“I grew up knowing I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft palate,” writes Mary Ann Bird in her poignant unpublished memoir, The Whisper Test.
When she started school Mary Ann remembers , “my classmates made it clear to me how I looked to others: a little girl with a misshapen lip, crooked nose, lopsided teeth, and garbled speech.” Continue reading
Filed under Word of the Week
Plutarch who lived from 46-120 A.D. once wrote, “The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.” The Psalmist often coupled the sprit of thanksgiving with worship to God. Continue reading
Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts
“A Man Named ‘God’ Settles With Credit Agency He Sued.”
This ABC headline is not a hoax. A 27-year old Brooklyn man named “God” finally won his battle with Equifax to recognize his name as legitimate. God Gazarov, a Russian immigrant, claims he was named “God” after his Grandfather, a well-respected army commander. Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
The Scottish minister, David Livingstone was one of the most popular national heroes of 19th century Britain. He was known as an explorer. Scientific investigator. Anti-slavery crusader. And Protestant missionary martyr.
The story is told that Livingstone once received a letter from the London Missionary Society inquiring about his work in Africa. They asked the explorer, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you? Continue reading
Filed under Commitment
While returning to the office from lunch yesterday, Justin Berss, my summer preaching intern, and I were discussing some of our favorite Bible verses.
Justin opined that it’s hard to select just one. But when we returned to the church building, he hollered from the adjoining office, I know what my favorite verse is!
“What?”
“Jeremiah 20:9”
“What does it say?” Continue reading
Filed under Great Bible Verses
Cleland McAfee was a preacher and song writer from Parkville, Mo,. He lived in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. He was known for often writing his own songs that fit the theme of a sermon he was preaching. In 1903 he suffered the tragic loss of two infant nieces to diphtheria.
His daughter, in her book Near to the Heart of God, describes what happened. Continue reading
In the early days of our country’s founding Benjamin Franklin often spoke on the greatness of our newly formed Constitution.
Once at the conclusion of a stirring speech on the guarantees of the Constitution, a heckler shouted, “Aw, them words don’t mean nothin’ at all. Where’s all the happiness you say it guarantees us? Continue reading
Filed under Joy, Word of the Week
In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes, “The heart of worship is surrender.” He suggests that the idea of surrender is both unpopular as well as disliked. We are taught NOT to surrender. Never give up. Never give in. Fight to the bitter end. Continue reading
Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts
Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to the world as Dr. Seuss, became famous for writing children’s poems that were entertaining, easily understood, but contained a thoughtful moral. One insightful poem is “The Zoad In The Road.”
Did I ever tell you about the young Zoad?
Who came to a sign at the fork of the road?
He looked one way and the other way too –
The Zoad had to make up his mind what to do. Continue reading
Filed under It's Friday. But Sunday's Coming!
Several years ago I attended a seminar and heard a guy, Mike, tell the story about going to a movie. The movie began and the projector wasn’t correctly focused so that the images on the screen were distorted. After a minute or so and the problem was not corrected, a fellow stood up and turned back toward the projectionist and yelled FOCUS!” Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship, Focus, Life
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