Strengthening Faith, Love, and Hope
Strengthening Faith, Love, and Hope
I hope you have a great year in 2011! But if you are actually going to have a truly great year in 2011, it will be because you have a lot of good individual days in 2011. I know that might sound too obvious to warrant mentioning; however, sometimes we need to be reminded that today matters. If we want to position ourselves for a wonderful 2011–and…
“Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” That’s what Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 13:16, and I hope that’s what He would say to you and me as we enter a New Year together. Eight times in the Gospels Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear,” and His implication is unmistakable–sometimes we can hear without…
You should see her. Her blue eyes twinkle, her lips part in a mischievous smile, and she turns her body slightly so I can’t quite see what she’s drawing. She’s cleared the table and given herself plenty of room to spread out her crayons, markers, and pencil sharpener. I ask her what she’s going to draw, and her only response is a knowing smirk–I’m not…
Before his death, Jessica’s grandfather was known to frequently say, “Whatever is not conceived and carried out in love will surely fail.” Aren’t those profound words? It reminds me of when the Proverb writer said to his son, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a…
During busy holiday seasons where the Beach Boys sing to us about “Little Saint Nick” as we wait in line for our iced grande, non-fat, caramel macchiatos at Starbucks, it’s easy to forget what Christmas is all about. And by the way, I don’t mean this in a typical, don’t-forget-the-meaning-of-Christmas type of way. I think we Christians do a pretty good job reflecting on God’s…