Faith and Trust in the Christmas Story

 The Faith and Trust of the Christmas Story

I love the Christmas season. I love the busy shopping malls, the seasonal foods, the worship services, Christmas movies, and yes, I am one of the people that the Christmas music police come to attack because I play Christmas music super early in the season. (I also play it late into the new year but let’s not tell the Christmas music police.) When I was a child, I loved the anticipation of receiving gifts. When I became a teenager, I tried to find the best gifts for my family. As an adult, I have a come to understand the true joy and peace of Christmas Day which reveals faith and trust in God. 

Christmas reminds us of the obedience and complete trust and faith in God. Everyone that encountered Jesus as a baby, had complete trust and faith in God and revealed their faith and trust through their obedience. The moment Jesus entered the world, he changed the lives of those who encountered him. He still does that today. 

Starting with Mary we see her devout obedience to God and her complete faith. When the angel visited her and gave her the announcement that she was going to have a son, and his kingdom will reign forever, Mary asked how it would be since she never had any sexual relations. When the angel explained that the Spirit of God would come over her and she would conceive, Mary believed it. Before the angel left, she gave her statement of faith. “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38; CSB) Mary revealed her faith as she trusted that God’s way was perfect and that she was his servant. She obeyed God because of her faith and trust in God. 

Along with Mary, Joseph had his own encounter with an angel. He was going to divorce her quietly before they were married, but the angel explained that she was able to conceive through the power of God. He then married Mary but did not have sexual relations with her until after Jesus was born so that no one could claim that he was the biological father. 

Mary and Joseph had complete trust and faith in God. Like all the other Israelites, they were waiting for the Messiah. They believed that it would be a grand entrance, but instead, Jesus came to earth as a baby. Jesus came to a humble couple who had no idea how they would fulfill all that the angel said, but they were obedient to God’s plan.  Being obedient is not just about not committing specific sins. Being obedient is putting our faith and trust in God, especially during the times of life when it is difficult to put our trust and faith in God. 

Mary and Joseph were not the only people at Jesus’s birth that revealed their faith and trust through obedience to God. There were shepherds out in the fields guarding their sheep at night when they were visited by an angel. The angel told them that the Savior was born. The angel then explained that they would find the baby in a manger wrapped in a swaddling cloth. Then, a multitude of angels came and shouted praise to God. The shepherds decided to go visit and see this baby. Most people know that part of the story, thanks in part to the Charlie Brown Christmas special. If we look closer at this account with the shepherds, we discover that their faith and trust in God superseded everything else in their lives. 

The shepherds left and went and found Jesus in a manger wrapped in a swaddling cloth. After they saw the baby, they went and reported all that they saw and experienced to everyone they met. I have a question. What happened to the sheep that they were guarding? Did they leave them? If they did, they just lost their jobs. It wasn’t their flock of sheep. It was a flock of sheep they were protecting. Did they take the flock with them? If they did, they didn’t have permission to take the flock out of the fields and traipse them through a town.

Whichever choice the shepherds chose, through their obedience they revealed their faith and trust in God was of more importance than their jobs. If we claim to have faith and trust in God, we will put him first, even over our careers, even if our careers are in full-time ministry. With God first in our lives, people will be amazed at the events that we tell them, just like the shepherds. 

The shepherds were not the only visitors that came to visit Jesus. There were Magi who came from the East following a star that they had seen. Herod asked them to come back and tell them where he could find Jesus. They followed that star for almost two years. When they found Jesus, they worshipped him and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They honored his life of royalty, his worthiness of worship, and a significant death.

The real significance of the Magi was not that they visited and worshipped Jesus, but that they were forever changed. They were not Jewish. They were Gentiles. They were warned in a dream that Herod wanted to harm Jesus, so they returned home a different way. They found Jesus and went home in a new direction. When we come and worship Jesus, we should return home in a different direction with our lives. We should recognize our sin and repent from it. The Magi obeyed and revealed their new faith and trust in God. 

This Christmas, discover how you can be obedient to what God is calling you to do. In your faith and trust in God begin to worship him with your obedience. We must come and understand we obey not because it is a rule or what we must do, but what we get to do because of what Jesus came to earth and did for us. Our obedience will reveal our trust and faith in God. So, have a Merry Christmas with faith and trust in God through your obedience to Him. 

Christmas: A Pagan or Christian Holiday?

 Every year at Christmas my non-Christian friends and friends who do not celebrate Christmas remind me that Christmas originated as a pagan holiday. They then question why would I celebrate it? It made me think. Why would I celebrate a former pagan holiday? Most people today do not know the origins of Christmas. They even get angry if some people greet you with a “Merry Christmas” because they do not believe in. Christ. The holiday has changed from a pagan holiday to a Christian holiday because of the early Christians who found a way to take the power away from evil and instill the power of Christ. 

With the original pagan holiday, they would take the day off from work and celebrate the coming of the winter season. They would decorate their homes with lights and greenery. They would have parties with gift exchanges. Then, some would go to the temple for a human sacrifice. That last part is pure evil but wait. The entire reason Jesus came to earth was to be a human sacrifice. Comparing that pagan holiday with today’s rendition of Christmas we can see what the early Christians did. 

The Christians, who were not snobs but had pagan friends, went to the house parties. At some point, they decided to change the day from evil to good. We don’t know the exact date that Jesus was born, but those Christians decided we needed to celebrate the birth of Christ. His entrance into the world changed everything. So, they took that pagan holiday, and instead of having a human sacrifice, went to the temple and worshipped Jesus who was our human sacrifice for our sins. Those Christians knew the power of Christ. 

Jesus changed the world. He turned B.C. into A.D. His entrance into the world was unassuming. The only people that heard and saw the angels in heaven were the lowly shepherds. So, they went to the barn where Jesus was born. Their lives were changed forever. The Magi visited him, and they were so changed that they took a different route home to avoid Herod. 

Jesus came to earth and walked in our shoes. He understands our hurts and pains. When he was on earth, he was fully God, but he was also fully human. Being fully human he understood the joys and sorrows of the human life. He left his perfect home in heaven to save us. We can celebrate his entrance so we can remind people of the love and grace that Jesus brought to earth. 

Our world needs Jesus. They don’t need our expertise. They don’t need our human judgment. They need Jesus. When we celebrate Jesus this Christmas season, let us remember those who are in pain and need the love of Jesus. Some people may have lost their way with Christmas and buy too many gifts. Others may forget Jesus when they decorate, but all are reminded through the music and books that Jesus came to earth and brought peace and joy. 

So, as you celebrate Christmas, recognize where you see Jesus. He is the light. He brought peace. His way into the world was the way in the manger. He brought the gift of salvation. That gift alone is worth the celebration. When Jesus came to earth, the power was taken from the evil, and the power of Jesus reigned. 

Politicians Will Not Save Us

 Politicians Will Not Save Us

“I voted! Now, everything wrong in this country will be right!” Those may not be the exact words that people say, but they are definitely the sentiment. As human beings, we have not evolved or grown much for the past two thousand years. The Israelites were anticipating a king who would come and save them. They believed that this king would defeat their enemies and allow them to live in safety, peace, and comfort. That king never came. They got Jesus. This reminds me that as human beings we don’t need a human being to take all our problems away. We need a Savior to take our sins away and save us with grace and love. 

With all of the political rhetoric in-person, on social media and through our news outlets, it is observable that people are waiting for a politician to save them from their dire straits. This political leader will rescue them from financial struggles and keep them safe from other enemies. 

Both of these groups fail to recognize that we don’t need someone to rescue us from our government but from ourselves. The peace that Jesus brought when he came into the world, was not a peace from physical war. Jesus gives us a peace that gives us strength to endure the trials in life that occur, and with every trial, Jesus will be with us. 

Jesus came to save us from our sins. He did not come to make our life comfortable and safe. We strive to have a comfortable and safe life, and we become disillusioned when we do not achieve it. Jesus did not come into the world and expel all the wicked people. He forgave them and died for them. With our sin, we are in the category of the wicked people for which he died. His actions confounded the people that he encountered when he walked on earth, and it would confound the people today, as it still does. 

Jesus would disappoint many of the Christians today if he arrived as he did when he was a baby. The people then rejected him as king, so the people of today would too. Jesus would not arrive and make or confirm any new laws. He wouldn’t support any political candidate. He went to thee homes of sinners and had a meal with them. He would heal people and tell them to go and sin no more. Most people today both Christians and non-Christians would be confused with the actions of Jesus. With that confusion, many would struggle to believe in Jesus. 

Jesus came and was the perfect Savior that we needed. He forgave us of our sins and gave us freedom from sin with his love and grace. We need his sacrifice, love, and grace. Jesus always gives us what we need. Many of us want our country to be better, but we don’t want to do anything to sacrifice for it. If we want people around us to be better, we must be better, which will cause us to sacrifice our own desires for the desires of others. We must focus on what we need, which is salvation, and less on what we want, which is comfort and safety. 

We need a savior who will save us from our sins. A politician cannot do that. We need a savior who will love us and show us mercy. A politician doesn’t even know us, much less love us with our flaws and all. Jesus promised us that we can go to him for comfort and peace, but he never promised us he will keep us safe or comfortable. Politicians have promised us to keep us safe and comfortable, but they have all failed at that too. 

We need less arguing over whose political agenda is correct and more of knowing who Christ is and how he works in our lives. We can vote, but if we are not acting with the love of Jesus in our daily lives, then our political debates are just clanging gongs that are useless to everyone who hears them. With our voices, we must proclaim the hope and love that Jesus gives. We all need a savior. Jesus is the savior that we need, as he has saved us from our sins, will continue to save us today and tomorrow in the future. God knows what is best for his human beings. God didn’t send a politician. He sent his perfect son who sacrificed everything so we can live. May we sacrifice our pride and our arguments to bring people into the presence of Jesus. 

The Power of Books

 I spent this last weekend at an English teacher’s conference. While at this conference, I will receive many books for my classroom library and my own personal library. I haven’t been an English teacher all my life, but when I was returning to the classroom, it makes sense that I am teaching my passions…reading and writing. I have always devoured books my entire life. I may not read what is always popular or what others believe is spectacular literature, but I read broadly and deeply. 

Books have influenced my life. They have informed my decisions. For example, I have read Christian literature that made me think about my own choices in life with relationships. I have read and taught Frankenstein so much that I often wonder who or what is a true monster in life. That book also opened my eyes to how some people may view God. I have read nonfiction books that are in the Christian genre for growth and understanding of the Bible. I have read nonfiction business books that are also self-improvement books. I have made better decisions in my life because of those nonfiction books. 

I have read novels in which I have resonated with the main character. Some of the historical novels that I am currently reading have opened my eyes to the understanding of true history because I have been able to research the events. I also have a love for history, so I am the one buying the historical books on sale. With all of my reading, there is one book that has made the most impact on my life. 

I have read the Bible, more than once. Even as a child, I tried to read the entire Bible, although I got stuck around 1 and 2 Kings. For a kid, those books are a bit heavy. Then, when I joined my church’s Bible quiz team, I was memorizing and soaking in God’s Word everyday as a highschooler. The Bible impacted my decisions and my view of the world. I resonate with many of the characters in the Bible, especially those who were overlooked. 

As I continue to study the Bible, I realized that even though I had memorized it or had read it before, it still speaks into my life. With my Bible reading, I have discovered the love Jesus has for me and for everyone in the world. I also realized that many of the ideologies that were taught to me in the church were not Biblical but were created by human beings to monitor the lives of people in the church. That thought made me ask a question of wonder. I wondered how many people in the church, including the leaders, read the Bible for their own understanding? 

Here's my confession: I have been more consistent with reading the Bible since I left youth ministry than when I was in youth ministry. Sure, I read the Bible to prepare lessons and presentations, but my own consistent time in God’s Word was lackluster. I knew God’s Word, but instead of reading it for how God could work in my life, I only read it for how it could work in the lives of my students. With that method, I sounded great, but I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. Once I left youth ministry, I began to practice what I preached. 

When I left youth ministry, I fell in love with God’s Word again. I began to devour it and started to read all those Christian books that I had purchased while in youth ministry. My attitude toward other people changed. I realized I cannot fix or change anyone. I can only fix or change myself. Jesus can change people. Jesus does change people. It is up to us to lead people to Jesus, not our version of who he is with our understanding of the Bible. 

If we claim to have Biblical values, we must open the Bible and read it. We must read it for how it is written and not with our blinders of our own agendas or views. We must find commentaries, dictionaries, and other helps that explain the context, so we understand what it actually says and not with our own blinders of what we have been taught all our lives. 

We must stop quoting passages or a verse here and there and then believe it ends the conversation. We must quote a passage or a verse to start the conversation. A conversation includes questions. Instead of getting frustrated when people ask us questions about the Bible, especially when it is about the confusing parts, we must answer with love. If we don’t have the answer, we let them know that we will do everything we can to find the answer. 

We must stop using the Bible as a stick to strike upon someone’s head. The Bible is a sword. It is an offensive weapon. The battle is between unseen things, not human beings to whom we are supposed to show love. As an offensive weapon, it can only be used to start and bring people into the winning side, not to defeat and just walk away with pride. When we defeat people using the Bible on social media and walk away with pride, we do not represent Jesus. we represent the Pharisees, as that is exactly how they behaved. 

Taking time to read the Bible is a process. First, we must stop with the guilt shaming. If you miss a day, then pick it up the next day. If you miss a week, pick it up the next week. The goal is not just to read it, but to infuse it into your life and allow God to speak directly to you. So, set a time that is best for you. It could be first thing in the morning, or when you get home from work, or before you go to bed, or after dinner. Whatever time that you have as natural down time in your life, use that time to meet with God in his Word. 

Where should you start? Start where you need to be. Search on Google for passages that connect with the areas in your life of which you are struggling, even with doubts in your faith. Then start with that passage or book. You can continue with that or read the books around the one that you just finished. 

Use devotionals or readings set in the Bible Apps. There are several devotionals that are free on the Internet. We don’t have room for all of the excuses. There are even guides if you want to read through the Bible on the Internet. I don’t have a problem with reading through the Bible, but if we want to dive deep into God’s Word, you must be intentional of your reading. Be intentional to read to understand. 

The more people in the church that are taking the time to read the Bible will create stronger connections with those who are outside of the church. Instead of just throwing out “Biblical thoughts,” we will have answers that God has given us. In this time of Thanksgiving, take the time to show gratefulness and begin a conversation with God by reading and listening to what he has to say. It will open your mind and heart to what you have to say to him. 

Vote, Then Act

 At the most, we vote four times a year. Is that all we have to do? Do we just vote, and then go on social media and blast those who believe and vote differently than us? It seems strange to me because I see the hole. I see the gap. That’s one of my specialties. I am able to see the gaps in areas that no one wants to admit exist, but that doesn’t mean they are not there. In fact, those holes and gaps are growing larger, and they are causing most of our problems. 

It’s the gaps and holes that I want to fill because if they are not filled then nothing changes, no matter who the leaders are. We have holes and gaps in our society, and they must be filled so that change can occur in our country. Change is not a bad thing. It is a necessity for growth. We are a young country, so we should always be growing and changing. 

The first hole or gap that must be filled is the one of economic disparity. I am not one of those who blasts those who are billionaires, and those who are better not play the lottery this week. If you are a billionaire, that’s great. What I do wonder is why we, especially the church, have neglected the poor.  The church is great at responding, especially to the emergencies, or drives for the holidays. However, the church would be stronger and a beacon of light if we would act instead of reacting. 

We don’t always realize that what we do well, could benefit someone else. Do you love math? You could help guide some in our impoverished communities with a budget or help with taxes. There are centers at which you can volunteer in those areas. Do you love to cook or bake? You could work at a shelter within the food services area. You could also train others to create healthy meals. Are you in the medical field? You could donate time in a community to give basic health care. As a teacher, we need help. In our poor communities, we could use tutors to help our young people get on grade level with reading, writing, and math. 

Volunteering your time can feel incredibly invading into your life because time is short and there is not enough time to give in your life. There are other ways to volunteer. Pick one issue in which you are extremely passionate and connect with a group online and volunteer with them. It could be as small as sending out announcements in emails or sending a group text.

For people who claim that they do not have the time to volunteer, then make sure you are not wasting your time debating or arguing on social media with people you do not know about politics. That does not help. It does not change anyone’s mind. It is just someone trying to receive validation that their way of thinking is the best way of thinking, and everyone should join them in their ideas. That is not helpful. In fact, it is harmful. No one is going to change their minds politically because of our social media posts. Doing a small act of kindness could create an incredible ripple effect of that act creating in someone else doing a small act of kindness, and then it continues to someone else. 

Being active in serving the community always trumps voting because it validates the vote that you are giving. Besides, people will not remember you for how you voted. They will remember how you treated them. Our society has become so polluted with hatred toward those who think and believe differently than us. This has harmed the church because people believe that we hate those who think and believe differently than us. We don’t. We may not agree with the actions of stealing or murder, but we accept you for your different beliefs and thoughts. 

When I was in youth ministry, I recognized a phenomenon with our growth in numbers. Our ministry thrived and grew numerically when we had unity. The moment a mole came in our group and began division, we began to disseminate. When we were united, everyone was willing and even volunteered to serve in various spaces. Being united wasn’t about the fact we all believed the same. Our unity came when we accepted and genuinely cared for everyone who walked into the room. Imagine that occurring in our churches and our country. 

Voting is powerful, but maybe with our vote we need to serve. Along with our serving, we need to unite with those who think and believe differently than us. Power doesn’t come with one small act. It comes with many small acts that make the vote actually work. We are powerless when we insult those who are different from us. We are powerful when we empower those who need it. We need more actions with our voting and less arguing.  We need more love and less hatred. Imagine the world we would wake up in with one in which people accepted one another instead of rejecting one another. You just might have a world in which the politicians have to do their jobs and fulfill their promises. Now that would be a powerful shift! 

Kindergarten was Right-We Need Rest Time!

 “God’s work is never done! So, I can’t take an entire day off because I am doing God’s work!” I heard that line from pastors when I was in ministry my entire career. I almost always heard it when I declined to do something because it was on my day off. One pastor was regarded as the greatest because he never took a complete day off. That line of thinking is unbiblical. God rested. Jesus went off by himself to pray. We are not greater than God. We must take time to rest. 

I am taking time today to rest. I am exhausted. even though I went to an amazing conference with my church this weekend, I’m still tired. I started tired. Part of my tiredness is my fault. I don’t always go to bed early. I’m trying to change that with my small Sabbath this weekend and extra day. I know better. I know that with rest I am a better person. Rest affects every area of our health, emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. We must do what Jesus did when he was on earth and take time to rest. 

When we are tired, our emotional health is low. Many people become angry. Anger is not a sin. What we do when we are angry can become sinful. When we are tired, many times our anger leads to sinful actions. Our words may be unpleasant to others. Our attitudes may be horrible. Other people do not need to tolerate our emotions. As Christians, we owe it to the world to give others our best selves. We can only do that when we are well rested. 

Our mental health suffers when we don’t rest. I recognized that I could not think of simple terms or names when I was completely exhausted. I made silly mistakes with electronics or in my life. Those mistakes can be costly, especially with areas of driving. The Bible tells us to control our minds and to not conform to the patterns of this world. When we are tired, we conform because we cannot think clearly. Rest will give us clear thinking. 

Our physical health suffers when we are tired. I noticed I eat unhealthier when I am tired because I crave unhealthy foods. During the pandemic, many people gained weight. They were eating unhealthily because they were emotionally and physically tired. We can get hurt if we exhort too much exercise when we are tired. It happens to young athletes. Rest helps our bodies become healthy. 

Our spiritual health suffers when we are tired. We don’t want to worship God. We begin to question if God exists because life is so bad for us at this time. if we just take time to rest, we will have clarity of the life situations that surround us. When Elijah was ready to die, it was because he was exhausted. God gave him food and put him to sleep. He rested. He was ready to go. Rest helps our faith in God. 

So, how do we rest? First, we stop with the excuses. If you believe you do not have time to rest, find mentors that will help you find the time. These mentors can be in the same professions as you. They can be authors or coworkers, or those on podcasts. Although many teachers are tired, I have always found those teachers that are not tired and have a lot of energy. I realize that if I want to be that teacher, I must rest. 

Stop with the excuses of not setting a bedtime. Science has proven that teenagers need more rest. Science has proven that the rest comes going to bed earlier, not sleeping in later. So, what did the state of California do? They started high school later. It’s not beneficial. My students are still tired as many of them have to come to school early as their parents still go to work early. I realized that I’m just like my students. I want to stay up late. I must get into the routine of going to bed earlier to have more rest at night. 

Next, we must find what the source of our problems are with sleep. If you struggle to sleep, you must go to the doctor and find ways with your doctor of what the issue is. The last time I took my sister to the doctor for a small procedure, I sat right outside the sleep therapy area. In that area, they were testing people for their sleep patterns. We must lower our pride and get help. 

Finally, we must see rest as a spiritual act. If we have better attitudes and are mentally stronger with more rest, we will see the necessity of rest. God’s work can be done by someone else. Many times, God wants someone else to do the job. God needs us, and he needs us to be healthy. We do no one any good when we are unhealthy. 

Take time to take some rest. Give yourself permission. Take time away from work to just rest. It is not a day to run errands, but a day that you stop and rest. Find yourself doing better with rest. People around you will notice the different you when you are well rested. The world needs us; they don’t need mean tweets, but well rested Christians to represent the love of Jesus. 

Surviving the Hurricanes of Life

 Surviving the Hurricane of Life

It was the end of summer in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1979. I remember it well. The media screamed for days that a hurricane was approaching, and we had to take shelter. It was Labor Day Weekend. The media didn’t scare my mom, but because we lived in a mobile home, we had to evacuate. Hurricane David hit our city at 1:00AM. We were fortunate. We got the eye of the storm. Do you know the meme where the lawn furniture is knocked over? That was the extinct of the damage of Hurricane David for us in Daytona. It went out in the ocean, moved up the coast, and demolished a small town in South Carolina. 

Hurricanes are predictable, and yet, they are not. Their path of destruction can turn and hit an unexpecting town. The media screams for people to be prepared, but they also instill fear. Life has its hurricanes. In life, it is not if a hurricane will strike us, but when. From my own experience, I have discovered that with the hurricanes of life, we must be prepared, we must assess the damage, and we must ask for help as we have served others. 

Whether you have been a boy scout or a girl scout, you know one of the important part of the creeds is to be prepared. The only way we can face the storms in life is to have plans and materials in place. For a hurricane in Florida, people have working generators, supplies of water, and food stored for several days. For the storms of life, we must have our lives ready for the storms that hit us. We must be in prayer. Just because we pray, it doesn’t mean that God will take away our storm, but He will give us guidance of how to weather the storm. We know how to weather the storm when we are grounded in God’s Word. 

Being grounded in God’s Word is going beyond the sweet stories and understanding the context and how God works in the lives of humans. We must seek out understanding of passages that have been destroyed through the eyes of those who do not know or understand God. The way we do this is to read the Bible, take notes, read commentaries, and find people who understand the passages, either in books, podcasts, or real life. Real life relationships are also essential for preparing for a storm. 

Relating to people who care and understand your storm is critical for surviving the storm, and then eventually thriving. No one needs the mean tweets of people who either don’t exist or do not care about other humans who exist. We need people who empower us. Those who have been through the storms, empower and encourage us. Storms like cancer, actual storms that destroy our homes, broken relationships, or lost careers are survived with people. People weathering the storm with you help you with the damage and help with the clean-up, which leads you to healing. 

We must be ready for the after effect of the storm. Clean-up from Hurricane Ian will be immense. I spent a week in New Orleans six months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city. There were so many church groups, humanity groups, and non-profit organizations that gathered for the clean-up to rebuild of the city. 

Before we could rebuild in New Orleans with the group that I served, we first had to clean-up the damage. I was there six months after the hurricane hit, and we were gutting homes and cleaning them out for people who did not have the financial means or the people to help them do that. When a hurricane hits your life, you must rid your life of the damaged goods that will hinder you from moving in the future. 

Your damaged goods could be physical ailments, broken relationships, loss of a career, or physical loss of material items. Those broken items can either be repaired or thrown out for new. I hate getting rid of items in my life that are sentimental or that I have spent time on creating and spending my life within them. In recent years, I have discovered that when I held those items too close, I was blinded with emotions that were harming and not open to what could be in front of me. 

We all have damaged goods that must be removed from our lives. We may have to employ the help of others to remove them. I have recognized in my life and in the lives of others that asking for help is a difficulty for many people. In New Orleans, the people had left their homes as is from the hurricane. Six months later when we were there to help, they decided to take our help. Our leader connected with agencies to find these people. Once we gutted out one home, a neighbor asked us for help with their home. It was eye opening to them that volunteers were there for them. We didn’t say, “No,” to anyone. 

We all must receive help when the hurricanes in life hit us. It’s not weak to receive help. It’s not socialism to have a group of people surround you and give you their talents, time, and gifts to help you recover from your storm. It’s humanity. In recent years, many have forgotten how to be human. Maybe it was the lockdown of the pandemic that created selfishness. If you don’t agree with people, you don’t get their help is a selfish and evil way to think. Jesus helped those who didn’t even believe in him. He fed those who were hungry and healed those who needed healing whether they followed him or not. We must be willing to receive the help, and when we have weathered the storm, we must step up and help those who are experiencing a similar storm. 

For those of us who are not in a time of a hurricane, we must reach out and empower and help those who are. For those of you who are weathering a storm, reach out for help. Many people in my social media have opened up about having cancer. They kept it to themselves for many months. Imagine the prayer warriors if they had given us their diagnosis from the beginning. People will not pity you. People will give you empathy. I have seen people connect people with doctors, lawyers, and new jobs because they were vulnerable and willing to allow others to serve them. 

We may not get financial help just because we are broke. We may receive advice. We may receive a way to find a job, or a job offer. For me, I discovered how to make my resume and cover letter better. I also discovered how to interview better. I did get prayer from prayer warriors, and it was from them that gave me strength. 

We all have storms in our lives. Reflecting on my life and the storms I had, I wish I had connected with others more and was more open about my status in life. Whenever I did tell people about my situation, I received good advice, friends, and prayers from people. I didn’t get pity. I didn’t get shamed. I got empowerment.

Hurricane Ian has hit. Let’s join in the effort to help those with their hurricanes to clean-up and move forward to thrive. Let’s help others and receive the help from others. We were not created to do life alone but in community. The church exists in community. The community can gather with one another and build you up. The help may not be what you want, (Many churches are financially strapped, so a handout of money may not be available) but it will always be what you need. For those of us not in a storm right now, let us be the church and serve those who are. 

Autumn-The Season of Chage

 Since I cannot see the change of autumn with leaves turning colors in the trees and creating a beautiful landscape, I have become obsessed with pumpkin spice. Living in Southern California, I know it is the season of autumn with all the pumpkin spice lattes, bakery items, and Trader Joe’s delightful foods that add pumpkin into it. We have one street in Los Angeles where the trees change colors. The weather is not cool, as we are experiencing a small heat wave. So, we rely on the treats that give our physical bodies comfort. 

As much as I love summer, the pumpkin spice lattes have given me a reason to look forward to autumn. My favorite season is summer. As a young person and now as a teacher, it is a season of rest and fun. When autumn comes, we are back in the dull routine of school, work, and fun comes on the weekends. If I’m being honest, what really scares me about autumn is the idea that change is coming. Even though I am someone who likes change or rather the end result of change, like everyone else, I do not like the process of change. 

Change comes into our lives at all seasons, but autumn reminds us that change must come so that we can grow. When the leaves fall from the trees, and the weather becomes cooler (in some parts of America), we begin to prepare ourselves for a new season. God has given us the seasons to remind us that we must change so we can grow. 

If every season was summer, most people would not be productive. We would become content and comfortable. Once something comes along that disrupts our comfort, we whine and cry out to God wondering where he is. He’s right where he always is. God doesn’t change because God doesn’t need to grow. We must change so we can grow. 

Change is painful because it leads us into the unknown, but we can lessen the pain with changing our attitude about change. We must understand that change is necessary for us to grow. Children change as they grow. They grow so fast. They don’t complain about the growth and changes until adults create the complaints for them. Children face the growth eagerly with anticipation that the result will be amazing. Imagine if as adults we had that same attitude. 

If we faced change in our relationships that it will be amazing if we change our habits, we will be willing to change habits. If we faced change in careers or jobs that it will be great in the end, we would enjoy the process of finding a new career. If we faced change in the church that the result will be amazing with more people coming to Jesus, we will see more people come to Jesus. It’s not about changing the process or methods. It’s about changing our hearts to allow God to work with us with the change. 

We must be ready to change. We must change our hearts from an attitude of arrogance to humility. We must be willing to allow change into our lives so that we can influence others. We don’t have to change our moral values or our theology. We can, however, change how we think about those who have different moral values and theology than us. Instead of arguing and complaining, especially online, we can allow others to teach us how they came to their ideas of theology and morals. 

For the past few years, I have had a change of heart about how to treat those who think differently from me politically. I listen to their point of view. If I ask questions, I try to frame them with a heart of learning and not a heart of bashing. This has become a huge change for me. I post less on social media, as I have discovered that many people do not respond to sarcasm or cynicism. Besides, I have also learned that those two actions are unbecoming for healthy relationships. 

We must change our attitudes of how we see people. We must see others as fellow human beings. Jesus saw people for their humanity. He didn’t excuse or overlook their sins, but he saw their humanity. Imagine the power the church would have over the world if we saw the humanity in people, especially those who believe and think differently than us. It would be a beautiful world. The world is waiting and watching for Christians to take a step forward. Let us step forward and change our hearts to see the humanity of people. 

The process of seeing the humanity of people will be allowing the deadness of our words to drop and cease. We will get tired. We will have to cool down from the emotions, but in the end, as we see people meet Jesus, it will be worth it. Our goal was never to have better morals than others. It was always to bring people into the presence of Jesus. If we don’t do that, then the words that we use are unnecessary. Let’s make a change and change the world with us. 

The Fighting on Social Media and Christians.

I am just as guilty as anyone else who gets into a nonsensical argument on social media that will not even make a dent of a difference in the world. As much as I attempt to stay away, I find myself falling for another trap and getting involved in arguments that are useless. When I continued to see this discourse and how it is affecting people’s images of others, I decided to ponder upon it. Then, I saw a robot or what some consider a “bot” stirring up controversy on a hot-button issue. It’s bad enough that politicians and people who have the time to spend all day on social media stir up trouble, and now, we must be aware that some of those are just robots. So, why do we fall for it? 

Someone somewhere is controlling the atmosphere. Without being a psychologist, they also understand the dynamics that pull people into commenting on issues of which they are passionate. There it is. They find our passions. They know from history how people will respond when our passions are being attacked. It’s fine to defend our passions. What we must begin to understand is that because we are passionate about an issue doesn’t mean that we are experts or know the full truth or are empathetic to those whose passions may be different or opposite of ours. 

I have discovered in recent times that everyone is an expert…about everything. Take an issue and the next thing you know, they know every detail about it, or so they think. Just because a church, a political party, or a news outlet aligns with your views, does not make it correct or you an expert. Is anyone besides Jesus a true expert? Didn’t we learn during the lockdowns that experts can be wrong? You can have knowledge about a subject, but that doesn’t mean you are an expert. We must become humble and acknowledge that we may not know everything about everything. 

Instead of being experts, we must become learners. When we discover an issue in the world that bothers us, we must research what the truth is with that issue. Once we discover all the details, we realize that not only are we not experts about an issue, but we may have been wrong. Whether we discover if we are right or wrong, we must search for the truth. Without truth, we sound ignorant because we bought into the lie. With those lies, we insult people. Truth is essential to squash the disunity in our society, especially on social media.  

For centuries, people have been searching for truth. When Jesus told Pilate that every one of the truth testifies that Jesus is king, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Pilate didn’t understand truth because he lived by his truth instead of the truth. We cannot just spew our truth, which is based on our life experiences. We all have unique life experiences. We all have lived within our own upbringings and cultures. That creates a diverse society. What we must begin to understand is that other people have lived other experiences. We must begin to learn from others. If we are continuous learners, we will discover the truth over what we perceive to be true. 

When an issue arises in society, instead of jumping on the side of your political or religious views, research the subject. Find the truth. Religious leaders have been wrong. They misuse the Bible to force people to obey their standards. When you research the subject, you discover information that is not in the media. You discover information that has been eliminated from the public view, which should be concerning. The truth will set you free. It sets us free from getting into the debates because we know the truth. It sets us free from misunderstandings because we know what the truth is. Once we know the truth about an issue, we then can understand other people and our empathy grows. 

When we are followers of Christ, we know we don’t have to get into the petty debates because we understand that Jesus has room for everyone. Since Jesus has room for everyone, so can we. We don’t have to water down the Bible or the theology of Jesus. We must take a walk in the path of someone else. Most of us do not know what it is like to live in a different country other than America. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, we must admit that we have no idea what life is like in a country with living standards that are different from ours. 

If we admit that we don’t understand the living standards of people in other countries, we can admit that we don’t know what it is like to live the lives of others in our own communities. Everyone has their own peculiarities. Each person is an individual. Without empathy, we are rude and unkind. The fighting breaks friendships because we didn’t take the time to understand the other person and his or her struggle. 

We as Christians must do better. It is one of the factors that is driving people away from the church. Who wants to be involved with a group of people who are perfect and know everything about everything? Jesus didn’t work with the perfect. Research the way his disciples behaved, and you will realize that Jesus had empathy for humans, and He set the perfect example for us to have empathy for others. 

Take time this week to research an issue that you are passionate about. Go beyond the first topic on the Internet. Dig deep and have conversations with people who are dealing with those issues. Instead of jumping on a bandwagon with the group that you agree, take a stroll in the other lane, and discover why people may think differently from you. 

It all comes to the point that we must have love and respect for human beings. No one human is the same as the other. We are not clones. Some of us refuse to be put into a box with the clones that people try to create. Let us live the passage in 2 Timothy 2. “Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But reject foolish and ignorant disputes because you know that they breed quarrels. The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of THE truth.” (2 Timothy 2:22-25; CSB) Let us pursue righteousness, flee from quarrels, and be led to knowledge of THE truth.  

Remove Your Plank, and Leave My Splinter Alone

 Remove Your Plank, and Leave My Splinter Alone

Have you ever found yourself going down the rabbit hole with someone on social media and having a political argument? I would say debate or discussion, but in the social media world, that seldom exists. In the recent past, I have discovered that perfect people who have knowledge about every political agenda exist. I didn’t think they did, but I’ve seen their posts. They make claims that if you even slightly disagree, they will tear you apart with words to berate you. It makes you wonder if they have been this evil with their words all along and you haven’t noticed it, or if you or they have changed. 

Let me the one to break the news to you. No one is perfect. No one has all the knowledge, especially with political fodder. Most of the political fodder is incorrect information anyway, so how could anyone on social media have all the answers and all the knowledge? Once we realize that we don’t have all the answers, and we are not perfect, maybe we could begin to understand the damage we are doing when we judge others for the splinters, we think we see in the eyes of others. 

Many Christians tout that the Bible informs us that we must judge others, especially in the arena of sin. They are partially right. I don’t like being partially right. I either want to be right or wrong. The partial part gets me in trouble. It turns the mirror onto me.  Maybe we need to have the mirror turned on us. For the few passages that inform us to judge others, there are some perimeters. First, you only judge the Christians. Second, you must be worthy to judge. Third, you must realize that you too will be judged in the same manner that you judge. So, if we are going to judge, let’s first turn the mirror on ourselves and investigate our own lives. 

The first person to judge is yourself. What sin are you struggling with? How do you want other people to treat you if they discover that you have this sin in your life? Do you want the experts who have never struggled with this sin to inform you how perfect they are? Do you want the experts to berate you for your sin or flaw? Do you want the experts to explain that you should have done life like they did? Most of us would answer those questions with the word, “No,” So why do we do it? 

If we can focus on the sins and flaws of others, we can hide from our own sins and flaws. As an avid viewer of Lifetime movies, I have discovered that serial killers are the best at focusing on the splinters in the eyes of others and avoiding the plank of their murders in their own eyes. It may not be physical murder, but Christians do the exact same thing as they destroy others with boasting on their perfections and exposing that those who are not as perfect as they are in an area are flawed and sinful. If we can avoid our own sins, then people will perceive us as righteous, holy, and good. If they knew our sins, then they would see us as evil. 

If we focus on ourselves, we can help guide others out of their sins. We would begin to have empathy. If we realize that we have a sin with which we struggle, then we have empathy for those who have a sin that is different from ours. If we took time to investigate the reasons why some people may struggle with these sins, we then can gain some empathy. Looking into the reasons of why people indulge in the sins that they do means we must have relationships with people who sin differently than us. Instead of berating them for their sins and flaws, we understand they have a struggle. With that understanding, we know how to approach them. 

If we truly want someone to rid a sin in their life because it is harming their own life, then we must discover the way in which we inform people of their flaws and sins. The Bible gives the perfect blueprint. 

Jesus laid out the path for us. If someone has offended you, go to them in private. Social media posts are not private. If they do not listen, then bring two or three witnesses with you. If that doesn’t work, then take them to the leaders. If that doesn’t work, treat them like an outsider because you are not going to convince them that they are wrong. Along with the passage in Matthew 18, we have another blueprint in James. 

In the small book of James, there lies a huge piece of evidence of how to confront people with their sins. “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16, NIV) We like that last sentence. However, our prayer is powerful and effective because we are righteous when we confess our sins to one another. That first sentence gets us. It doesn’t say, “Walk up to me and point out my sins.” It also doesn’t say, “On social media, claim how horrible I am because of my sin.” It says I need to hear your sin first. We are to confess our sins to each other. If you don’t want to confess your sins, don’t point out the sins of others. 

Our society is divided. Everyone believes that their way is the most perfect and right way to live. We must treat others as we want to be treated. It starts when we fix the flaws in our own lives. Then, when we connect with others, we are more aware of our own sins than we are of theirs. We realize that judging people whom we do not know is not our task in life. The more we work on our own sins and flaws, the more we bring people into the presence of Jesus, which is the ultimate goal. It all starts when we begin to remove the plank from our own eye. 

First Day of School

 The night before the first day of school is full of anticipation. All my supplies are new and ready to go. Most of my supplies are ready to go. I have to find a new lunchbox. I go through my closet and begin to pick out the outfit for the first day and put it in a prominent place for the morning. I hope to continue this habit for the rest of the school year. starting with good habits is always helpful. It’s keeping those good habits that can hinder us. 

I go to bed at an uncharacteristic early time so that I can have proper rest for the first day of school. Another habit that I have begun to develop. Proper rest creates a great day at school for everyone. Rest. Some Christians have created an evil standard around rest. They are wrong. Rest is essential for us to maintain and grow in our faith. Children should have a proper bedtime. We are all children of God. We all must have a proper bedtime. 

As I step onto the campus, I am a bundle of nerves. Seeing friends for the first time in six weeks brings joy, but the anticipation of the work set before me looms in my mind. All the preparation for the first day is essential to a great year. Organization is a learned skill for most people. It is a habit that also must be developed. Some people believe that they are born organized. They are born with the desire that life around them is organized and runs without disruptions. Organization doesn’t eliminate disruptions. It prepares us for those times that we have them so we can still be successful when they occur. 

I decided this year that I will start my days with prayer. Of course, I have my quiet time and prayer within that, but prayer for my school on my own in my own space must occur so that I can remind myself that I am not there to be the best, the most well liked, or the leader, but to bring people into the presence of Jesus. That doesn’t have to be done with words. It can be done with my attitude and actions, which prayer will remind me to do every single day. 

The bell rings and everyone hustles into their first class. As everyone enters my first class, they all stare at me. I smile and greet them. Then, after a few award minutes, I introduce myself. “Good morning, I’m your teacher. Welcome to the first day of school for what I hope will be the best year for you in high school.” 

We all need a new first day. Whether you are in school or not, we all need to start anew. Choose a day to be your first day to create a new habit. Restart. Refuel. It changes you and the people around you. Then, when you walk into your space, your confidence is strong and your influence is even stronger. 

Having Faith in a Fearmongering World

For two years, our world was shut down because of Covid. Every single day our media outlets informed us, and some still inform us, how many Covid cases there were, how many were in the hospital, and how many deaths. Our leaders and the media spread fear. There is a basic reason for people spreading fear. If we fear, then they can control us. If we have faith and take even a small risk, we are out of their control. Faith is never controlled. 

For centuries, leaders in the church have attempted to control the followers of Jesus. They always used fear, which in many forms is the use of works. If they can control the followers of Jesus, they believe that they do not look bad as leaders s because the people’s behavior appears obedient to the Bible. The faithful Christians continued to live their lives by faith, and with Jesus, they changed the world. If we want to change the world, we must live by faith and not fear. The Bible does say to fear God. Our church leaders have for centuries had people fearing them over God. That is the problem. 

When we choose to fear, we live within perimeters. We choose not to crossover into unknown territory. We don’t change, which means we don’t grow. We become envious of those who are successful, and instead of admiring their successes, we insult and invalidate their work with terms that trigger people’s emotions that sound good but are guilt shaming people. We guilt shame people because we are too afraid to take a risk and live by faith and do what we are demanding that they do. 

In no way am I advocating for people to live recklessly. Having faith is not reckless, until you begin to think about it. This summer for the first time since early 2020, I got in a metal tube, and with a pilot I do not know, I flew in the sky over 40,000 feet to the other side of the country. Whether you are an atheist or a believer in God, flying requires faith in something and someone. It doesn’t seem reckless to fly on a commercial airline, but it does require faith. It doesn’t mean that people don’t have healthy fears, like choosing a specific airline, but living by faith requires us to step away from fear and trust. Faith requires trust. 

We must trust God even when life is full of trials, and we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. We were never promised an easy and comfortable life. God has promised us that he will be with us. Last summer was stressful as we moved. It was chaotic. Nothing went as planned, including the movers forgetting that they scheduled us to move. Then, I went back to the classroom to teach. I love the students; however, it was the worst year I have ever experienced in education. Every teacher in America will tell you the same thing. In the mess and chaos, I saw God work in my coworkers, my students, and in me. God is with us in the chaos. I also had to choose to have faith in the chaos. I refused to just walk away and give up on my students and myself. I pressed forward. 

In some parts of my life, I have created the chaos. In my first few years of youth ministry, I was unorganized. It would cause stress in my leaders and me. From an event where I became the victim of the leader’s disorganization, I learned that creating chaos creates distrust and faith is difficult to find. When we create chaos, we must turn to God and other human beings to help us out of the situation, but if we do not learn from it, then we just got rescued and our faith plateaus. When our faith plateaus, we question where God is, and then we begin to question if God cares for us or if He even exists. We must work to create peace in our lives so we can manage the chaos that interrupts us. 

It's not about doing activities that require risk, that builds faith over fear. It’s an inward peace that brings calm. One of the aspects of having faith over fear is peace. We must create peace in our lives amidst the chaos. Peace doesn’t appear. It is created. Peace is not what the world gives, which is no chaos or no violence, but peace is being strong when the chaos hits and understanding your role. 

When we take time to rest, peace abounds in our soul. Summertime is a time of rest as the days linger and beg for us to stop and enjoy God’s creation. Whether it is taking time to read a book, sitting on the porch, and reflecting on the sunset or sunrise, or taking a vacation away from the noise, summertime reminds us that we all must take time away from the busyness. Our jobs can have us take a day away from them. We must take time to rest. We must understand that God took time to rest, and we can too. 

Staying healthy with rest, food, and exercise brings peace to our souls. We understand that we are a whole body and not just one dimensional. God commanded us to rest. He created a day for us to remember to rest because He knew that our physical bodies needed it. We must be healthy because in times of a crisis, a healthy person makes the best decisions. A person who is unhealthy harms others and themselves. 

Having faith doesn’t mean being reckless but taking a risk that doesn’t harm but helps. Since the world has made us fearful in the past two years, many people stopped taking risks with their talents, gifts, careers, and relationships. Without risk, you don’t change. Without change you don’t grow. When you don’t grow, you become stagnant. When you are stagnant, you begin to question why other people are successful. Then, you begin to wonder if God loves you less than others because you are not doing what you want to be doing. The downward spiral happens slowly, but when you crash, you are in a deep dark hole without faith and a whole lot of fear. 

Taking a risk requires curiosity, which requires you asking questions of what should be done. If you are curious of why you have a passion, you must research your heart and the reason why you are passionate about that subject. God has given us passions that match our gifts and talents. If we do not use the gifts and talents that he gave us, we are not having faith. Faith becomes real when we choose to do that for which we have a passion. 

So, let us live the rest of this year with our passions and becoming faithful. As we are faithful, we will gain faith and the fear will slowly fade away because we are too busy focusing on what we are doing and what we can control in our lives rather than focusing on what we cannot control. Focus brings faith. Focus on Jesus. Focus on what you can do and what you can control. Before you know it, your focus will reveal your faith, which will diminish your fear. 

 

Reunions are Memory Makers

 For the past seven years, when I have travelled, it has been purposeful. It has been for a reunion, a writer’s conference, an English teacher’s conference, or volunteering with National Bible Bowl (a Bible quiz tournament). It was difficult to watch people gather in other states at those events while I stayed locked in my home in Los Angeles in both 2020 and 2021. Although some of my events were on Zoom, there is something unique and life affirming and possibly life changing of meeting in person. 

When I discovered that there would be a reunion for my college that closed in 2019, I hoped I would be able to attend in-person. When we first hear the word, “reunion,” we immediately flashback to the memories that we had together. We reminisce and live just a little bit in the past. It’s good to remember the past, especially the fun and people who helped shaped us into who we are today. What I have discovered is that reunions can also create memory makers for the future. 

I love to travel. I love to explore places that are new, along with places where I have visited before or have lived in my past. In the places where I lived, I developed friendships that have lasted since I moved. When I return to those friends, we gather for meals, talk, reunions, and enjoy the company of each other. I remember why I have a fondness of the place, but I also remember that I have a strength that is beyond human strength. Our faith in God has tied us together. 

I enjoy reminiscing but discovering how my friends have grown in Christ and the risks that they have taken in their faith is empowering to my own life. Jesus ties us together. I know that many people will claim that we will be together after death and in heaven. That is true, but sometimes we need encouragement here on earth. I never realized how much others influenced my faith, which is why as Christians we must be in community, and the communities must become healthy. 

As much trouble my college went through while I was there, our leaders were strong and healthy in their own faith, which kept us growing in Christ. Like one of my friends said, we were protected from some of the worst of it, which for our spiritual growth, we needed to be. We also didn’t need to know specifics for our gossipy mouths. What I have realized with this reunion and the reunion in 2019 is the importance of our churches being healthy. 

First, our churches must impart true community. Control divides and separates. Grace brings unity. I don’t need to be punished or excommunicated from the church for the sin I have committed, while others in the church, many times as leaders, are committing the same sins. We all must show grace to one another and encourage one another of how we can live in the life of Christ. Human beings do not determine my faith in Christ. There are not levels of Christianity. I was taught that my whole life, and it is incorrect. 

There are people who understand the love and grace of Christ immediately when they give their lives to Him. Others take a bit longer to understand faith. That does not create levels in faith. It describes the faith journey that is different for everyone. Paul describes the order of gifts in Romans. He does not describe the order of faith. Just because someone has a gift in a high order does not mean that person has more faith or is a “better” Christian. Paul also claims that the gifts that we don’t always see are sometimes more important than the ones that we do see. 

Faith is not a competition. There is no such thing as a “better” Christian. There are just people who have had to use much faith in their lives because of circumstances that have created it. Others have not acknowledged the faith that they have used in their lives. These are the ones that continue to live their lives as if Christianity is a competition. Jesus even claimed that the person with the most faith is like a young child. It is the one who has small faith that grows. 

To have true community in our churches, we must encourage and empower people to grow in their faith. That does not always mean growing in knowledge, but it means listening and understanding where people are and building relationships with them where they are. In college, our professors challenged us on our knowledge. The groups we joined, our internships, and our relationships challenged our faith. 

We must build relationships with people in our churches beyond Sunday mornings. I wrote an article on how Bible Bowl does that with teenagers. Our youth ministries strive to have young people build relationships with one another. Then, when they become adults, we falter. The elderly people have great communities. Why do we have great community when we are young and old? What happens in the middle?  We become so focused on how we present our faith to others that we forget people care more about who we are, not who we pretend to be. 

In college, one of my favorite people, Dr. David Roadcup, reminded us weekly to be authentic. I never knew how important that was until I worked in youth ministry. You can’t be fake around teenagers. They can smell out a fake within ten seconds. We all sin. No one is perfect. When you meet with someone, and they begin to expound their flaws or sins, share yours. You will find that being authentic brings respect, love, and faith. Dr. Roadcup was correct. Authenticity is a must in any ministry and in any church. 

Along with authenticity, we must tear down the barriers of disunity and build bridges. Our churches must build bridges with those teenagers who love one another and with the elderly who always have parties. When my home church was thriving, I remember Sunday School classes, now considered small groups, would have parties and events. Holidays are a great time for your small groups to gather in fellowship. People are searching for true community. It comes when we celebrate with one another. 

This week reminded me that my faith in Christ is built because of the people that God put in my life. We empower and encourage one another. Hebrews tells us to encourage one another for the day is coming. In that day, we will have a reunion. No one will compete for who has the most faith. We will gather because of our faith. May we find the blessings we have in our friendships. 

Discover those in your church that need community. You will be surprised. Love. Love covers over a multitude of sins. Let us love one another for that day of that reunion will be a day of true rejoicing. 

With Freedom Comes Great Responsibility

 On this July 4th, people will celebrate with barbeques, fireworks, gatherings, apple pie, parades, and baseball games. We celebrate this day not because we are free from all the rules that we don’t like, but because our founding fathers fought against the oppressive rule of Britain. On this day in 1776, America declared its freedom from the rule of King George. In no way is America perfect. A country is full of people, and we are all imperfect, so our country is not perfect. We have a long way to go for everyone to have equity. We do however have freedom, but we must realize that with freedom comes responsibility. 

Even though we are a free country, it does not mean that we get everything we want or that every law is in our favor. Trust me. I wish some laws would be handed down, but not only would we not be a free country, but war could break out among the people because my laws would annoy you. America was unique when it began, especially wanting freedom from a government ruling us. After we received our Independence from Britain, war broke out among the states over the idea of freeing all people. Once slaves were emancipated, freedom was to be for all people. I know we have a long way to go for all people to be free, but we have come a long way. 

With freedom comes great responsibility. We have taken freedom for granted for so long, that many of us have become mundane and haven’t realized that we must change for all to be free. Our founding fathers wanted us to be free from a government ruling us. They wanted people to be able to take risks as they did and create lives that would bring good to everyone. We have the freedom to choose our life course. We have the responsibility to protect that freedom for those who live among us and after us. 

We must use our freedom with responsibility. We have freedom of speech. I have seen the unwise comments that people are speaking on social media. When we don’t have responsibility over our speech, relationships are broken, which causes friction. The Bible warns us about our tongues being out of control. Calling people names and deeming them evil because they believe differently than you, are not responsible acts. It’s being a tyrant. 

If you want the freedom to speak or write your opinions, allow others to do the same. You don’t have to respond. Being responsible with freedom means allowing others to speak with their freedom. If you want to have an intelligent discourse, which is rare on social media, then have one with intelligence, no name calling, and with understanding of the views of the other person. The goal is not to change the other person’s views but to see their views and understand that person with their experiences. We must speak to others as we want them to speak to us. 

Along with responsibility of speech, we must have responsibility of our religious beliefs. Jesus did not command us to go around and demand that everyone believes in him, but to invite others into his presence. There’s a big difference between demanding and inviting.  Jesus did not tell us to belittle or call people names who do not believe in him. He never did that. He told us to go and make disciples. That takes time, not screaming on the street corners, which is what social media does. We want to INIVITE people to Jesus not shove them to Him and demand that they follow him or else. That’s not freedom. That’s not responsible. That’s not freedom in our country or in the ways of Jesus. Jesus always invited. He never demanded. Let’s begin inviting. 

The Revolutionary War was fought so that we could have a government that governs the people and represents the people, not rule the people. Our country is divided. We are so polarized that people on either side cannot communicate or have relationships with those who think and believe differently than them. Both sides want to rule. We must realize that God created all of us with a brain and we all think and believe differently. We all have different experiences that shape our ideas and beliefs. In order to have a more perfect union, we must begin with listening to those who are different from us. 

When I visited Washington D.C. in 2013, I understood with all the tours, memorials, homes, and battle lands that we are a young nation. We have made grave mistakes, but we also have made beautiful strides in making the world a better place with our inventions. If we want the country to be better, then we must all do one small act to be better. The country doesn’t get better because we vote or because the laws we want or don’t want. The country is made up of human beings. When human beings become better in their actions and words towards other people, the country becomes better. 

Our founding fathers compromised. They did not agree with one another. You will never agree with someone 100%, but if we want this country to remain free, we must compromise. We must listen. We must be responsible with the freedom we do have because if we don’t, we may lose it. 

The Fourth of July is not about barbeques, or fireworks, or parades. It’s a reminder that we received our independence from a tyrannical government. Let us appreciate our freedom. Let us be responsible with our freedom and respect the ideas of others because we do not want to lose our freedom. It is our responsibility to protect our freedom. Protected freedom comes with responsibility. Let us begin to be responsible with our freedom. 

The One True Church

 I binged watched the series, Under the Banner of Heaven on Netflix. The premise of the show is the investigation of the brutal murders of a mother and her eighteen-month-old child in 1984. The victims and their murderers were all in the Mormon church. They were part of one family. Throughout the show, the characters who are Mormon are reminded that their church is the one true church. That statement made me think. 

For centuries, theologians have been bickering of how “right” or “more right” their denomination or non-denomination is. It has leaked into our political parties. Both parties in America claim that their party is the one true party in which we should believe. Then, the social media fights begin of how right people are or are not. The need to be “right” has overshadowed what is truly right. We have become a people to fight for what is right and not for people. 

I am intrigued with the study of other religions and cults. I am curious of what the alure is to beliefs that may appear strange to some of us. It all comes to the leader manipulating the people of how right his or her way of thinking and beliefs are. It’s scary of what we can force people to believe if we push the idea that the belief is of absolute truth, when, it has many holes. It is all about having to be right. 

I have a confession. I love the three words, “You are right.” It gives me validation. Part of that comes because most of the time, I either do not say my opinion or I am wrong. So, when I hear how right I am, I become proud, and it usually leads to pridefulness. You can judge me. As you judge me, remember that the next time you post something on social media claiming how right you are about a topic, especially anything with religion. 

Before anyone judges me, most people press to be right today. Not many people admit to when they are wrong or when they make a mistake. I could become dry dust waiting for some people to apologize that they were wrong. Maybe your facts were correct. The method in which you delivered them was incorrect, rude, and insensitive. This is for both Christians and non-Christians. It’s time that we work harder to bring people to righteousness instead of our own rightness. 

So, how do we do this? There are simple solutions, but like everything else, when dealing with people, a simple solution is not so simple. It takes empathy, compassion, and understanding. 

First, we must listen. We must listen to the hurts of those who need Jesus. Are we listening or are we insulting and condemning? We must listen to what their concerns are of the church and start where they are, not at the loftiness of our high intelligence of rightness. You don’t have to condone sin. You also can confess your sin. How do you want people to approach you when they know about your sin? That’s how you approach someone who is living outside of Jesus. It goes back to Jesus saying that we are to do unto others as we want them to do to us. 

Next, we must be empathetic. We must treat others how we want to be treated. Even though people have a gruff exterior, no one wants to be approached with a condemning attitude of superiority. Watch the debates on Twitter and you will learn quickly how people do not change because of that attitude. They just become superior in their own beliefs.  Twitter is a great example of how not to communicate with human beings. We must approach people with kindness. We must start where they are in their beliefs of God. It’s how Jesus reached people who didn’t know him. 

The final step is doing what Jesus did. We wore the bracelets in the 1990s; now it’s time to put those bracelets asking what would Jesus do into practice. Jesus started where people were, not where he was, which was good for the people. He invited Zacchaeus to his house. He met with the woman at the well and talked with her and acknowledged what she knew. He walked with Peter on the water and knew how to get him back on his feet. If Jesus started with humans at his level, none of us would be worthy of his salvation. 

We must start where people are. We can be right with our beliefs, even when our beliefs are backed by scientific facts. Being right doesn’t give us the privilege to be rude. It doesn’t give us the privilege to start with people at a level that they cannot attain spiritually. When we show our love and understanding. We must teach people that God loves them for who they are right now. They do not have to change before giving their life to God. They are to give their lives to God and allow God to change them. 

Most of us want the best for ourselves and others. We fight that our way is the best because we want others to enjoy the great benefits that we have in life. We just have to use honey in our tone and not salt. No one wants to be assaulted with your rightness. I am not going to change my beliefs because you posted a meme, you swore at me, you punched me with a comment on social media, or you found an outlier story to share. I am going to listen and understand your beliefs because you used honey to help me see your side. Jesus didn’t scream. Jesus didn’t condemn. Jesus showed compassion and grace. 

We all strive to do our best. We want all the answers. We want to serve God and do it with our best, not our mediocrity. Let’s change our work. Let’s introduce people to Jesus and not our church. Then, we will see a change in society around us. We’ll let God decide which church is the one true church. I think his answer will surprise us because it will be all the saints in heaven gathered at the feet of Jesus at which we will then know. 

Getting Lost While Travelling is Just an Adventure

 

I am notorious for getting lost. Even when I use GPS, I can manage to get lost. Ask any of my former youth group members, and they will confirm that I can get lost even in a city that I know well, and while flying, which is a story for another time. Somewhere in my youth ministry conferences, I was informed to create an adventure when you get lost on youth group trips, so I did. Now, when I get lost while going somewhere in Los Angeles or travelling across America, I connect it to being an adventure. 

An adventure has many elements. There’s the anticipation of fun. We delight in the idea of trying something new or going to a new place or meeting new people. Then, there’s the element of danger. In any adventure, there is danger involved. The danger tests our faith and either gives us strength or weakens us. In any adventure there is a choice. We can choose which path to take. We can change our choice. We can move in any direction, which can help or harm our adventure. 

Life is an adventure. There are times on the journey where the adventure is full of dangerous times and scary incidents. There are times when the adventure of life is joyous, and we wish we could stop time and hold those moments forever. One element that an adventure has is that we must keep moving. Sometimes, we slip and try to go backward, which just makes it more difficult. Sometimes, we make the wrong choice, and our journey is difficult. Sometimes, events out of our control hits us, and we must make decisions that we never thought we would have to make. 

Since life is an adventure, we must move forward. We cannot continually live in the past. Connecting with friends from the past and reminiscing is great, but we must also build a friendship with them in the present so we can join in with them on their life adventure and move forward and not stay stuck in the past with them. Once we decide to live in the past, we choose to stop living by faith. We would rather live by what we know and what we can see. Living in the present and leaving the past behind requires faith. Live in faith and in the present and move in the direction of the future. 

We may be unsure of what the present and the future holds, but we cannot go back to the past. The past is gone. What we remember has changed, or how we remember it is with more sentiment than it deserves. An adventure always requires for us to take a risk. Take a risk and step away from the past and move forward. It’s worth it. You will move forward with faith, and your faith will increase. 

Sometimes the risk in an adventure requires us to question what we thought we knew. Questions are not bad. If we are willing to ask questions, we are revealing that we are thinking. Questions are not bad. We must ask questions on our adventure, or we will allow someone else to control us. On an adventure, a question can direct us in the right direction once we discover the answer. 

Sometimes our adventure is difficult because of a wrong choice. Many times, I got lost because I did not pay attention to the signs or to the details on a plane ticket. It’s when we are not aware that we make mistakes. Staying aware of life means we must listen and study for ourselves answers for which we are looking. It means we don’t just agree with those who agree with us or because our political party or our pastors said it. We must think for ourselves and take ownership of our own choices. We make mistakes and sin when we are not aware of how our actions are making others miserable. We must repent and turn onto the right path. 

Sometimes, on our adventures, an element knocks us off our path that is out of our control. We have choices. We can blame the element or person that did this. We can blame God, or we can find how we can continue to move through our adventure and in the future learn from this disaster. Trials in life that hit us are supposed to develop in us maturity and perseverance. How we respond to the trials brings maturity or immaturity. Blaming others or God will only bring heartache and you will not be able to move forward from the tragedy. You will just remain immature, bitter, and angry. Reaching out for help from those who can help and turning to God to guide you will bring you out on the other side with maturity and perseverance. Your character as stated in James 1 will have grown. 

In the summertime, many of us go places and take an actual adventure. Whether you leave your house or not, focus on how your life is revealing the direction of your adventure. If your direction is leading to growth, you are on the right path. If you are doing the same mistakes, and it feels like you are going in circles, change direction. It will cause growth and health in you. Adventures make life full. It brings us growth spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. So, as we commence upon this summer, let us go and have a great adventure! 

Summer Vacation for Adults

 

For the past fifteen years, I have looked forward to summer because as a teacher, I get a summer break from the classroom. Although I volunteered at a basketball camp one summer and taught at a drama camp the following summer, most of my breaks have been fun and fancy free from work at school. At the end of each school year, I am well aware of the rest that is needed for the summer break. I realize that not all adults have the luxury of having two months off in the summer from their job. I also realize that most adults need the rest and a break more than children do, especially in a season that begs us to take a break. 

Rest is valuable to adults. In Kindergarten, most of us fought those naps, but as adults, we yearn for just a small power nap in the middle of the day to keep our energy going. Rest is valuable. I’m a person who loves to go and keep active. The pandemic forced me to stay at home. Now, that we have the freedom to be out of our homes, I realize I must do better with resting. 

In youth ministry, some people tried to convince me that resting was not available to us because God’s work is never done. It’s true that God’s work here on earth will never be done. It’s arrogant and theologically incorrect to believe that we are the only ones to do God’s work. If I believe that I am the only one who can do God’s work, I’m doing it wrong; it’s not what God asked me to do. God can use all of us. We should have people able to take our place in ministry so that we can rest. 

Jesus rested. He went to quiet places often and rested. I was reminded in a devotional today that in Mark 6:30-31 when the disciples returned from their ministry, Jesus told them to go rest. Being exhausted does not make us better human beings. Statistics prove that tired drivers are worse than drunk drivers. It is imperative that we rest. 

In the summertime, we can enjoy the summer evenings sitting on the porch, or by a fan in the living room resting. The books on our shelves can be read in the quiet evenings. I realized that I must limit my screen time in the evenings so I can get to sleep earlier. I am setting a goal to try to get to bed earlier. By nature, I’m a night owl, but I am more productive with a full day with a well-rested physical body. 

Along with regulated rest, we can take some time in nature. As a young person and a youth pastor, I went to many church summer camps. It was a break from the city. In Southern California, we were in the beauty of God’s creation in the mountains. We all need some time in God’s creation. It doesn’t have to be a week or even a weekend in nature. It can be a morning or evening walk in a park or a hiking trail. For those of us who live near the ocean or lake or a river, we can spend time just admiring God’s beauty for a few hours. Taking a walk outside helps our souls, minds, and bodies. Young people can spend a week at church camp. Adults can spend a few hours with God’s creation and be renewed. 

Along with resting, my favorite summer activities as a young person involved connecting with my friends. The last two years taught us all that we need community. Laughter and great conversations bring health to our souls. Take time to connect, even if its phone calls, or Zoom calls, but in-person community is great and makes us better human beings on social media. Do activities to make new friends. Our country needs our communities to be united and to work together now more than ever. If we as Christians want our country to be more Christian, then we as Christians must go to our communities and serve one another. 

When we connect with other people, we understand the importance of seeing other people’s point of views. We become kind with our words, as we are with them physically and not hiding behind a screen. A few years ago, I discovered the importance of reconnecting with friends from my past as it made social media more social. 

Once we are rested and enjoying other people, we can conquer the issues that come along in our lives. A few hours away from the trials of life will always make us healthier. We just have to make the time to rest. It is imperative. It is for our souls and bodies to be healthy. Let’s have a healthy summer and take a healthy break that benefits you and those around you. 

The Church and Public Schools

 

This has been one of the most difficult years I’ve had as a teacher. I’m not alone. Most teachers have had a difficult year this school year. Most schools struggled. Between absences of students and teachers with Covid, and behavior issues because of the mental health struggles from the pandemic, the world of academics took a hard hit. Then, at the end of the year, a devastating school shooting took place, and once again as teachers, we were reminded we don’t work in a safe place. The debates started. It’s not that people stood on one side or the other. It’s that Christians revealed that we are powerless when in fact we have the power. We have the solution in Jesus. We must use it. 

The public schools have issues. If it is because we removed Bible reading for the entire class (because the Bible is still read in specific courses, especially in high school), and we do not have public prayer for the entire school, then we have a bigger problem in the church in America. Just because we read the Bible and pray does not guarantee that our actions will be those that are like Christ. Let’s be honest. Christians are not behaving as Christians. If you have ever been the only Bible that someone has read, then you understand that our actions and words are much louder than doing a devotional before the start of a day. 

As a teacher in a public school, I have had to demonstrate my faith by what I do and speak. It has been difficult many times, especially this year. I am not perfect. I must confess. I have understood that I may be the only Bible that my students and colleagues may read. It is in those moments that it doesn’t matter what translation I use, but that I exemplify the actions of Jesus. 

Being a Christian in a public school is not easy for the teachers, administrators, or students. When I do stop teaching in a public school, I will not complain that the public schools are corrupt. I will still serve a public school. Even if I teach in a public school until I retire, it is not my place to complain, but to make such a difference that people meet Jesus. 

In Matthew 28, Jesus said to go to all the world and make disciples of all nations. He didn’t say do a devotional. He didn’t say just pray in public, although he did say something about public prayer, but that is for another blog. He told us to go. We must go. So how do you go if you are not a teacher? 

In my youth ministry career, I presented at youth worker seminars how Christian leaders could get onto a public school campus. I gave the leaders at least fifty to one hundred ideas. They would meet in small groups and come up with their own ideas of how to get on the campuses, along with my list. It all starts with having a servant’s heart. If Christians are willing to serve, true change will occur in our country. 

Some simple ways to serve at public schools are doing the jobs that many don’t see like working in the snack bars at games or events or using your talents with the drama or music programs. Those drama and music programs need helpers if your schools have full blown drama and music programs. Help with tickets at events. If you want to coach or tutor, you will have to go through some hoops, but servants are willing to follow the rules to serve. Help your students in your church start a Bible club at school. Yes, they are allowed. They just must be student-led. 

If you are near an elementary, ask a teacher if you could help in the classroom. You know when teachers need the most help? We need the most help setting up our classrooms in the fall. We have so many meetings to go to and not much time in our rooms. The best way to serve though, is to ask. 

A few years ago, I was punished at my youth ministry job and sent to Hawaii for a missionary conference of how to lead short-term mission trips. The conference was my punishment, not the place. Anyway, the best advice I learned was ask the person you are serving, “What do you need?” You may be surprised by their answers. It may be different than what you thought. It may be exactly what you are capable to do. The church must start asking the public schools, “What acts of service do you need?” It’s fun to watch the response because no one serves, and the element of surprise of your servant’s heart is a true blessing for them. 

Jesus said to GO. Why are we sitting in our pews and wringing our hands of how horrible this country is? Christians must GO. We can all play the blame game. That’s easy. That’s comfortable. Going is not easy. It’s not comfortable. It takes time. It uses our talents. It’s time we move and go. Who knows? You may have been called for such a time as this. 

This school year was difficult, but it was not impossible. Teachers were asked to go above and beyond our call of duty. We did. If we want God back in the public schools, God must show up in the form of the people who have his Spirit serving. We can continue to pray for our schools. We can pray for what we can do. Once we begin to serve, change will occur. Let us pray and act. 

The Sacrifice of Life for Freedom-Memorial Day 2022

Today, on this Memorial Day, America remembers those who fought in our battles for our freedom and lost their lives. It is a day to remember that nothing is free. Someone pays the ultimate price. With their sacrifice, we have the freedom to speech, to protest, to vote, to choose our own careers, to own property, and to have the right to education, along with many other freedoms that others may not have in other places in the world. Even though our country has its flaws and problems, as every other country in the world, we do live in a country that gives us freedom. 

In the past couple of years, we have realized that we must be grateful for our freedom. If we become irresponsible, we lose the freedom that we love and enjoy. We have the responsibility to take care of our freedoms. Even though we all have our own political beliefs, we must realize that it is not through a politician or a political agenda that will further our freedom. It is in our actions of how we treat our fellow Americans. We must become more loving. If there are many men and women who were willing to die for the freedom of this country, we must have the sacrifice to see Americans as human beings, and love them with the love of Jesus, which may take sacrifice.  

If we want to keep our freedom, we must sacrifice. We must sacrifice our own desires for the good of others. As Christians, we must think of the desires of others above ourselves. For everyone to enjoy freedom, we must all sacrifice. We all have something in our own lives that we must sacrifice. Our sacrifice comes because of the ultimate sacrifice given for us. 

As Christians, we have freedom from death because of the sacrifice of Jesus. He gave His life so that we can be free. He didn’t die when we decided to be good and attend church. He died for us while we were still sinners. “For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps some might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8, CSB) Jesus sacrificed his life, so we can have the freedom to live. 

With the sacrifices for freedom, it is why the church must begin to act. We cannot take our freedom for granted. Once we abuse it, we lose our freedom and become lukewarm in our faith. Faith without action is dead. (James 2:26) If we just wring our hands and claim that there is nothing that we can do because of the evil and wickedness in the world, then our faith is dead. All the heroes in the Bible fought for their faith, and with their actions, they were able to defeat the evil. 

This Memorial Day, we can all find one action that we can do for our own community that reveals sacrifice. It could be donating food and clothing for those in need. It could be volunteering with a community service for young people. It could be becoming involved with our own neighborhood and seeing who our neighbors are and sharing our freedom in Christ. The one command that Jesus gave us was not to hide in our comfortable homes, but to go and bring the gospel to every corner of the world. The corner of the world that needs Jesus most just might be right around the corner from where you live. So let us go and let our freedom ring!