Author: Chris Luzio

“I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;” The psalmist said it, but how often do we think about it? When was the last time you thought about how wonderfully your knee was designed? I have to admit I didn’t really think about it until it started talking back at me, and in February it told me to limp into the Ortho Walk-in Clinic.

I was diagnosed with a tight IT band, the ligament that runs along the side of the thigh, and told that I needed physical therapy. After five weeks of stretching and contorting, my knee was screaming at me.

My chiropractor, who we all know and love, kept the rest of me in good shape, but my primary doctor sent me to a knee doctor. He said he’d never seen a knee problem present itself the way mine did. He took more X-rays and said he could try some knee injections. The cortisone helped for a couple of days, but the chicken fat didn’t help at all.

It was then decided we should look into the possibility of a blood clot and get an MRI of my lumbar region. No clot was found, but the ultrasound did spot a cyst of some type, and all the MRI discovered was expected age-related osteoarthritis.

Last week I had an MRI of my knee, and it revealed both of the meniscuses were torn, a couple of the connecting ligaments had degenerated, and a piece of something was lodged in the bend of my knee. A total knee replacement has been suggested as a possible fix, but I’m going to get a second opinion.

Now back to how wonderfully our knees have been made. Those who believe our bodies were designed through a process of unguided evolution often think we can do better. But an award winning bioengineer said his Intelligent Design perspective led him to believe the human knee featured an advanced linkage design that led him to spend twenty-five years researching and developing bio-inspired knees for robotics.

Looks like the Intelligent Designer knew what He was doing.

God Bless, Rick

When I read this in Salvo I knew I had to share it. With the abortion pill being readily available in Illinois, this aspect of using it needs to be widely known. I also share it because I am very thankful we support two local pro-life ministries, First Step Women’s Center and Beerlahai Roi.

God Bless, Rick

“Abortion-pill usage has risen dramatically in the wake of Dobbs, and this has resulted in a new trend in post-abortion regret. In the past, decades might pass before a post-abortive mother would seek healing. With the abortion pill, it’s different. ‘When the baby is expelled, it’s just hitting women in a different way,’ said 40 Days for Life leader Mark Cavaliere. ’With surgical abortions, they could point their fingers at that bad place and the abortionist that did this to them…But the abortion pill essentially makes a woman her own abortionist and her own home the abortion facility.’ Aborting mothers are unprepared for the trauma of seeing their baby. ‘Do I flush the toilet? Do I keep the baby? How do I keep the baby? Where do I take it? Can I bury my baby? They don’t know. They’re just in complete shock.’

The sanitized, clinical, ‘between a woman and her doctor; rhetoric is utterly stripped away, and abortion can be seen more clearly for what it is. Certainly it’s unspeakably painful, but pro-life ministries are seeing beneficial consequences. Rather than spiral into a year’s-long descent into psychological scarring and emotional trauma (trajectories that often include years of promiscuity and repeat abortions), many women are seeking help right away. And pro-life ministries are doing what they have always done—meeting them with tangible resources and gospel-centered love and support. ‘The most immediate result,’ writes Steve Karlen of 40 Days for Life, ‘is that the women who come forward sooner can encounter God’s mercy without spending years or decades in the desert suffering needlessly.’”

In case you haven’t noticed, the gym is open! After a couple of misstarts, we got it done. We dedicated it on April 12th, and started using it that night.

There are still a few little things to do inside, and a lot to do outside. The dirt along the edges of the gym needs to be
evened out and covered with rock. Water that occasionally creates duck ponds in the back is going to be directed to the ditch in front of our property. The field north of the gym will be leveled and seeded. And a new fence will be installed around the nursery playground.

Even while that is taking place, the gym will be available for church programs, church sponsored events, recreational
use by church members, and games and activities hosted by members of our church. While the gym will not be available for the community at large to reserve, it is our desire that people in the area will become acquainted with our church, and our Savior, by being invited to participate in planned activities.

Any member of our congregation who wants to schedule a time to use the gym can see if it’s available by going to our web page, chathamchristian.org, and clicking on the three little lines on the top right corner, something I just found out is called a hamburger, and then click the word gym to find the calendar. To book a time, go to ccchur.ch/gym or use the QR code posted in the gym.

If you have any questions about using the gym or need assistance booking a time to use it, give Mark, Casey, or Chris a call. It won’t do much good to call me.

God Bless, Rick

I know it’s three strikes and you’re out, but you’re still in the game with four fouls. So let’s just say we’ve had three fouls.

Our first foul was announcing we were going to dedicate our new gym at the Thanksgiving Dinner. That didn’t happen
due to unexpected delays and significant changes. The second was when we announced it would be on February 15th, the third was when we re-scheduled it for March 15th, and now we’re planning to step up to the plate again, on April 12th. Yes, we’ve set another date, and we’re even going to publicly announce it to the community.

After discovering a failure to put a needed vapor barrier under the concrete, grinding the surface, applying a moisture barrier on top of it, adding a thin layer of cement, and then installing the flooring and painting the lines, it’s done. Our
volleyball season is already behind us, but the door to the future enjoyment of our gym is just around the corner.

We’re planning to invite the community to an open house to be held from 2-4 on Sunday afternoon, April 12th. We want
everyone to have a chance to see what Jack and Bonnie made possible for church activities and sports-related evangelistic outreach. After our guests have left, we’ll have an all-church pizza party, officially dedicate the gym, and together start enjoying an amazing gift.

The devil no doubt thought he had won when the Son of God was crucified, but three days later the empty tomb made it
very evident that he had lost. Our prayer is that lots of young people, families, and individuals will find a church that loves
and serves a living risen Savior when they come to play in our gym.

God Bless, Rick

I don’t know of any preachers, other than me and Mark, who make actual manuscripts of their sermons available before they preach them. I started doing so years ago after my son-in-law asked if I could make printed copies available. I did so, thinking some might be picked up after church. But, to my surprise, they were being picked up before church. So I started putting them on the sermon table along with the outlines.

I soon came to realize that some like to just listen, some like to fill in outlines, and some like to read along. I really don’t care which is done, as long as the message is being received.

Of late, sixty-five copies seems to meet the need. I do, however, try to keep a few on the table in case someone misses one, and would like a full set for later reference. If any aren’t left on the table after church, I look for ones that have been left behind in the pews. Usually I find a half dozen or so, but a couple weeks ago I found fifteen or twenty.

In case you’re wondering why, so did I. The sermon was on adultery and sexual immorality. When I shared my concern, it was noted that having a sermon on adultery seen in someone’s home might raise suspicious thoughts. I do hope that was the reason, and not that the message was being dismissed. And I do hope what I shared from Augustine is remembered.

When struggling with sin in his life, he confessed that when he let the enemy convince him to do what he wanted to do, what he wanted soon led to wicked desire or lust. Yielding to lust created habit, and habit unresisted created a kind of necessity. What started as a simple desire to do what he wanted, instead of what God wanted, soon became a chain that shackled him in cruel slavery.

Freedom from his slavery to sin came when a voice told him to take up and read. He took up the Bible, and read from Romans 13. “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in its lusts.”

When struggling with sinful habits, that is the only answer.

God Bless, Rick