Thankful for What?
On the fourth Thursday in November, US citizens celebrate Thanksgiving Day. History reveals that for the first few years after the English pilgrims made their home in the New World, they were beset by famine and cold—surviving only through the assistance of friendly Native Americans. And so when they were finally able to have a plentiful harvest in 1621, they celebrated Thanksgiving as a way of remembering both the blessings and the hardships they’d endured.
the blessings of God
Recently, my wife and I embarked on a plan to reach out to people who are different from us—spiritually, ethnically, and otherwise. Why take on this challenge? We’ve experienced the grace and blessing of God, and we want to bless Him by loving others who are also made in His image. It’s interesting, however, that even as we’ve strived to bless Him, we’ve been greatly blessed by God through these new relationships!
coffee house
A pastor wanted to break his church out of their formal traditions and nudge them in a fresh direction. He sensed that the congregation’s formality was discouraging the local community from walking through the church’s doors. So he began to take small steps to help them change.
our triumph
I started this year with great enthusiasm. Having mapped out a strategy for pointing the youth ministry at my church toward loving God and loving people, I shared it with some colleagues and off we went! Well, 6 months later, I did an evaluation and found we had made only minuscule progress. Discouragement covered me like a dark cloud.
learning from each other
Our young daughter Katelyn enjoys playing solitaire, but she lacks the patience to persist through the difficult points in the game. Instead of trying to solve being “stuck,” she’ll simply start a new game. I’ve challenged her not to give up but to seek the next available move.
happy new year!
Happy New Year!” “Have a joyous New Year!” We will hear a lot of these greetings today. And you’ll find yourself saying them to others too. Undoubtedly, we hope that 2014 will be a blessed and joyous year for us. The psalmist articulated his desire for happy days ahead with this confident affirmation: “Joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God” (Psalm 146:5).
thank-you cards
Today I read a eulogy written by a man in memory of his 6-year-old daughter who died of leukemia. “Our daughter was full of gratitude for God and others,” the father shared. “She carried a little purse—containing paper and colored pencils—with her wherever she went so she could write thank-you cards when someone gave her a gift or did something nice for her.”
real life
Recently, some friends and I read the Gospels out loud during a weekend retreat. The cabin we rented, nestled in a beautiful setting, was owned by a religious community. We took in a few of their services—enduring worship that was lifeless and joyless. Later, when we met with those who had led the services, we realized that the values they espoused conflicted sharply with biblical Christianity. At that point, we realized that more than just the worship was lacking real life.
enjoy God
The crewmembers of an international airline that makes a daily flight to Uganda stay at a hotel down the street from my home. During their 24 hours in the country, many of them visit my organization, Tukutana, and spend time with children in our programs. The guests often bring gifts. This past Friday, though, two women came empty-handed. Instead of…
when love came to town
I have a friend whose tastes in music are as broad as it gets. Knowing that it could be anything from punk to classical, I once asked him about a song he was listening to on his iPod. Judging by the way he was swaying back and forth, I knew the song was speaking to his soul.
On this particular…
promises and praise
Ever made a promise you didn’t keep? Yeah, me too. It makes me wince to think of my broken promises over the years. The shame comes from the realization that I had given my word to do something for someone and then backpedaled upon further review of what my vow would require of me. Ouch.
We’re all guilty of being…
one in ten
Clouds of steam poured out from under the hood of my Saab hatchback. I pulled over and made a call for a tow truck. Minutes later, a man approached my car. He wasn’t from the towing company, but he said he could fix the problem. Reluctantly, I let the stranger hoist up the hood and peer underneath. He then proceeded…
tossing it back
During a Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals last summer, a man named Steve Monforto caught a foul ball as he sat in the bleachers. Since fans are allowed to keep balls hit into the stands, Monforto handed the prize catch to his 3-year-old daughter Emily. But instead of treasuring the gift, she innocently…
unclean, ungrateful, unusual
The husband and wife were desperate. Their only son had been in a coma for 2 months. The doctors weren’t sure what was slowly taking his life. Their brother-in-law, a believer in Jesus, brought them to his home church. The distressed couple heard the message of salvation and professed their belief in Jesus. They then asked the church to pray…
