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Our Greatest Work
As we continue to emerge from a long season of uncertainty and isolation, we eagerly look ahead and begin envisioning new goals and even new dreams. How do we find re-energizing purpose in our everyday life, regardless of circumstances?
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You’re hired! A Christian perspective on the dwindling workforce.
Since the fall of Man in the Garden, we have known that life would not be easy. There were a few things that God promised would be part of our sin story, and one of them is that life will be hard. The work of daily living was declared as something that would be painful, and that in order to survive we will be battling the very ground we walk on just to eat (Gen. 3:17-19). So, it is no surprise that recent headlines have made it clear that people are not eager to go to work. Whatever the reason, and there are plenty, when we choose not to contribute…
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Loving and Giving
“For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
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On the Anniversary of Dad’s Death
“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment accompanied by a promise, namely, “that it may go well with you and that you will live a long time on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3). Today is the anniversary of Dad’s death. Dad was a complicated man, to say the least. Recently I was talking to a Christian brother and, essentially, said that when we die it might be said for any of us believers: “He was a Christian… and he was a mess in many ways.” We never outgrow our desperate need for Christ. Anyone who knew my dad knew he had struggles, but they also had no doubt…
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The Gifts of Christmas That Last Forever
Several years ago, I hosted a neighborhood Christmas luncheon. When I got out my decorations, I asked myself, “What message do I want to give to the women as they come into my home?” Decorating is work; I wanted it to be meaningful! Over the years, I had collected a bunch of odds and ends stuff—mostly things given to me by my mom, our kids, or found in the attics of houses we bought. Recalling a book I read years ago called “The Gifts of Christmas” by Rachel Hartman, I remembered the author had taken the parts of the biblical Christmas story and considered them to be gifts (music, wonder,…
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Your Christmas Wish
Each year growing up, I made a list of things I wanted for Christmas. I’m pretty sure “a horse” topped the list every single year (and no, I never got one). I definitely knew that in order to get what I truly wanted, I had to be nice, not naughty. Looking back, that’s probably why I never got the horse. Anyhoo… As adults, we don’t worry about making Santa’s NICE LIST so we can get what we desire most. Instead we embrace Christmas as a season of giving, good cheer, and hope for the new year. And as Christians, we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Reconciliation to…
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Christian Parenting Mistakes: #3 Giving Stuff Versus Giving Myself?
What does love look like? How do we teach it to our children? For some families, it is expressed through encouraging words or the giving of lots of stuff. For other families, it looks like a vacation in amusement parks or exotic places. The Bible teaches that love is not about giving stuff or even just spending time together, it is about giving self. Little in this world is satisfying long term. Words can be empty and time together isn’t always productive. Quoting Isaiah’s message from God, Jesus said, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Time without investing our heart will never…
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Leave it
As a young Christian in college I was challenged to ask God to provide a specific amount of money so I could pass it on to a ministry or mission and experience the joy of being a conduit for God’s generosity. I stepped out hesitantly and asked God to give me $15 so I could give it toward a friend’s mission support. Then I watched and waited. Only a few weeks letter I received a valentine’s card from my stepmother (who never wrote to me). It contained a check for $15. Later, in our early marriage, my husband and I decided to ask God to overfill our cup by $100…
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Marriage and Mother’s Day- What They Have in Common
Love and respect are fundamental for a solid marriage. We are told by all the experts that in a marriage relationship, men need to be respected and women need to be loved. The Bible supports this but also commands us to love and respect both men and women. Since these things are essential for a happy marriage and commanded by God then it is imperative that part of training up a child in the way he/she should go must include teaching them how to love and respect well. As we teach children to love and respect their parents we are giving them the basic tools for building a lasting marriage.…
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A Gift that Doesn’t Disappoint
One Christmastime I dreamed of a watch—one with a tiny face of gold metal and a delicate band like the ones the other fifth-grade girls wore. I tossed and churned at night, daring to hope. Horn rims and hand-me-downs couldn’t ruin my life when frenetic tree lights reminded me of the coming Christmas and the watch. Sunday school lessons and church carols focused on the Gift, but my mind wandered, thinking of my gift and its power to change me from plain to princess. Finally the morning arrived. I darted to the living room and spied it instantly: a clunky steel watch with a rough leather band—a six dollar Timex…
