When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. — Romans 5:6-8 (NLT)
“What makes him special?” asks the radio personality. “I love him so much. He gives me roses,” she shares.
Hope perspective takes practice. It is a life-long habit that can be created through a continual process of recognizing that life goes on, joy returns and dark times enrich your life through adding depth and understanding.
“Mom, I couldn’t even drive home for a good while because I was crying so hard,” my daughter told me the day after she had gone to help her Dad settle down for the evening while I had an unexpected trip out of town.
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” — Mark 6:31 (NIV)
With sweat streaming down her face, she squatted once again to dig the volleyball and pass it high enough for the setter to position it for spiking over the net.
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” — Isaiah 30:15b
Every time I read this verse, memories of my reluctant submission to the concept of “rest” come flooding back to me. You would have none of it. That had been the convicting part ... that was me.
When I was growing up my grandparents false teeth fascinated me.
Their teeth sitting in a glass by their bedsides seemed curiously strange but yet the idea of being able to take your teeth out oddly interested me. In fact I think I can even remember asking my parents why I couldn’t take my teeth out as well.
Last week I read an article about someone in New York who had become so concerned about members of his community struggling to afford to eat that he built and stocked a food box in his front garden/yard. As his neighbourhood heard about his initiative, people who had the means to helped him keep it stocked and together as a community through generosity they began to take care of those who needed help.
