We all long to be close to others. What if we were designed to be close with God? This episode describes this longing and how to make practical steps forward in our relationship with God.
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Perhaps many of us understand the idea of discipleship as the process, through discipline, of becoming like the one we follow. For the Christian, discipleship means becoming more like Jesus Christ. As His followers we are right with God and holy in Christ from salvation, but from that time forward we begin to grow so that our lives resemble, from the inside out, what Jesus is really like. Various kinds of discipleship “programs” are available, designed to address the multi-faceted relationships we enjoy with God and with other believers. I have benefitted from many, but today I’d like to talk about organic discipleship….
Today our family learned we will say goodbye to someone we love. For the past two-and-a-half years we have sponsored Dayana, a fatherless little girl living in Haiti who came to our attention through the Christian relief organization Vision Trust. We have become attached to Dayana as we have given monthly to support her needs and the needs of her impoverished family. We have exchanged letters and sent pictures of our family, stickers, and small tokens of affection. Every night as I have put our daughter Abby to bed we have prayed that Dayana would have good food and clean water, that…
Following is an update on my friend Laura’s trip to Eastern Europe. She begins her journey home tomorrow. There is a great need in Poland for English teachers who will share the gospel and their lives as well. From Laura: Wow, is Poland ever different from 27 years ago! Back then everything in Eastern Europe came in varying shades of gray. Cars and buses were dingy and dirty, apartment buildings were gray and in disrepair, and peoples clothes were even old and worn. Their faces matched the gloom around them. But now it’s quite the colorful place. The buildings have been refaced and…
If you’re at least 40 years old, you remember the cold war, the iron curtain, and the communist regimes that dominated Eastern Europe from World War II until they successively collapsed during the late 1980s and early 1990s. If you attended church in the 70s and 80s you may also have heard Bible-smuggling stories from behind the iron curtain where the Scriptures had been outlawed. Transporting contraband such as Bibles and Christian literature across national borders could result in arrest and imprisonment. Nevertheless, thousands and thousands of Bibles and other literature were illegally smuggled through borders and joyously received by the people of Eastern Europe. My…
When I was a little girl, I looked forward to the Christmas bazaar my church hosted each fall. There were many enjoyable things at the bazaar, but I dreamt of the taste of the glass candy sold in the sweet shop and of Mildred Ringer’s divinity treats. Christmas crafts adorned the church in almost any media, all for sale, and just in time for Christmas. At the far end of the hall was the white elephant room. Scattered on the tables were the most interesting pretty things, and oh, the jewelry! How I loved the white elephant room! Through a child’s eyes, it was…
Recently I was given the privilege of sharing with the junior high youth group at Central Ministries. They are a great bunch of kids and they were attentive and fun! Because the youth group has been talking about unexpected gifts, I told the story of one of my most memorable unexpected gifts. It was Christmas Eve in my small-town Presbyterian church and service had just concluded. Always the best-attended service of the year, Christmas Eve had filled my head and my heart with all the carols of my sixteen-or-so years. As I reached to grab my coat I spotted Ed, my Sunday school…
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25 Our church is presenting a drive-through nativity this weekend for the Fort Wayne community. Last night 380 cars drove through scenes that progressed from the modern-day hustle and bustle of the Christmas season back to the hustle and bustle of Bethlehem in the first century. There, amongst the activity of the Jewish people and a census by the Roman government, a miracle took place and God the Son, Jesus, entered the world. Many times when we think of the…
I am rich. I’m overwhelmingly rich, but I’m not talking about a bank account or houses or stuff. I’m not even talking about the fact that I live in one of the most wealthy nations on earth where we have more material wealth than 99% of all people in the world. Those things describe many Americans. I’ve been blessed with a supportive husband of 25 years and with four wonderful daughters. These favorite people of mine have made me laugh, cry, throw a fit, and have melted my heart. I am rich in knowing them as my own. I have a wonderful…
JANUARY 12, 2015 BY VICKIGATCHELL Oh Come, Let’s Sing Ohio’s praise… IN HONOR OF THE BUCKEYES PLAYING IN THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL TITLE GAME OF THE NCAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ERA, I POST THIS ROUGH DRAFT. A TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST TEAM IN SPORTS. O-H… I’ll never forget my first Ohio State-Michigan game. I was a freshman at OSU sitting in Block O, the student section directly behind the goal post in the closed end of Ohio Stadium. That was a few years ago, but it remains engrained in my mind. It was a cold Saturday in November, smack in the middle of a…
10See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40 What a great discussion we had last Friday…