Fan the Flame – We continue our walk through the New Testament and, currently, through the writings of the apostle Paul, with today’s reading from 2 Timothy, a letter in which Paul addresses Timothy, whom Paul had commissioned to help in ministry.  Carol begins by talking about “burnout,” a term that applies to many people today who are feeling overwhelmed by their job or by family crises.  And perhaps this is what Timothy was experiencing, and Paul, writing from prison, was hoping to rekindle the flame in Timothy, reminding him of the gifts of the love and power of the Holy Spirit within him.  Likewise, when we experience burnout, we must remember that God is within us through the Holy Spirit, and we should fan that flame.

(NOTE:  Emphasizing the importance of the Word, the video begins with the scripture reading, but if you want, you can scroll back to the beginning of the service in the video – the entire service is available.)