Inspirations

       Recently I’ve heard more and more people comment on the state of our country.   Violent crimes seem to be at record high; there are shootings at schools, theaters, even churches.   While we can go back and forth about the causes, one thing everyone agrees about is that it seems like it is getting worse every day.  It’s impossible to turn on the news without coming away from the experience defeated and depressed.   Many well-meaning Christians will say that the problem is that God is not allowed in schools.  They site statistics showing a rise in crime corresponding to the time after we removed prayer from our schools.  My goal here is not to dispute those statistics only the hypothesis that our world is in a mess because our kid can no longer pray in school.         I do not think our country is in a mess because kids can no longer pray in school.  Removing God and prayer from our ...

                                                                                                                         Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.  Those were the words Jesus spoke to Peter and Andrew, and James and John.  These men were fishermen.  It’s what they did.  I imagine that it might be all they knew.   Imagine the surprise of these men when Jesus called them to follow him.   There was no hesitation.  We read that they immediately left their nets and followed him.   They left their nets and everything to follow the teacher from Galilee.  As I was thinking about this, one thought jum...

Recently, I read a statement supposedly made by Pope Francis.   I won’t lie, it left me with mixed emotions.  It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way, the traditional notion of God is outdated. One can be spiritual but not religious. It is not necessary to go to church and give money — for many, nature can be a church. Some of the best people in history do not believe in God, while some of the worst deeds were done in His name. I have checked and cannot verify or disprove whether he made these comments or not.  So let’s give him the benefit of a doubt and say that he did not say these things, and someone else wrote them.  Whether he did or not, I would like to give my perspective on these statements mainly because I believe there is some truth, but there are more lies in these statements.     The first statement, “It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person.”  This statement is true....

The earth reels and spins Like a man drunk on wine. Like it did in Noah’s day. It breaks apart. The mountains and islands move. The sun turns red Like a ball of fire And then to black; The stars fall. The whole sky is changed Rolled back like a scroll. People run in terror Knowing the impending doom Of which they scoffed Has come suddenly upon them In a moment, like the twinkling of the eye. They hide in caves Praying to escape Forgetting that no one escapes  the Judgement of God. But I, I have no need to fear. I knew the time was near I covered myself With the only thing that can save; The blood of Christ. Christ now pleads my cause I do not fear what they fear. I laugh Excited for the time is near When I meet the one my soul loves.

“Abby, what do you think it means to ‘remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.’?”  I asked as we were walking and talking.   I saw that someone had written The Ten Commandments in sidewalk chalk.   When I asked the question, I was not prepared for the simple answer that she gave.   Without a moment of hesitation, she said, “To celebrate Jesus and make his day special.”   Whoa!!  Her answer was so simple, yet so profound that it made my heart leap.  In those words, she beautifully captured God’s desire.  God wants us to celebrate the day of rest, Sunday.   Often, Sunday becomes like any other day.   I fear that, for most of us, there is nothing that distinguishes Sunday from any other day of the week.  We do nothing different than we do Monday through Saturday.  Do we celebrate Sunday?  Or is it just a day to catch up on chores, and other things.  Do we make it a day for celebrating God...

Last week I faced a situation in which I had no idea what to do.  .  I asked my friends to pray for wisdom.  Looking back, I had no idea HOW God would answer that prayer.  However, God does say that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God for wisdom and don’t doubt.   So I did just that.  In fact, I got some other’s to pray also because there is power in believers praying together.    God’s wisdom and the principals he showed me were timeless.     First, I had to take trust in God to a whole new level.   I was going on vacation, so the problem would have to wait until I got home.  For me, this is hard.  I like resolutions, to problems.  This time, God asked me to walk away and leave it with him.  For the first few days is was difficult to relax and not be anxious. I did, however, with prayer manage to find calm in the storm.   I knew I just had to trust that God loved me enough to do wha...

Lately, it seems that everywhere I turn there is some new atrocity.   Today, I read about a man who beat up his brother over a Big Mac.   Crazy right?  I’ve had to ask myself the same question that you’re probably asking.  What is wrong with people, and society? I have to confess that I’m not a sociologist. Therefore, I do not have all the answers.  I do believe that part, if not all, of the problem, stems from a lack of a moral compass.  Or perhaps that the moral compass is broken.  As a society and as a people we have a broken moral compass when: When the Supreme Court tries to redefine sin so that homosexuality is ok When we care more about the death of an animal than we care about an aborted baby. When we can physically hurt someone because they ate a Big Mac. When we can sue someone over not enough napkins while some people are going hungry. When we can applaud someone for having a sex cha...