A few years ago, while hosting a tour of 33 people on a “Footsteps of Paul” journey, I found myself in ancient Philippi. In 50 A.D., the apostle Paul was preparing to go east into Asia with the Gospel, the “Good News” of Jesus Christ. But the Holy Spirit told him, “Go west young man! Go west!” So, trying his best to follow the leading of God, the mission-minded apostle traveled westward to Macedonia, where Philippi is located.
It is a new year and just about everyone has a new year’s resolution. What is yours? The typical resolutions involve losing weight, finding a new job, or generally improving your quality of life. Our resolve to commit to these resolutions, however, usually begins to dissolve within a few months. For some, the stress of holiday debts, income taxes, going back to school, and other worries during the first quarter of the year slow us down before we can really pick up steam. So how do we move past the demands of the world and succeed in maintaining the priorities in our lives? Taking a lesson learned from a Jewish man named Nehemiah who did just that provides hope for change in the New Year.
In the middle of the dry heat that is so typical in our valley, it is hard to imagine ourselves in a storm—one with unrelenting rain, thunderous crashes, violent wind, and no end in sight. But perhaps this scenario is all too real for you, as it may describe your current emotional, spiritual, or physical state. Financial hardships, relationship troubles, and health problems can cause rifts in our lives, if not turn them upside down altogether. Whatever your circumstance in life, Jesus has the power to calm your storms.
If asked you what the best gift you received 10 years ago was, what would you say? For a few of you, the image of that perfect gift popped into your mind right away. But I would guess it is taking most you a while to recall. That special gift from long ago might have been a bicycle or set of golf clubs you longed for, a puppy, Lakers tickets, a beautiful sweater, or a thoughtful trinket. Or, it may have been a relative coming home from the military or college just in time for Christmas, or being blessed with a new job or a baby, or a family heirloom or keepsake passed down to you.
Christmas is always one of my favorite times of the year. Shopping centers and department stores are decked with twinkling white lights and green garlands, and carols play merrily throughout the aisles. Best of all, most of us make the extra effort to extend additional benevolence to others in the spirit of Christmas. Whether it is through kind words in a greeting card, thoughtful gifts, or extra courteousness in our dealings with strangers, there is an air of kind consideration we wish would last the whole year round.
The popular game show of a similar title has caught America’s attention, as viewers everywhere strive to remember the educational facts and lessons they were taught back in the classroom. We are caught off guard or surprised by the theories, laws of science, formulas, historical facts, or grammatical rules that we have forgotten from long ago, but that fifth graders know from recent lessons. My youngest daughter, Kerri, has herself just graduated from the fifth grade and can often rattle off facts, formulas, and grammar rules that I have long since forgotten. We dismiss these omissions from our memories with amusement, reasoning that we do not often use these facts or information in our everyday lives.
