When Jesus Came Into The World He Was WITH Us
And they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us. Matthew 1:23b NLTse
When Jesus Left This World He Said He Is WITH Us
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20b NLTse
Jesus isn’t just FOR us, He is WITH us and to me that makes a huge difference in how I live my life. He is not distant, he is fully present. There are people in my life who aren’t just FOR me, they are WITH me. I usually
There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. Ecclesiastes 3:4a NCV
“You need to stop that humor stuff, it’s taking away from God’s message!” That was the advice written to me on the comment card that was dropped into the offering plate as it went by then delivered to my office on Monday morning. I still remember the man’s name, “Unknown.” Yes, he actually wrote the name “Unknown.”
As I stared at the words I felt like a failure, I felt hurt, I felt pain. You see, ”There is a time to cry.”
Now, as I retell this story both in writing and speaking around the country I can’t help
What’s the word?
It’s AND.
Yep, that’s it, AND.
It’s a small word and it packs a big punch if we really embrace what it has to offer. Let’s take a look.
Dialectical Thinking: What is it, how does it work, what does it have to do with “AND?”
When thinking dialectically the key word that comes to mind is the word AND. When there are seemingly opposing views dialectical thinking allows us to hold the moment in neutral instead of passing judgment or giving an opinion. It’s the ability to view what appears to be opposing issues with a neutral perspective allowing us to seek to understand rather
The Etymology of Courage
The prefix Cor is from Latin which means heart. Dr. Brene Brown would define Courage as “The ability to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.” In other words, courage is being vulnerable.
You may have heard it said that you can’t have courage without fear. If this is true then what are we afraid of given this definition of courage? I think we are afraid of being authentic! What if someone knows who I really am?
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG that our strength comes from revealing our weakness. "And then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness."
The problem is we all have some type of fear that causes each of us to look, think, walk, talk in a way that is different from who we really are. It’s what I call a fear veneer. We want others to see
1. If my family could repeat a vacation, it would be . . .
2. I’m a great sister or brother because . . .
3. If I could redecorate my bedroom, I would . . .
4. I like to surprise my brother and sister by . . .
5. The best thing that happened to me this week was . . .
6. The best advice I’ve ever received was . . .
7. The best book I ever read is . . .
I'm trying to find the words to express my dad. He went home on hospice last Saturday April 11th due to kidney failure as a result of many things but mostly due to Diabetes. Mary and I drove to AZ this week to see him. We made it in time to share what was one of his last lucid and aware moments.
We sat near his bed as he slept. He was in and out of consciousness and receiving a regular dose of morphine every 4 hours. His time on this earth came to an end yesterday. It's hard to face up to the fact that life on this earth is finite when it comes to someone you love. I was not prepared for the overwhelming flood of emotions that I have felt this week. I never thought I would weep out loud pumping gas or walking through Home Depot but I have.
As I think back on his life there are many things I am thankful for
Think of this as a 7 day devotional or 7 day focus for your entire family. Try the following plan this week with your family.
Read the following verse out loud to your family: “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV). Discuss this question. “How important are friends when it comes to rude or respectful behavior?”
Talk with your family about the importance of the following words.
“I am sorry, I was wrong.”
“Please.”
“Thank you.”
Why are these words so important? What values do you
