According to blogger and self-improvement writer, Moreno Zugaro “when native tribes in Africa want to catch a monkey, they drill a hole into a rock or tree – large enough for a monkey’s hand, but too small for a clenched monkey fist.”
Zugaro says they then fill it with peanuts “Once a monkey grabs the treat, it can’t get its hand out of the hole anymore. It panics, holding on to the very thing that keeps it trapped. Continue reading
Filed under Sowing Seeds for Spiritual Growth
Greeting from Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada
This week has been really busy. We participated in the Wellandport VBS, teaching the adult class.
Our theme was “Fearless Deeds of the Defenders.” It was an incredibly exciting, encouraging and faith-strengthening week. This little church puts on a BIG VBS. It was well attended by the local members and attracted a number of visitors. We had 40+ in the childrens’ classes. And 20-25 in the adult class. We commend these brothers and sisters for the dedication, devotion and hard work putting this together.
BTW, our battle cry is now, “FEARLESS.” Continue reading
Filed under facebook friday
“The lives of a 6th grade class in East Harlem were forever changed on the day self-made millionaire Eugene Land challenged them with the promise, ‘Stay in school, and I’ll help pay the college tuition for every one of you.’”
“One student said, ‘I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling.’ Nearly 90% of that class went on to graduate from high school.” Continue reading
Filed under facebook friday
On this day in history, July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut, became the first human being to walk on the surface of the moon.
Norma Jean and I had only been married 11 months. But I remember it like it was yesterday. I had an out of town preaching appointment in North Florida. But we returned to our little apartment on Bearss Avenue in Tampa, Florida, just in time. Turned on our little black and white TV and watched in amazement Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
Sometimes good isn’t good enough. The task requires 100%.
If 99.9% is good enough then…
Filed under Passage To Ponder
This week at the Wellandport Church in Wainfleet, Ontario, Canada, I’m teaching the adult class in their annual VBS.
I love VBS. The unbridled excitement of the children. Their enthusiastic singing. Their eagerness to learn. And the passion of the teachers as they go the extra mile in their preparations to make VBS a memorable and mission driven experience. Continue reading
Filed under Courage, Discipleship
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it,” once wrote Henry David Thoreau.
In terms of being successful in life, John Maxwell refers to Thoreau’s thought as “the law of trade-offs.” In other words you have to give up to grow up.
This principle rings true in the area of spiritual growth. Continue reading
Filed under Sowing Seeds for Spiritual Growth
Greetings from Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.
Or as locals in the region call it, “The Port.” It’s a neat area with the Welland canal connecting Lake Ontario with Lake Erie. It’s fascinating to watch these huge barges inch their way through the locks as they are lowered and raised. If you ever come to Niagara Falls its worth a trip to see it. While you can watch from The Port or one of the other 8 locks, one of the best places to watch is Lock 7 at Thorold, where there is a watching station. Continue reading
Filed under Weekly Recap
Winston Churchill once quipped, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.”
Truth today has fallen into disrepute. People casually speak of “my truth,” or “your truth”, as if absolute truth is non-existent.
My friend and preaching colleague, Perry Hall regularly posts on facebook a column he calls “A Pew Moments with Perry. He recently posted this wonderful piece about truth. Continue reading
Filed under Discipleship
The New York Times recently reported that former NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio, and his wife Chirlane McCray, are separating after nearly thirty years of marriage. However, they’re not getting a divorce. Or even moving to a separate residence.
Confused? Let me explain the new morality of “consensual non-monogamy.” Continue reading
ThePreachersWord 