Archive for January, 2009

Memories and Regrets

memoriesThere are 2 things pretty certain in this life:
1) You’re going to be remembered for something
2) You’ll probably have some regrets

All of us are making silent, lasting impressions upon the many people we interact with from day to day. When people reflect back upon us will they do it with a sense of gratitude for knowing us or a sense of relief that we are not in their lives?

If the members in our classes had a discussion about us 5 or 10 years from now, what would they say? Would they have fond memories from being in our class? Will they rehearse positive, helpful lessons they heard from us. Will they recall a godly example and a character worth emulating? Only we can determine that.

Jan 30, 2009 | 5 comments | View Post

Time for Heavy Lifting

heavy-liftingAs I stood in that massive throng of people I couldn’t help but sense the feeling of hope pervading the atmosphere. People from all walks of life and from all over the world had come to share in this unique experience of being eyewitnesses to the swearing in of our nation’s 44th president.

Displaying confidence and thoughtfulness, our newly elected President stated his case for our country’s future and why change was needed. Tempering optimism with realism we heard that the road ahead would be difficult but doable. Our problems are humongous but fixable. Our status in the world is tarnished but repairable. It’s time for heavy lifting.

This frank assessment of the status of our country was refreshing in its honesty and surely a catalyst to engage bright minds in finding solutions to perplexing issues. There’s a relevant, spiritual lesson in that for us.

Jan 22, 2009 | 10 comments | View Post

Contact Is Not Enough

contactHow are we going to do it? Will it be by the smoothness of our words or the preciseness of our grammar? Will it by the strength of our intellectual powers or the weight of our empirical evidence? Perhaps the visual image of our spiritual maturity and the distinctness of our apparel? How will we reach the people that we minister to from week to week? Contact is not enough.

To truly reach the hearts of those we minister to with life changing truths will demand a life changing experience for each one of us. We need to start with a new touch of faith.

We’re all familiar with the bible story of the woman with the serious illness that had plagued her for many years. Though she had consulted the best help of her day, her case was still hopeless; until she came into contact with Jesus.
Luke 8: 43-48

Jan 15, 2009 | 4 comments | View Post