising up behind, we raced toward the bottom, laughing all the way. Then in an instant, the runners of the sled hit the plowed ground, the sled stopped, and we kept on going. After rolling to a stop, the laughter had ceased and there was silence as I looked up toward the moon. “Are you OK?” I finally asked her. Suddenly, Mrs. Snowman stood up and started laughing😊. That's our life together. Of course, we’ve cried together at the death of loved ones and various other heartaches along the way. Those hard moments are part of life, and you just need to get through those times. That's exactly what we've done along the way. So, what's my advice to being happily married for a long time? It might be as simple as laughing together more than crying apart. By the way, you're going to need God by your side throughout your marriage. Every now and then, you need a miracle😊. Why do I have this feeling that if we were to go sledding today and come to a sudden stop, it might hurt more than it did 55 years ago? Happy anniversary, Armona! I love you! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved June 1, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Today is graduation day for my eldest grandson. I dedicate this reflection to him. Micah, eighteen years ago, I was there to hear your borning cry. How fast have the years gone by. Only yesterday, a little boy taking a little step into kindergarten, now today, a grown man taking a giant step into life as an adult. As a little bird leaves the nest and learns to fly, so it is for you as you take that inaugural flight into adulthood. Excitement and fear at the same time as you take that first flight of independence. So, Micah, if I were to give a valedictorian speech the opening line would be, “We are all going to die.” With that opening salvo of words, for sure, those graduating would sit up and pay attention to what follows. Now that I have your attention, let me give you some advice for living your life.
I am proud of you, and I love you. Pastor Grandpa ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved May 25, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Those of us who are a tad bit older, when we were young, marveled at reading a comic book with the main character by the name of Dick Tracy. A detective who always solved crimes and got the villain. Of course, he had an advantage to his sleuth-like prowess. He had a telephone on his wrist into which he could talk. Then along came Captain Kirk in the Starship Enterprise in the made for TV series, Star Trek. He had a “communicator” strapped to his wrist into which he could talk and receive back a communication. What was fantasy then, is reality now. Did you know that the smartphone we carry in our pocket today, has more computing capability than the computers used on Apollo 11 as the astronauts hurtled toward the moon at breakneck speed? How many other things, that were once imagined, are now reality? Not too long-ago artificial intelligence was a long shot. Today people worry if artificial intelligence will take over the world. As I ponder about the future and how quickly knowledge is expanding, I wonder what will be the next blockbuster discovery? If only I could think of that which is obscure today that might be a necessity for tomorrow, I might have a shot at being a very rich man. What might that new discovery be that is waiting? I believe that it must be something that would be a necessity, inexpensive, and people always run out of it. The only thing I can think of that fits those criteria is toilet paper and it’s already been invented😊. Actually, I believe the next new discoveries will all evolve around technology and travel. Why do I believe this? As we approach the end of days, Daniel 12:4 (KJV) records for us the times in which we live. “… many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Are we not all traveling more than we ever thought imaginable? As to knowledge, it is increasing exponentially with each new piece of artificial intelligence programmed. Wait...or, does it program itself? Here is a reality check for you, something that is not fantasy. We are living in the days of Daniel 12:4. Just one more sign that Jesus is coming soon to take us home to heaven. You do have a ticket, right? Maybe that's the obscure thing today that is necessary for tomorrow. Jesus is a necessity in your life, He is free, and He will never run out of love for you. Are you ready to meet Jesus in the air? Love, Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved May 18, 2025
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius Some days it's good to know that you are alive! Not too long ago a friend, I'll call him farmer Tim, invited Armona and I out for some casual Christian conversation and steaks. Sounds kind of like an evening for old people, right? Not so! The words that first appear in the movie Star Wars begin with, “In a galaxy far, far away.” As the evening began it was as if we had been transported to a far, far away place. First of all, the house, to which we had been invited, was in such a far, far away, hidden place, I don't even know how my friend found it to buy it. It's exactly the kind of place I'd like to live, in the woods, very secluded, serene, and beautiful. Upon arrival and after having a few minutes of casual conversation, and after meeting another invited couple, farmer Tim said, “Let's go on a ride in my 4x4’s through the woods.” About right here I began to feel like I was really alive as my heart started thumping faster, and my brain began thinking, “What have I gotten into?” Safety and caution to the wind, I climbed into one of those 4x4’s. Vroom! Off I went on a new adventure in life over hill and dale. As I bounced around in that 4x4 off road vehicle, through acres and acres and acres of trees and woods through which farmer Tim, obviously wanting to be Daniel Boone, had cut roads, well, sort of roads, I was really white knuckling it. Farmer Tim was in the lead and my new friend, that I had just met, was driving the 4x4 in which I was a passenger. Suddenly farmer Tim stopped ahead of us, walked back, and said to us, “Put the 4x4 in low. From here on, it's going to get a little dicey.” I know enough to know, that “low gear and dicey” means rough terrain ahead. I'm telling you, I did not know exactly what “dicey” really meant. As we bounced along, I could look out both sides of the vehicle and see at least a 50 foot drop. Suddenly, the 4x4 ahead of us disappeared from view as it began its descent down a very steep hill. Of course, we were right behind. If you've ever ridden a roller coaster and, as you crested the first drop, there's a sign that says, “Point of no return.” That's where I was, but only for a moment, a very brief moment. Did you know that an object falls at the rate of 32 feet per second, gaining 32 feet with every second? It didn't take very long to fall; I mean drive to the bottom of the hill. As we all gathered in the valley, I asked farmer Tim, “Do you even know where we are?” His reply went something like this. “Well yes, I do. We need to go back up that hill.” Gulp! Now I know what an astronaut feels like when he's on his back, strapped into a chair, going straight up in a rocket. About right here is when I realized that I was really alive. How did I know that? I thought I was going to die😊. I trusted farmer Tim, to lead us home, and he did. I am reminded that Jesus leads us home as well, if we just trust in Him, put our hand in His, and let Him lead. Life is an adventure. Don't be afraid to live it! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved May 11, 2025
Reflections from the Heart Allan Redenius How often do we look back over our lives and for a few moments recognize people who have given us a break in one fashion or another? All too often, with our success we believe that it was through our own efforts that we have become successful. We tend to forget about those people who may have helped us along the way. Here are just a few examples of people who have helped me in my career. Let me preface what I say about these clients in my CPA career with, more than clients, they are my friends.
I will never forget the people who came alongside me and gave me a hand up. Thank you, Jesus, for bringing those people into my life! One more story about a man who gave me the biggest break of all. He saved my life. His name is Jesus, and He can save your life too! Pastor Allan ©2025 Allan Redenius, All Rights Reserved |
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