A New Year's Resolution

 “No one ever keeps their New Year’s Resolutions.” The pastor who stated this listed all the things that people put on their resolutions list that almost all end before the end of January. He even gave statistics of the low percentages of people keeping their resolutions. I have no idea what else he said because I decided right there and then I would prove him and all those statistics wrong. I would keep a New Year’s Resolution all year long. 

That pastor spoke in the end of 2014, and when the New Year began in 2015, I began on my resolution…to write every single day. On December 31, 2015, I had written for all 365 days of the year. So, what did I do that year that made it different from other years? I set up perimeters so I wouldn’t quit, even if I did miss a day, which I didn’t that year. 

I set a perimeter that if I did miss a day of writing, I would pick up the next day and continue my year of writing. This perimeter helped me a few times in the last eight years, even if I didn’t use it in 2015. The difference began the moment I switched my thinking of missing a day would be a failure to miss a day and pick it up the next day and not give up on the entire idea of my ultimate goal. The idea is to not give up. 

The other part of keeping that resolution required an end goal. To keep a resolution, you have to have an ultimate end goal. You can’t just do a resolution without an end goal. You keep your focus on that end goal. I wanted to write every single day because I had heard published authors and produced screenwriters say in every seminar that they write every single day. The one thing that improves writing is to do it every day. My end goal was to finish a book and get published. I did finish writing the first draft of that book. 

For any goal, you have to practice every day, but if you miss a day, you cannot just quit. You must continue where you stopped and pick it up from there. Anyone who has lost a significant amount of weight, became a professional musician, an artist, a baker or chef, or sports player has perfected their craft with working on it every single day. 

Don’t listen to the naysayers. Don’t listen to those who would rather you not reach your ultimate goal. They don’t have ambition, so they don’t want you to work on yours. Set goals for the New Year. Then write down the steps that you can do every single day to reach that goal. 

Make the goal doable. I didn’t set a goal that required me to sit and write for a specific time every day or even at a specific time. With my schedule with teaching, that cannot always be attained. I made my goal simple that first year. I challenged myself to write every day. I made other perimeters. I didn’t want my writing to be in my journal, my quiet time journal, or any lists. It had to be writing that would further my career in writing. 

Along with making my daily task attainable, I created a path for myself to do the task when I could. I would either write first thing in the morning or when I returned home. Make your goal attainable for you to reach with your lifestyle. 

That year I wrote every day for the first time in my writing career. It would begin a new habit for me. In fact, the habit of writing every single day developed by the end of January. Habits begin when you set a goal that you can attain. It became more than a challenge. It became something that I had to do every single day, like brushing my teeth. 

Make 2024 the year that you accomplish one goal. Whether you do something every day, or every week, or every month to reach that goal, make a resolution to achieve that goal. With every goal that you attain, the more you will grow and change. The more you grow and change as a person, you will have the change you want to see in 2024. Happy New Year! 

The Chaos of the First Christmas

 Christmas brings chaos. People rush through the shopping malls trying to buy the perfect gift on a budget. Children scream and cry because something didn’t go the way they wanted it. Relatives surprise you with a visit that they swear that they informed you. Something goes wrong with baking or cooking and burnt is now on the menu or pizza. You run out of paper just before you need to wrap the last gift. Finally, the family pet chases his ball and somehow the Christmas tree comes down. 

When people look at the manger scene at Christmas, they think of peace and calm. We want that peace and clam that Mary and Joseph had. If we look closer at their account, they had a chaotic first Christmas. First, they had to go to Joseph’s hometown for the census. When they got to Bethlehem, there was no room in the inn for them, so they lodged in a stable, a barn. Jesus was born in a barn. 

I questioned why they didn’t stay with relatives since Joseph came from Bethlehem. Mary’s pregnancy had everything to do with it. How was Joseph supposed to explain Mary’s pregnancy to anyone in his family? So, they lodged in a barn with sheep, cows, and horses. The scents of Christmas should be that of manure instead of pine trees. (Just kidding!) 

When the shepherds came to visit Jesus, the peace came. Mary pondered everything in her heart. Then she sang “Away in the Manger” and wondered why Jesus still cried. I guess our interpretation of the first Christmas is far from the truth. Jesus came to earth fully human and fully God. His humanness made him cry because he had to communicate to his parents that he needed food or a diaper change. 

At some point, the Magi came with three weird gifts. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I know those gifts have symbolism. I also discovered that those gifts could be used for Joseph to use for money to escape to Egypt to keep Jesus alive from King Herod, who wanted to kill him and all the male babies two years old and younger. That chaos happened too. 

Imagine having a baby and being warned in a dream that the leader of the country wants your baby dead. That’s not peaceful and calm. Joseph and Mary escaped to Egypt until King Herod died, and then they went to Nazareth, which fulfilled scripture that the Savior would come from Nazareth. Running for your life does not have an element of peace. You have to know who to trust and who not to trust. Joseph kept Jesus alive through that chaos. 

When you look at the manger scene, remember Jesus brought peace into the world, but not the peace that the world seeks. He brought us peace when he died for our sins. We have peace because we know that he sacrificed his life for us. Jesus encountered chaos throughout his ministry. He slipped away from the crowds because the religious leaders wanted to kill him before it was his time. He had to do this several times. 

When life becomes chaotic, look at the manger scene. See the strength of Mary and Joseph doing whatever it took to keep Jesus alive. See the hope that Jesus brings. Encounter the peace that Jesus gives with his love and sacrifice for our sins. That can make you breathe and bring you the peace that you seek during this season. 

“In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.’” (Luke 2:8-12; CSB) 

Have a Merry Christmas with peace and joy because you know that Jesus came for you, and his sacrifice brings you the peace you need in your soul. 

Following a Star

 If you have ever questioned your GPS system, then you might have a small understanding of how the Magi followed the star that they saw in the sky. It takes faith to follow a path that you may not know or have ever taken. Many people remember the days that we had to read a map. I struggle to read maps because in Los Angeles we had a confusing book full of maps. 

When I first moved to Los Angeles, everyone told me to purchase this book of maps to travel around Southern California. I wish I hadn’t. I would turn the page and instead of the road continuing, it took me to another part of Southern California. You had to follow the arrows of the pages. That’s great when you’re driving, NOT! That book became a greater distraction than texting ever could. 

I’m horrible at reading maps, but I’m great at adventures! I’ve taken my share of adventures. If you ask any of my former youth group members, they have stories of our trips that involved an adventure of getting lost. When I went to a large youth ministry conference, I discovered that all the other youth pastors struggled to read maps too. They taught me to tell the students we were taking an adventure when I got lost. 

When the GPS systems came, my mom bought me one for Christmas. She understood my map reading struggle. I took that system everywhere, including on my trip to Monterey, California in 2016 on my own writing retreat. On my way home, an accident clogged the highway. I got off at an exit and studied my GPS to find another way instead of sitting in traffic for six hours. It found another route. I drove without looking at the route. 

On the road it told me to turn right on this one road. I passed it. I made a U-turn and went back to that little road. I stared. That little narrow concrete road traveled through a vineyard. Are you nuts? I asked my system. She told me to turn. I held my breath and since the road was paved, I went through the vineyard. Trucks lined the outside of the path with farmers pruning the vines. They looked at my little compact car driving through their path. I drove for two miles. Then, at the end, I turned right onto the highway beyond the accident. I got through it! 

That journey reminded me of the journey of the Magi. They studied the stars. Their journey may have been anywhere from one to two years because they found Jesus at the house. King Herod lied to them because he worried that a new king would take his throne. Many leaders struggle to understand that they will not live forever, and someone will take their place, but Jesus did not come to be a political king to fight wars. He came to save us from our sins. 

The only part of the journey that we know is that they took a different way home. They did not return to King Herod because when they met Jesus, they found the truth and being warned in a dream, they returned on a different route. 

This Christmas, follow Jesus with this beautiful season. To navigate your journey, read the first Christmas journey in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. You will discover that faith brings joy on a journey that does not have a straight path. Follow your heart, read His story this Christmas, and have a conversation with Jesus of what you can do together on your life journey with Him and with your gifts to make a difference in the world. This leads to a Merry Christmas! 

Have a Mary Impossible Christmas

 I love Christmas. The lights, decorations, Christmas music, Christmas movies, (even some on the Hallmark Channel, church events) parties, Christmas food, and of course, no school. I love the true celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Although I know that Jesus may not have been born in December, Christians take the time to celebrate the birth of the Messiah. Jesus’s birth brought salvation to the world. When we see the events of the account of Jesus’s birth, we realize that we have put our faith into believing the impossible. 

It started with Mary. I don’t worship Mary, but I do respect her because her faith in the impossible brought Jesus into the world. When the angel came to Mary and told her that she would have a child, Mary asked how it would happen because she was a virgin. The angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come over her. Then, the angel said that “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37; CSB) Mary believed the angel. Her faith allowed her to be a part of the greatest birth in history. She believed in the impossible. 

Do you believe in the impossible? When the world around you falls apart, do you cry out to God, “Why?” I have. When people in your life let you down, do you wonder if you can trust anyone ever again? I have. When wars and natural disasters strike places all over the world that are out of your control, do you wonder how people can survive? I do. I have discovered in recent years that with faith in God, I can believe in the impossible that a horrible situation can turn a life into a great possibility. 

I’m not sure of the reasons of all tragedies, but I do know that possibilities come when we trust in God. Mary trusted God. She knew people would judge her. Her fiancé didn’t understand until an angel came to him and explained the whole situation. He had to believe the impossible too. He had to trust that God impregnated Mary and not some other man. He had to trust God and Mary. Joseph believed the impossible. 

We proclaim that we believe in the impossible, then when something does not go our way, we begin to cry out to God of how and why He could allow such a thing. Some people even give up on believing in God. Faith requires us to believe the impossible. Throughout the Bible, God asked His people to trust him and believe in the impossible and great things occurred and lives changed. 

Abraham and Sarah believed in the impossibility of having a child. Moses believed in the impossibility of freeing the Israelites from Egypt. David believed in the impossibility of conquering the giant. Joseph believed in the impossibility of God rescuing him from Egypt. He then became the second highest leader in Egypt and saved the nation. Hannah believed in the impossibly of having a child. So many people who followed Jesus believed he could perform impossible miracles to make their lives whole. We have so many examples in the Bible of people trusting God with impossibilities. 

With all the festivities of Christmas, let us take the time to remember that God wants us to believe the impossible. Jesus came to die for our sins. Some people struggle to understand the purpose of Jesus’s birth, so they minimize it to a good man who taught and did miracles. Jesus came to do so much more than teaching and doing miracles. He did the ultimate sacrifice of dying for our sins. Then, the true impossibility occurred. He came back to life. Jesus conquered death. 

Mary discovered her journey may have been long and tedious. She endured chaos at the birth and death of Jesus, but she experienced his life on earth, and proclaimed his life after he left the earth. She believed and trusted God. 

Believe the impossible that God can do in your life. Nothing is too big for God to handle. He wants the best for you, and He cares about your entire life. Trust God and let the impossible in your life become possible. Then, you will have a Merry (Mary) Christmas.  

Holiday Spirit with the Shepherds

 Chaos erupts at the holiday season. With all the tasks that we think we must do, along with life events that continue to occur, we may lose the holiday spirit before it even begins. We think we must find the perfect gift or create the perfect meal with all the best ingredients. We decorate and clean the house only to discover that one of our pets destroyed a decoration or storage eroded one. We want perfection, but we must look to the perfect one for having true Christmas spirit. 

A long time ago, in a place far away, lived shepherds who looked after their flock at night. They had the dangerous watch time. At night, the wild animals hunt for prey. I know because I hear the coyotes in our neighborhood at night. Sheep are prey. Shepherds must protect their flock at all cause. These shepherds knew this, but when angels interrupted them, they dropped their life of perfection and ran to see the perfect one. 

An angel of the Lord came to the shepherds the night Jesus was born and proclaimed to them the Good News that the Savior was born. “Don’t be afraid, for Look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people! Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12; CSB) (The city of David, also known as Bethlehem is in Judea, not Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.) 

The shepherds hurried off to see this wonder that the angel told them about. Here’s the question. What did they do with that flock of sheep that they protected? Did they take them with them? Did they leave them to the predators of the night, which would result in their jobs being lost? 

We don’t have the answers to the questions of what the shepherds did or did not do with their flock. We do know what they did when they came to Jesus. They did not present him with gifts like the Magi. They bowed down and worshipped him. They knew Jesus would bring them and their nation salvation. They didn’t know how he would bring salvation, but they knew he would bring it. 

The shepherds ran to see Jesus. In the night, watching their flock, they dropped it all and went to Jesus. I’m not suggesting that anyone quits their job and hopes that Jesus will give them another one within seconds. I am suggesting that we drop the chaos and worship Jesus. 

We must stop with trying to be perfect and go and worship the perfect one who saved us from our sins. Jesus didn’t come to affirm us and our personalities or lifestyle. Jesus didn’t come to perform miracles or inform us of his political views, and which ones are right. Jesus came to die for us. He died for our sins, so we don’t have to. He was the perfect sacrifice. 

Here’s the irony. The shepherds guarded the former sacrifice. The Jews had to sacrifice a lamb to receive forgiveness of sins. They didn’t sacrifice any lamb, but a perfect lamb without blemish. Then, on that night the shepherds ran to the manger, they met the perfect lamb that would be the ultimate sacrifice for us. You know why the shepherds were the first to see Jesus? They were the first because they represent all of us who need that perfect lamb. God wrapped our protection in a swaddling cloth and placed Him in a manger. The shepherds left their flock to worship the perfect lamb, Jesus. 

This Christmas, shed the perfection of the ambiance of the holiday and meet the perfect one. Whether it is the first time you meet Jesus or the hundredth, take time to meet Jesus and spend time with him. He will accept you without your perfection. He doesn’t care about your food, decoration, or presents, but he cares about your presence. He wants your presence. 

This Christmas, come to Jesus and worship him with gladness. Pray, sing Christmas songs that reveal his coming, and study the Christmas story in God’s Word to find the truth of this season. That will bring you the joy of Christmas and brighten your holiday spirit. 

The Freedom our Veteran's Give Us

 In America, people have the right to go into the streets and protest for an issue in another country. We also have the right to worship how we want and who we want. We have the right to choose who we love, no matter the color, religion of the gender of the person. We live in a free country, and that creates conflict for those who do not like freedom. Our veterans have sacrificed and fought so we can maintain all of our freedoms.  

We have the right to disagree, but many people on social media and in real life think that we must all agree and think the same. Freedom loses when we demand that everyone believes and thinks like us. Along with freedom being lost, we lose intelligence, tolerance, and love. Our veterans sacrifice so we can voice our opinions, beliefs, and views. 

We have the right to think and believe what we understand to be the truth. We do not have the right to demand that everyone must believe and think like us. That’s oppression, not freedom. Our military does not fight and sacrifice a life living in the same space so we can demand that we lose the freedom of thought and belief, but if you look to what people are demanding, the fear is real. So, why do people make these demands?

Our military must be secure and confident human beings. Insecure people will demand that they are right. If you do not agree with their rightness, they will have a meltdown because you are demonstrating your freedom. Demanding that I believe like your belief is a form of oppression. You have the right to voice your beliefs and thoughts. I have that same freedom. Confident and secure people voice their beliefs and thoughts without demanding others believe like them, and secure people will not demean you if you do think and believe differently. 

When you are confident in your beliefs and thoughts, you can stand alone with them. I am a believer in Jesus. I believe He is the Savior of the world. I believe he died and came back to life, in the physical form not just spiritual. I am not ashamed of my belief in Jesus. Your name calling will not make me waiver. 

I am a Duke basketball fan. Duke basketball is the second most hated sports team in America. They are second to the New York Yankees. (Why the number one hated team is not the Houston Astros, confounds me.) You can call me all the names in the world. I will just laugh and sneer while Duke crushes their opponents, including your favorite team. You either love Duke, or you hate them. There is no in-between. People hate Duke because they are so darn good. (A quote from a YouTube channel of “Why I hate Duke.”) 

People will berate you because you succeed. Other countries do not want to see America succeed. They think our success means they cannot succeed. That’s silly. I can become a famous author, and you can become the person who cures cancer. Pulling others down because you struggle does not make you great. It makes you weak. 

When you focus on others, you fail, when you focus on what makes you great, you succeed. Great sports teams focus on what their team must do to win. Weak teams whine that they need better players or coaches, or even new owners. Our military understands that they cannot bow down to the other countries so they can kill them all.  They also understand that they must focus on their mission and not the mission of the other side. They must remain strong and confident. Confidence makes you strong. 

This Veteran’s Day, take some time to recognize your attitude toward freedom. Maybe it is time for you to allow your freedom to make the life of someone else better when you do something for them. Serve, even if no one else serves with you. Our soldiers fight sow we can have freedom. We can serve so others can have freedom too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Serve someone, like our soldiers do, and then you will ma

Falling into Fall

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes, football, baseball playoff games, and school is now in the middle of it. Fall is a season of change. Change is tough for most people. We don’t like it because it can be painful. Many of us may not see the positive results of change. Sometimes change causes harm into our lives, and we must make decisions that are not always pleasant. In my own life, I have discovered that change has caused me to grow. So, as much as may not like it, change is necessary. It must be in my life. Since change must be in my life, then I must begin to understand how to live with it. 

One way I have survived change is the understanding that it does cause growth. I may not like the change that caused the growth, but I appreciate that I have grown. Growth can be painful. You have to endure the pain as you stretch and grow.  That’s usually the part of change that we hate. It hurts. Many people become discouraged and bitter because of the painful times in life. You must understand that without pain, we don’t grow because most people plateau when life is good and dandy. The only way to endure the pain is to change like the trees during the autumn season. 

During the season of fall, the leaves change colors. I may live in Southern California now, but I have lived in the Midwest, and I remember the beauty of the leaves changing colors. Like the leaves changing colors, I too had to change my color with my own thoughts. I had to let go of the past. I love reminiscing about the good things in the past, but I cannot stay there. I have to create beautiful memories for today. I cannot wallow over the pain others caused me. I must move and not cause other people pain. 

For most of the year, a beautiful oak tree has green leaves. Once the season of fall comes, the leaves change to beautiful colors. Those leaves will fall off the tree, they will not be going back to green. 

In my life, I have to let the past be in the past. I must move forward from it. I was a youth pastor. It was a beautiful time of my life. I cannot go back and do anything differently. I had to take steps forward in my life when that door closed. I cannot complain about the past. My college closed its doors in 2019. I cried, but I knew that I could not just sit in the past. I had to live in the present and connect with my college friends more often in person. I made friends and reconnected with friends online. Now, Christian education for the church must be done differently whether I like it or not. 

I cannot rehash what went wrong in the past. I must make the present more beautiful than the past, just like the leaves on the trees that change colors. You cannot change the past. You can only focus on the present to make the future better. Once you realize that you will grow stronger, and you will begin to see that sometimes, you have to completely let go. 

Like leaves that fall to the ground after they change colors, we must let go of the things that keep us from moving forward. Some of those things may be pride, arrogance, relationships, jobs, or even finances. Whatever you are holding on to that must leave your life, you must let go. Some of the hardest decisions in life are the ones that make us better. We cannot hold onto things or people that destroy us. 

With the weather becoming cooler in the fall, we know we must take precautions against the cold weather and wear sweaters and long pants. It’s not a burden to prepare for the future. It’s a burden when we enter the future unprepared. 

So, begin to prepare for your future as you live in your present life and allow change to come into your life. Our life in Christ is based on change. It’s not just when we come to Jesus, but we must live our lives every day with a changed heart thanks to Jesus changing us. In this season of change, let us enjoy the pumpkin treats, sports, and the changes that come our way with an understanding that we will grow and be better for it. 

Starting a New Year...In August

 Most adults look forward to starting the new year on New Year’s Day; however young people get to start a new year in August or September when they return to school after summer break. As a teacher, I get to start a new year too. Since I have been a teacher, I have realized that I don’t have to set goals or create new habits only at the beginning of a new year. I can have fresh new starts throughout the year. They can be each month, each week, and each day. Our ultimate goal is to restart every day. 

You cannot have a wish list of dreams when you are going to start new. You must prepare yourself. In our current society, people are upset with successful people because they are envious. We cannot live in envy but create our own success. When we are focused on our own lives and living out our passions, we don’t have time to condemn or judge others. God has called us to a purpose. We must live out our purpose for him. 

First, we need our supplies. As a writer, I love “Back to School” sales, but as a teacher, I hate to see the signs because I know that my summer break is ending. In order to succeed in the classroom, you have to have the right supplies. Whatever you need to reach your goals, you need to have the right supplies. 

I have discovered that my best supplies are my prayer and Bible reading time. I have set-up my supplies and my time. When I am able to be consistent, I am able to remember that when life goes wrong, God is on my side. 

I also make sure I have my supplies for my writing life and teaching life. Being prepared is essential in any area in life, but if I walk into a classroom unprepared, life is rough. People rely on us being prepared. So, whatever it is that is your purpose in life, make sure to gather the correct supplies. 

Next, you need to have a positive attitude. Some people have made their success with encouraging people to be positive. It’s not just that. We all fall. We all fail. We need to be positive that with God, we can turn it around or make the best of the bad situation. For my students, I encourage them to start the year with a good attitude. 

In college I had a science class that was rigorous. For exams, it would take 8-12 hours to study the details needed for the exams. My professor was intelligent, and his material was difficult, but I learned so much from him, and not just in science. I decided on the first day of class that I would walk into the classroom with this phrase in my head, “I love science.” The irony is that I hated my science classes in high school. I had to pass this class, so I decided that I loved science. This class was earth science, so I had to love rocks. I loved rock music, but I had no idea how I was going to love rocks. 

At the end of the year, I not only loved the class, the professor, but I also loved rocks! I learned how earthquakes are formed, which was very important for me as I moved from Ohio to California. Not only did I pass the class, but I passed with high marks. My attitude changed. I realized that with a better attitude I could conquer what I disliked but had to do. So, whatever the mundane is that you have to do, try to find a way to love it. Then, when you give yourself a restart, that love will drive you to become better at the task that you hate. At least, you will appreciate it. 

Finally, you have to be prepared. Along with supplies and a good attitude, you have to adapt to changes. Every day has its own challenges. Every day brings us new opportunities. We have to make the most of them. As a teacher, I have found that the more prepared I am as a person and then a teacher, the day is smooth. I lay out my clothes the night before and fix my lunch. I make sure I have enough gas. I have my materials ready for the first class of the day. These little tasks help me be prepared and helps me start fresh. 

Being prepared doesn’t mean that everything will be smooth and perfect. It means that you prepare what you can so that when a crisis arises, you will be able to confront it. The more prepared I am for the start of a class, the less I have to worry about when an interruption occurs. 

Instead of just setting goals and dreams for the new year, try to set goals and steps to achieve them each day. The more you see each day as a new beginning, the better you become as a person in every area of your life. I hope our children have a great school year. I hope they are prepared with their attitude and supplies. More importantly, I hope I am all that and armed with the strength of God. Go and start with the strength of God in your life. So, join the students and teachers and start fresh and new today! 

See Me as an Individual

You must see people as individuals and not as a group.” That phrase was stated in a video at the Auschwitz exhibit at the Reagan Library by a survivor of Auschwitz. He, along with others in the video were pleading for the listener to never allow something as horrific as the Holocaust to ever occur again. This quote has haunted me. I have in my lifetime judged people because of the group that they associate or belong. As I have grown and matured, I have discovered that not only is it wrong to judge people with their groups, but I don’t identify completely with the agenda that people thwart on my groups.  As I see the world changing, I have noticed that many people today judge others as a group. 

Let me ask you a question. Do you want to live in Florida? Your answer will reveal if you judge people as a group or individuals. I chose that state because so many people, including my students, judge the state according to what the media says about it. I hear the following phrases: “People in Florida are racist.” “People in Florida are homophobic.” “People in Florida are crazy or stupid.” I do take a slight offense at these statements as that is the state in which I grew up. 

I had a beautiful education in Florida in a diverse city with a diverse school, but I still get the “look” when I tell people that I grew up in Florida. By the way, I know people today in Florida who are anti-racists, homosexuals, and highly intelligent. I lived there. I know individuals. Now that I live in Los Angeles, people ask me if I know a movie star. Some people think I am crazy for living here. I wonder if it is where I live that gets labeled as a place that has crazy people. Hmm…

When we don’t see people as individuals, we become arrogant and believe we are superior. It’s how it all started in the Holocaust. It sounded so good. It was so wrong. We have judged groups of people on their ethnicity. We have judged the entire church because a few horrible evil people infiltrated themselves into the church and did evil acts. I struggled with the church as an entity, until I realized that I too was part of the problem. 

So, what do we do? Do we just shift our thinking? In a way, yes. We must see people as individuals. It starts with getting to know individuals. It requires asking questions, and it requires you to look at yourself more than you do at others. 

If you see an entire group of people as one way, you need to get to know individuals within that group. I would encourage getting to know people in-person rather than online because we can hide our true identity online. We can lie as we sit behind a computer better than we can in-person because people can evaluate our body language and our inflection in our voices. We are more honest and truer to who we are in-person. 

Join groups where these groups may exist. Serve in your community to get to know various people groups. You will be surprised that when you get to know individuals, that your point of view as them as a group was skewed because the media you follow only sees the point of view as a group, not individuals. 

Ask questions. People in our current society do not like questions because they either fear they don’t have the answer, or the question is revealing the truth. The most successful people and the most intelligent people ask questions. Don’t ask questions with people who agree with your point of view but to those who have a different point of view than you. You may learn something. Don’t argue. Listen. Listen to understand. You don’t have to agree, but you will be wiser when you leave the conversation. 

Judge yourself more than you do others. Look and see your own sins rather than worrying about the sins of someone you have never met and will never meet. What flaws do you fear people will see in you? Do people judge you as a group with those flaws? Why do you insist to put other people’s flaws on a public forum but hid your flaws? Ask yourself those questions. You may realize that the work you must do in this life to make the world a better place is to work on yourself. 

 

Find something about yourself that goes against what the mob mentality says about you because you are part of a specific group of people because of your ethnicity, gender, age, religion, or political affiliation. When you are able to see that you are not who the group says you are, then you must deduct that other people in other groups are not who society has said they are either.  

Take some time to get to know people as individuals. Start seeing the evil that people do as an individual and not as a group. Find the similarities that you have with someone who is different than you. Maybe, just maybe the mob mentality of the media has lied so much that we have begun to believe the lie. Let’s turn around and find and listen to the truth. May we never be so ignorant in our society to allow an atrocity like the Holocaust to ever occur again. 

 

Free Isn't Free

 This last Saturday, we went to the Angels baseball game as per usual with our season tickets. We left early knowing there would be a line for the “free” giveaway. We were about two hours ahead of the game starting. It was sold out. The line to get into the stadium wrapped around the entire stadium. We were in the back. The reason? That “free” giveaway was a Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout bobblehead. That’s right. The two greatest players in baseball, and they had a “free” giveaway to that game. People were more excited about the bobbleheads than the game, but were they really free? 

Someone somewhere has to pay for what you receive for free. Those bobbleheads were sponsored by two of the companies that advertise at Angel Stadium. The price of the ticket is always higher on a giveaway night, so the consumer also pays for the “free” gift. I watched people get their bobbleheads and leave. What? That’s not free at all! That’s how many people treat the freedom that we have in our country and with Jesus. They take it and go about their business and hoard the freedom for themselves. 

Over two hundred years ago, men fought on the battlefield for their freedom from the ruler of the king of England. They wanted to be free to choose what to believe, think, vote for their own leaders, and not have a leader who is just born into the job, and freedom to choose their own career. The battles were gruesome, but we have benefitted from those lives as we enjoy those freedoms today. 

We are not a perfect country because we are a country full of people, and unfortunately, a country filled with imperfect people. We have made mistakes in the past, and we are trying to make those wrongs right as we are evolving in our knowledge and wisdom. No country is perfect. No country will agree with everyone on everything. If there is a country like that, then you need to stay away because either the residents are robots, brainwashed, or waiting for the chance to have an uprising. 

We cannot just take our freedom and hoard it. We must stay in the game and bring others into our space with freedom for them too. With freedom comes responsibility. We must have a value system that keeps others from harm. Violence is not a sign of freedom with people being able to do what they want, but a lack of responsibility with the freedom to choose because they are harming others. With our responsibility, we can make the right choices, and others will want the freedom that we have. 

Over two thousand years ago, Jesus died for our sins and gave us freedom from sin. We cannot just take that freedom and go and live by ourselves. We must share that freedom with others. We must stay and cheer for the team to be better with their freedom and grace. We must share the love of Jesus with others with our actions, and sometimes, we should use words. 

With those inside the church who have the freedom that Jesus gives, we must have grace and mercy. Jesus gave us grace and mercy with his sacrifice on the cross. Only a person with no sin could save us from our sins, as the Israelites had to sacrifice a perfect lamb for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus was that perfect sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed his life for the people in prison, the strange people on social media, and the people inside the church who judge and are authoritarian. 

No church is perfect because it has people inside it. People leave the church all the time because they cannot stand the hypocrites or the sinners inside it, while they themselves have sins that they refuse to allow others to see or know. We must make space for all people to enter into the church and receive the love of Jesus. For some people it will take a long time for them to know and understand the love of Jesus, even if they have been in the church a long time. We must wait with them on God’s time, and not put them on our timetable. That is our responsibility as Christians. 

We have the responsibility as Christians to love others so they can enjoy the freedom of Christ. It’s not our responsibility to judge them or to change their theological beliefs. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love brings freedom. When we love people with the love of Jesus. we love them with patience, kindness, and we don’t keep reminding them of the wrongs that they have committed in the past. That brings freedom to the church and to you. 

Today, as we celebrate the birthday of our country and the freedom we have in this country. Let us remember that nothing is free. We have a responsibility with our freedom because someone has paid a high cost for the freedom we have. Those bobbleheads at Angel Stadium were paid by City Connect and Yakult, and the fans. Instead of grabbing your gift of freedom and running home to hoard or sell it, stick around, and support the rest of us as we fight together to keep the freedoms that we have in this country and share the freedom that we have in Christ. 

Summer Dreaming

 As a high school teacher, I get the pleasure of attending high school graduation every year. Since I teach juniors and have taught seniors, it is always a delight to think of how far the students have grown and what their future may hold. It makes me reminiscent of my graduations from high school and college. In those days, I had big dreams. Some of those dreams were realized. Other dreams are put on hold. Some dreams were a bit ridiculous, like being a Rockette on Broadway, so they have changed, but it has not stopped me from dreaming. 

“You’re never too old to begin working on your dreams.” In March of 2007, when my pastor said that quote, I went to a coffee shop and began working on my writing and taking it seriously. I shared my pastor’s words with my mom, and she began to write. Her book was published two years later when she was seventy-eight years old, which was another reminder that I was not too old to work on my dreams. I will not become a Rockette on Broadway, but with my writing, my dreams of today have much more importance.

Many people have dreams. They don’t seem them come to fruition because of obstacles. Obstacles determine if you are just dreaming or if you are setting goals. Obstacles and barriers will always come into your life. It’s not the obstacles or barriers, it’s how you choose to maneuver your life to continue to reach your goal or dream with removing the barriers or getting them out of your way. 

There were some parts of my life that had to change. I had to learn to manage my time. I had to learn to say, “No,” to things that were not going to give me any time to write. I had to learn to take risks and go places that would further my writing career. My writing dreams became writing goals. 

Managing Time

I’m consistently working on managing my time. I have had a commute to work for the past two years that took almost an hour to get to work and sometimes up to two hours to get home. I found getting to the coffee shop early in the morning before work was my best writing mode; however, I also would sometimes go after work because I wanted to wait out the traffic. The one thing I knew I couldn’t do was make excuses. “Excuses are like butts. We all have them and they all stink.” My coworker in middle school would tell his students that all the time. It hasn’t been easy, but removing the barrier of time has helped me with my writing with articles, blogs, and a newsletter for a group with which I intern. 

Time will always pass. How you choose to spend your time will reveal what is important to you. You must manage your time rather than having time manage you. The people who reach their dreams and goals manage their time well. You will always have down time to watch television or to play games, but you must manage how much time you will allow for that. 

The Power of NO

Along with managing time, is its close relative of saying, “No,” especially to tasks that invade your time or have little or nothing to do with your talents, gifts, or goals. 

One of my flaws is that I can tend to be a people pleaser. In church, that can be a problem. For one, we are to please God, not human beings. For another, it consumes our time which then become a barrier for us to manage our time. If you want to reach your goals, you must say, “No.” People will guilt-shame and gaslight you. Remember, you are aiming to please God and not human beings. 

Once I left my career in youth ministry, I learned the power of the word, “No.” I did not use that power when I was in youth ministry, so I wasted a lot of time doing tasks that were not in my gifts. I wasted time doing tasks that I could have delegated to others. I spent time in spaces in my ministry when I could have been building friendships with people my age. I don’t blame the church. I blame me. I should have said, “No.” God took time to rest. Jesus went off by himself. I’m not God or Jesus, so I need to not believe that I can do everything. Doing a task begrudgingly or outside of my talents is not helpful to anyone, especially if you have to eat it. Empower yourself. Say, “No,” and stick with it. When you give yourself the permission to say, “No,” you are saying, “Yes,” to that which matters. 

Taking Risks

I used to think I was good at taking risks. I wasn’t. I was safe. Taking risks is not doing something new. It’s taking a step in a direction to help you achieve your goals or make you a stronger person. I was a wimp. I made excuses of why I couldn’t go to writing seminars or join writing groups. The more I took real risks, the better I became at reaching my goals and becoming better at my craft. 

I took free Improv classes, of which I wasn’t good, but it taught me to write better, and taught me to make a fool of myself and learn from some of the best people.  I went to writing seminars. I went to seminars of how to write screenplays. I met some amazing writers who taught how to write stories, whether they were for the screen or in a book. I went to a writing conference, which changed everything for me. At that conference, I met Kathi Lipp, who is not my writing coach as I’m part of a writing group that gives supports and classes to improve our craft. 

It may not seem like a risk to go to a seminar or a conference, but it is. You must realize that in order to reach your goal, you must surround yourself with others who have achieved more than you in your field. Allowing others to critique my work has been scary, but it has always been a benefit. Whatever it is that you need to do, take that risk to make yourself a stronger person and get you one step closer to achieving your goal. 

As the high school students cross the stage, I mentally tell them to keep dreaming. As adults, we cannot stop dreaming and setting goals. The world needs are talents and gifts. It is with our talents and gifts that people will meet Jesus. We are halfway through the year 2023. Now is the time to begin to start working on your dreams and goals. You are not too old. You are not too late. Your goals and dreams may have changed, and like me, you’re not a Rockette on a Broadway, but your dreams and goals today will make a difference in a life in the future. 

Freedom Comes with a High Price

 Today is Memorial Day. This holiday is not about gathering with other people and having barbeques. Although that is a great way to demonstrate freedom, it is not the meaning of the day. This day is about remembering and celebrating those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. We live in a free country in which we can think, believe, and say what we want, regardless of what some people want to believe. Our freedom comes with a high price as many lost their lives for our freedom. Since some have given everything for our freedom, we must become responsible with our freedom. 

Being responsible with our freedom means we may have to refrain from speaking all of our thoughts. We can be free with our speech and still be kind and reveal the love of Jesus. The evil that exists in our society will always be there. We don’t have to respond to all of the evil with a cliché or a clever statement in an argument. We can respond with being kind to our fellow human beings. When we are responsible with our mouths, those outside of the church notice because they usually only hear the reckless words that come out of the mouths of Christians. Soldiers fought and died so all could have the freedom of speech. 

Being responsible with our freedom also means that we stand up for those who are suffering. We work as a church to find solutions for the homeless. We work as a church to find solutions for the disparity in education. (There are huge gaps with minority groups and the poor.) We walk inside of the walls of those places that need help instead of scream on social media how they are doing it all wrong. That doesn’t help anyone, and the people on the inside do not listen because they know that the problem is much bigger. Soldiers fought and died so all could have a place to be home and an education that continues to bring freedom to our country. 

Being responsible with our freedom means we genuinely care for others. Find a space to serve those who are in need. We can have good thoughts and prayers, but once we start serving, then we realize the true work that needs to be done. As much as I am an advocate to serve at church, our society needs our hands and feet outside of the church walls. Find an area where you can serve, whether it is in your career or not. Serve your coworkers and those whom you influence daily. Our soldiers fought and died serving their country. We can find small ways to serve others. 

Jesus gave his life and gave us the ultimate freedom from our sins. We do not have to be concerned with the sins of other people. Once we accept Jesus, we know that we are clean from sin and are free to live our lives. With the freedom, comes the responsibility to love others with the love of Jesus. With that freedom, comes the responsibility to serve others with the love of Jesus. With that freedom comes the responsibility to forgive as Jesus forgave us. 

Freedom. It is a word that we love to say, but it is a word that requires action. Today, as we honor those who fought and died for our freedom, may we think of ways that we can serve others as we remember them and Jesus who fought and died for us.  

A Night of Thanks

 In the midst of a society that is greedy and unappreciative, I was able to witness an evening of thanks. My school where I teach has a tradition. We have a senior dinner. At this dinner, the students receive all their cords and sashes for graduation. Then, there are the speeches. Each and every senior has written a thank you note to their parents/guardians. They wrote them on index cards and gave the speeches in front of the entire class of seniors, parents, and teachers at the dinner. The beauty began. 

Big, tough young men broke down into tears thanking their parents for all that they did in their lives to bring them to their graduation from high school. Some students apologized to their parents for all the trouble they caused them. Students confessed that they loved their parents. Parents were in tears. Then, the last kid gave his speech. This big jokester who will go to a four-year college thanked his single mom. Then, he turned and like many others thanked the staff and teachers. As  he turned to his math teacher, he thanked him for being his father figure and that now he has a dad in his life. My co-worker, a girl dad, was brought to tears. 

These young people reminded me that we must take the time to thank the people in our lives that have made a difference. So many people reserve those words when those people are no longer in our lives. Whether it is from death, or they are no longer in our physical presence because of distance, we speak highly of them but not to them. That senior dinner reminded me to take the time to thank those who have shaped my thoughts while I am in their presence and not wait to speak about them to others. 

Vulnerability is an action that most people would prefer to stay away from. Scroll through any social media site and people are blasting other people and never exposing themselves and their flaws. People would rather present themselves as perfect than be vulnerable. This senior dinner put into practice what we have been teaching our students. We have taught them to be vulnerable and honest. For one night, they put that into practice. It is difficult, but the things worth doing in life are the most difficult. 

So many of us are wasting our time insulting others instead of building others up. The Bible implores us to encourage one another. Anyone can insult. You may think you are better than the person that you insulted, but you are not. In fact, you just revealed that you are weak and unable to have a conversation with someone to discuss the differences and still remain respectful. The people who can empower others with their words are the people who reveal their confidence and the people that are remembered. 

I have been guilty of insulting others both in-person and online. I have repented from those days. It took someone being frustrated with me that I realized that she just needed to be valued by others. I then changed my words when I approached people. I empowered and encouraged them before I would do anything else, especially those in leadership in the church. I know what it is like since I have been on church staff. Even after I have been out of youth ministry for several years, some of my former parishioners would rather insult me than empower me. I am trying to empower them back now. 

Think of the people who have made a difference in your life. They were not perfect. In fact, their imperfections may have encouraged you to not have to be perfect. Look at the qualities that they have that have inspired you. It is those qualities you can appreciate. You can learn from their imperfections that even though no one is perfect, they still have a purpose in life, and they still influence others around them. 

Who have you influenced? What would people say about you? More importantly, who has influenced you? What have you said to them? Are you known to be someone who shows appreciation and empowers others, or are you the one who believes that you are better than others and you are insulting others? Here is my challenge. Take the time to thank someone who has influenced you in your life. Look for that teacher who made a difference, or that pastor, or that youth pastor. Once I found some of my mentors online, I thanked them for their influence. It takes a few moments. It lasts a lifetime. 

Do We Disown People for Their Beleifs?

 “Tom Hanks should disown his son!” I have read that quote more than once on Twitter. The reason people believe that Tom Hanks should disown his son is because his son is a conservative republican. Tom Hanks, as far as the public knows, is a liberal democrat. He has a beautiful and respectful relationship with his son. So, why would people think he should disown his son because his political beliefs are different from his? We live in a polarized society that lives at a middle school social level that if you do not 100% agree with someone, you should cut them out of your life. The problem with that idea is that we lack wisdom, knowledge, and the ability to love people. 

In the book of James, we are informed that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God. The problem is that many people may not recognize that they lack wisdom. They may have a lot of knowledge, but they lack wisdom. They may have been the valedictorian of their high school, but without wisdom, they refuse to allow those with differing viewpoints to partake in their lives. That is foolish. If you do not understand what those with differing views believe, how can you manage to understand how other people live their lives? How can you learn? 

Wisdom demands understanding. We must strive to understand people, even if we do not agree with them. There are life circumstances that have brought them to their beliefs. Jesus understands us, or as the advertisements tells us, He gets us. He gets us because of his wisdom, he understands us. He understands us because he walked with us. You begin to understand people when you walk with them. You open yourself up to see the person for who he or she is without prejudgment. When you listen and understand people, they are more open to listening and understanding you. It’s how many people have come to know Jesus. 

Along with wisdom, we must strive to always learn and to continue to gain knowledge. One way to learn is to listen to people who think and believe differently than you. Ask them questions without being sarcastic or mean. Be genuine with your questions. What is it that has brought them to this place and idea? Where can you learn more about their ideals? What books can you read?  

I have discovered that with reading books that align with what I believe is great because it strengthens my thoughts. I also have read books that do not align completely with my beliefs or ideals. If I ask people who don’t believe in the Bible to read it, but if I haven’t understood their beliefs, then how am going to expect them to read a book that I believe? Reading is not dangerous. Not reading is dangerous because it keeps you in the dark from information that can guide you to understand others in life. 

Knowledge will lead you to understanding. To know how and why others believe what they do simmers your anger. You realize that their life experiences align with their beliefs. This helps in explaining to someone how Jesus can change their life. It’s difficult to explain to someone that Jesus will change their life and make it better when they believe that their life is perfect. You have to admit to your imperfections and that you are always willing to learn and gain knowledge to understand another person. 

“Knowledge puffs up but loves build up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1, CSB) It’s unfair that I use this verse after I just wrote to get knowledge, but you must understand that with your knowledge you must still show love to people, especially those who are different from you. Without love, your knowledge is useless. This is where many Christians struggle, including myself. 

For years, I relied on my knowledge as a Christian. I tried to force people to believe and think like me. I discovered the danger of desiring everyone to think and believe like me when I started to add wisdom and love to my knowledge. Knowledge helped me understand who God is and what a Christian life should be. Wisdom helped me understand the grace that God has for me, and the grace I need to have for others. 

Love will never disown someone because he or she believes differently than you. Love respects someone who is different and listens. Love listens. Love respects. Love does not have to agree. Love does not insult. Love finds common ground. 

Common ground can be that you have the same interest as someone else. Love can be allowing someone to live their beliefs without insulting them. Love does not insult and call people names. Once you insult and are mean in conversations, it shows your lack of knowledge, and you lose the debate. Love allows people to live without affirmation of their lifestyle. Love does not demand. Love invites. When you begin loving people, you will see that you can love them even when they believe differently than you. 

Tom Hanks and his son both set an example for us all how two people can have a strong relationship with different agendas and beliefs. You should never disown or block those who think and believe differently than you. Invite them into your life and space. Learn from them and let them learn from you. Jesus taught everyone he encountered. He didn’t demand. He invited. Love with the love of Jesus and watch your relationships flourish. 

For the Love of Books

 

Last week, we went to the LA Times Book Festival. The campus of the University of Southern California exploded with book vendors, authors, soon to be authors, more books, and vendors that were able to connect with book lovers and writers. Since the pandemic, more people have bombarded bookstores. I love it. Books take you out of your world and bring you into a new world where you don’t have to worry about your own problems but those of the characters in the book. Not everyone enjoys the idea of everyone reading books. 

Book banning is erupting again throughout our country. I’m not for book banning. I do see age-appropriate books. As a high school teacher, I can tell you that young children should not read The Great Gatsby, or Catcher in the Rye, but that does not mean those books should not be in our high school libraries. The more books you ban, the more you come closer for having the Bible banned. 

No matter what your political affiliation is, you must understand that books are powerful. Both parties have struggled with books. Books inform you. If you disagree with the information, you can put the book down or find a book that reveals the other side of the argument. If you only use articles found on Google, then you are lacking some knowledge. Books tell stories. Stories do not always have a linear experience, and that is one of the reasons people struggle with books. 

One of the reasons we struggle with books is that they reveal a truth about ourselves or the people with whom we associate. We don’t want the truth. We want information that affirms our thoughts, lifestyle, and ideologies. When books do not affirm those, we want to ban them from being in public spaces. Spaces that ban books create more readers. 

Since books became available to the general public, they have been dangerous. Jesus would open the scroll and read from it. The religious leaders would get angry. The religious leaders would memorize the words, but they struggled when they were reminded of the words and what they actually mean. Writers do not write stories to make people agree with them or feel better. They write stories that expose the truth within us. That truth is that we all have flaws and we all must take a journey to overcome those flaws. 

Reading is essential. Our young people, especially those in urban communities, are getting ripped off with their low reading levels and low comprehension scores. People outside of education will argue with me that people can get along just fine without being able to read. However, these same people do not realize that laws were put in place to keep the poor readers from advancing in life. They cannot advance because of their low academic scores. Then, the people who can read, vote for laws, and persuade the low readers to vote for laws that keep the low readers from advancing. It’s a vicious cycle. 

Books can inspire us to be better people. When you read a book with characters that are all evil, you realize that one drop of wrong can create a life of chaos. Books can bring us to a world of imagination. Books reveal to us a world that we may not know. We can visit any place in the world and any time period, including the future. Books create new worlds that we either want to live or not. 

When we have used our imagination, we begin to create. As we create, we begin to serve others. It may not be in the form of art, but we can find real solutions to real world problems. When we are so busy creating, we are less inclined to spend time insulting others or worrying about issues that are not ours to even give a second thought to. We realize that our imagination will create in us a new world that gives us hope for the future as it brings delight to our present and shines a light on the past. 

Reading opens doors. When we read, we discover new arenas for ourselves. Like most people in the twenty-first century, I am guilty of spending too much time on social media or streaming services. I have to remind myself that books bring health, and my intelligence grows. The doors that can open for all of us when we read can make our life journey better. 

Whether it is a book that tells a great story or informs us of how to live a better life, we can all take the time in our lives to read. I love to read, but I make excuses for why I don’t have the time to read. I must make the time to read. Last weekend I was reminded of the hundreds of people that want me to open their books and read. I hope one day, people will arrive at the Book Festival and open my book and read it. So, I will read to educate and entertain myself. I hope you will join me and pick up a book today. 

The Power of the Resurrection

 This Sunday is not about an Easter Bunny. It’s not about an Easter basket, chocolate, or even Peeps. IT’s not about the disciples not believing the women or not believing the two men who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. It’s not about politics. It IS about Jesus conquering death and coming back to life. Since Jesus had the power to conquer death and sin, we have the power to have freedom, forgive, and love. 

Freedom. Jesus died so we could be free from our sins. His death was a sacrifice. His resurrection declares that His sacrifice is permanent. We do not have to pay for our sins.  Jesus paid for our sins with his death and resurrection. 

Jesus conquered death, and we are free to choose to accept it or not. Jesus does not force us to follow Him or to believe in Him. When we choose with our own free will that Jesus gives us to believe in Him, he frees us from our sin which gives us life. 

The power of the resurrection gives us freedom and the responsibility to live free in Christ. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The sting of sin is death, but the gift of God is life.” (1 Corinthians 15:56; NIV) Many Christians believe that our life in Christ begins when we die and we spend eternal life in Christ. That is true, but it is not when our life in Christ begins. Our life in Christ begins the moment we choose Christ. 

Spiderman is right, with great freedom comes great responsibility.  We are free in Christ, but we must live as we are in Christ and not just as those who do not have Christ. We love with our words and posts on social media because we know that it is more important that people see Christ rather than our political agenda or how right we are. We have the freedom to choose.  How we choose can determine the choice of someone choosing Christ. 

The power of the resurrection brings forgiveness. Jesus forgave us for our sins through his death. We must be willing to forgive others when they sin against us. Jesus said that if we forgive others of their sins, then our sins will be forgiven. We want God’s forgiveness, but we struggle to forgive others of their sins. 

Jesus’s resurrection reminds us that forgiveness is a powerful act. Before Jesus gave up his spirit on the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”  (Luke 23:34: NIV) If at his lowest point in life and his dying words can be to forgive those killing him, then we can forgive others when they sin against us. However, forgiveness is not easy, but it is a powerful act. 

So many people believe that if they don’t forgive someone it does two things. First, it hurts the person they are not forgiving. Second, it reveals the power of the person unwilling to forgive. Both ideas are wrong. Forgiveness is powerful. It’s not the effect of the power on the other person, but on the person that forgives. When you forgive, you are letting go of the hurt, and you become powerful because you are not allowing the other person’s sin have power over you. Jesus revealed his power on the cross and his resurrection with his forgiveness. 

The power of the resurrection brings love. Jesus died and rose again because he loves us. We can love others because of the love Jesus has for us. We don’t love with a love that tolerates, but with a love that reveals kindness and hope. We can be patient. We don’t boast. We endure. 

Today, may we realize that with the resurrection of Jesus we have the power of freedom, to forgive and to love. This day is about the power of Jesus. This day is about Jesus. Let us live our lives so other people can see Jesus. 

Finding Peace in the Chaos

Last week started with another one. As a teacher, I was reminded that with one week before Spring Break, I had to remain vigilant, even though I was exhausted. For whatever reason, a monster decided to take a gun and shoot three adults and three young children at a school. I don’t care what the beliefs of a school are. I don’t care what color the people are. I care that we have a crisis in our education system, and the chaos continues. How do we find peace? 

I have no words for the families of those who lost so much in that tragedy in Nashville. Their hurt is inconceivable. How do they find peace in the chaos? I have friends who have lost loved ones to cancer this week. How do they find peace in the chaos? the media is screaming about politics, wars, and violence in our communities. How do we find peace in the chaos? Tornadoes, snowstorms, and rainstorms are devastating our communities. How do we find peace in the chaos? 

I don’t like simple answers to complex problems. Many Christians will proclaim that to overcome the chaos you just need to pray. After I’m done praying, the chaos is still there. Those Christians remind me of Job’s friends. Job’s friends gave him the advice that he was suffering because of his sin and that he was not communicating with God. I don’t want to be like Job’s friends. I will declare that peace is difficult to find in the midst of chaos. Then again, maybe I want the peace that the world has and not the peace that Jesus offers. 

Worldly peace means we have no troubles. Jesus warned us that in this world we will have trouble. The peace that Jesus gives is not a life without trouble, but a comfort during the chaos. Jesus doesn’t offer us a comfortable life, but a life of comfort for when the trials come our way. Trials will come. How we respond to the trials brings us peace or more chaos. 

I used to always ask God, “Why does this always happen to me? Why don’t other people have these same problems?” I was good at looking introspectively. I was horrible at seeing the struggles that other people have and how they worked to hide them. Now, I work to be better at the latter. I discovered that for some of the chaos, I created it. For the other chaos I didn’t create, I needed to find the peace for it. 

Finding Peace

During the pandemic, I discovered taking walks. Living in Culver City was difficult. I lived in an area that was just apartment complexes. I found a deserted work area as no one was able to go to their businesses. So, I would walk there. Then, I would slow my pace. I would watch the sunset. I would journal. I would pray about all kinds of things. Today, I still walk in an area with more nature. Anaheim has space with grass and a beautiful view of the mountains. 

Find a place where you can sit and reflect. If it is outside, that could be better. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives often to reflect and pray. He was away from the crowds, so it was quiet and peaceful. He prayed for the chaos of his immanent death not to come, but it did. He endured the chaos so we could have freedom from our sins and find peace in our hearts. 

Pray but not just by yourself. In my Bible study class at church, we have a group text where we put our prayer requests. My phone dings all the time. Knowing that others are praying for you brings peace. Even in the chaos, peace can come in the forms of knowing that other people are there for you. 

No one knows your emotions going through any kind of chaos but knowing that you are not alone brings comfort. Not only do you have friends who know your chaos, but there are people in the Bible who have endured your troubles. After I left youth ministry and felt abandoned, I found comfort in the account of Joseph in the Old Testament. He had to change his course in life and go down a strange new path with new people. He never lost faith in God. His life was chaotic. He found comfort in God. His account reminded me that in the depths, God is there. 

So, why does God allow the chaos? Why doesn’t God just stop the monster from coming to the school to kill people? I have asked this question over and over again. In my trials, I discovered that if God could control the evil people, then he would have to control all of us. God gives us all freewill to choose our actions. We must choose to respond with love and not hate. This taught me to focus on my actions and reactions and not the actions of others. I cannot control others. I can only control my reaction to the chaos others create. Choose to respond with calm and not insults. 

Be courageous. I have found that to find peace, I had to be courageous and move forward. I couldn’t remain stuck in my sad situation. I had to move. I had to keep going. I prayed, connected with friends, and read the Bible. I walked in nature. I exercised and breathed. I didn’t wallow. I didn’t take revenge. I remained in the peace of God and allowed him to comfort me. 

Take the time this week before Easter and find your peace. Allow God to give you the peace in the chaos that surrounds you. This Easter, remember that it was in the midst of chaos that Jesus died for your sins. In the quiet peaceful Sunday morning, he rose from the dead. Don’t miss the miracle of life in the midst of chaos. Find the moments of quiet and remember God is there for you, even in the chaos.  

 

A Movement in Asbury

 On February 8, 2023, students at Asbury Christian University had a chapel service. Since then, they have not stopped worshipping. There are no “celebrity” pastors or adults demanding that they do this. People are going there from all over America trying to discover what is happening there. Some people call it a revival. Some people say it is not a revival unless you feed the poor. (Why do Americans love to quote Judas?) Some say it is just kids being over emotional. Why do humans placate what God is doing? The answer is that humans do not understand the heart and work of God. In this small Christian college in Kentucky, God is working on the hearts of the students. Maybe, just maybe, we should allow God to do His work without our interferences.

I have no idea what is occurring in Kentucky at that small Christian college. I do know that it is a tough time to be a young person in our society. Everyone is screaming from all directions of how young people must think and believe. As a former youth pastor, I have grieved the students who have walked away from God because they are pulled to the desires of their flesh, whatever those desires may be. What I do know is that I have to allow God to work. 

God doesn’t need us telling him how to revive someone’s heart. God needs to do his work of reviving hearts. We must pray. Many people claim that Christians don’t know who Jesus is because Jesus hung out with sinners and had dinner with them. While that is true, they also don’t continue reading the Bible with a few verses later in which Jesus tells the Pharisees that he came for the sick not the healthy. Jesus didn’t come to hang out with the sick but to heal them. In Kentucky, some hearts are being healed because they chose to hang out with Jesus. 

What I have discovered in the past few years is that I must listen to the voice of God over the voices of humans who think they know the voice of God. I also discovered that before I can do any act of service or goodness, God must heal my heart. 

People are coming to Jesus at this chapel meeting in Kentucky. People are on their knees praying. God is moving through the people to heal their hearts. The movement is growing to other Christian universities that are now having their own spiritual gatherings. The beauty of it is indescribable. Instead of wondering or criticizing, maybe it is time that we join them in this movement.

As a teacher of high school students and a former youth pastor, I am thrilled that it is young people leading the way with this movement. Young people are not the church of tomorrow, but they are the church of today. I hear wisdom from young people all the time. These young people are learning the Word of God in their classes. I remember my Bible college days. I learned so much of how to read and understand the Bible. I remember conversations with other students who were learning with me. My time at Bible college was one of the best growth periods in my walk with Jesus. 

Here in Southern California, our church camp resides in our mountains. God’s beautiful creation surrounds you there. With mountain peaks, trees, animals, and stars in the sky. The presence of God is felt by all who enter. Worshipping on that mountain was indiscernible and incredible. The young people with me always had their hearts healed at that camp. I did too. 

The young people in Kentucky are having a healing of their hearts. No matter what else is occurring, their hearts are being healed. If one person decides to live their life for Jesus, it is worth it. The changes may not happen within a few weeks or even a few months or years, but change will happen. Let us embrace it. Let us join in at our own churches in this country. Let Jesus heal our hearts. 

Starting the New Year...Again

 Starting the New Year usually begins with the anticipation that this year will be better than the previous year. We set goals and create plans to make the New Year better. Then, life hits, and we begin to crumble and slowly we begin to let go of our goals. We lose hope. Then, we repeat the same process the following year. I know this because I used to do this until I created manageable goals with addendums. That helped, especially this year when life hit in the beginning of January. 

In the beginning of my Christmas break, I sat down and created a list of detailed goals for the New Year. I set goals for each month, as I want to grow with my goals. Although the list seemed daunting, I knew it wasn’t. The New Year started, but my goals had to take a backseat to life events. 

My mom’s health was failing since the fall, but in December it worsened. When my mom passed on January 10th, I had to reset and do life differently. It was because of this event that I realized that it’s great to set goals for the New Year, but we must give ourselves grace for when life hits. So, no matter where your New Year starts, you can always start a New Year with goals and begin a process in life that will create a healthier life for yourself. 

Although I never told him, one of my pastors in 2014 challenged me. In the beginning of the message, he quoted statistics of how people do not keep resolutions. He actually said no one kept them. I saw that last statement as a challenge. Someone has to be keeping them because people keep hoping that they can keep them as they keep making them. So, I made a resolution that year to write every day and have a daily quiet time. I made a change that year that fixed everything. 

In 2015, as a I made the resolution to write every day, I made an addendum. I decided that if I missed a day, I would start all over the next day. Although I would claim that I never gave up and I was persistent, the truth was when I messed up, I gave up before 2015. So, I created the addendum to keep me going. In 2015, I created that addendum to give myself grace. Even though I didn’t have to use the addendum that year, it gave me less stress because I knew my goal was more than just writing every day. My goal was to improve my life with my writing. 

I didn’t miss a day of writing or a daily quiet time in 2015, and that year my writing improved. I kept that goal. The addendum stays, and this year, that addendum was necessary. So, if you made resolutions or goals and have not kept them, give yourself an addendum to start over in this new month of February. 

It is important for us to give grace to ourselves. Sometimes, the hardest person to forgive is yourself. Jesus gives grace, and we must give ourselves grace when we mess up. Life hits. It always will. Give yourself a fresh start every month, or even every week, or if necessary, every single day. You are worth it.