the body of Christ
Two nights before I moved to Africa 5 years ago, I panicked. As much as I believed the Lord was calling me to Uganda, I feared that by going there I would forfeit my friends back home. I thought they would forget me and that we’d quickly share nothing in common after I journeyed to a new continent, culture, and life.
generational investment
Standing quietly in the back, I am moved by the sight. Arms reach upward, voices carry throughout the room, and a tireless energy reverberates to the sound of the drum. Passionate and full of promise, they are far more than a group of teenagers. They are sons and daughters of God—the generation now, not next.
one body
As the helmet is made for the head,
likewise for us, this day God has made;
we rejoice and thank God for each day,
as He saves man in His time and way.
God blesses our brains with His knowledge,
and bestows our minds with His wisdom,
that we use them well from age to age
to help bring others to His kingdom.
God’s helmet of salvation
is for…
gifts from a stranger
Though vigilance is often advisable when interacting with strangers, Scripture states that there are times when we should offer them help (Job 31:31-32; Romans 12:13). As someone who recently benefitted from the generosity of a couple I’d never met before, I can attest that such kindness met a deep need in my life. It also ramped up my faith and…
weird little oven mitt
It was just okay . . . a bit odd. Why weren’t there two of them? It didn’t match anything in my kitchen. I smiled and picked up the weird little oven mitt and said, thank you. For the past 7 years, I’ve been burning my hands by using this thin little mitt. So mainly, I just left it in the…
i'm a sugar bowl
Thinkin' about my grandfather. He used to crack us up by singing "I'm a Little Teapot" and say, "Here is my handle" (one hand on hip), "here is my spout" (other hand on other hip)—pretend to be frustrated, start over and sing—"Here is my handle, here is my spout" (both hands on hips)—look down at his sides in frustration after…
not an option
Last Sunday, we gave our 7-year-old congregation a spiritual challenge—to join together in an on-site, 24-hour prayer chain. Each person was asked to consider signing up to pray for 30 minutes. Nearly 100 people signed up to participate through prayer! We gave our congregation this challenge because, unlike the disciples in Mark 9, we did not want our ministry effort…
whose job is it?
The story is told about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody would do it, but Nobody…
positioned
It’s a very important job.” Serious and maternal, my 9-year-old sought to convince her younger brother to help her with a small chore. Trying to carry eight individual rolls of toilet paper from the kitchen to the bathroom, she wanted Micah to walk behind her to make sure none of them fell. Usually kindhearted and generous, he had some difficulty…
transparent
Early for my lunch appointment, I was enjoying the quietness of my commute despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Suddenly, the ringing of my cell phone broke the silence. I answered it and heard my sister’s cheerful voice say, “I’ve been waving to you for the past 5 minutes! You must be lost in thought!” “Where are you?” I asked. “In the…
