Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. Recall a time when life was difficult and a friend said, “I’m here for you.” How did the presence of that friend make a difference? 2. Try to define these two terms: tough love and enabling. Both could describe the actions of a […]
Week 12 Mission | Unlikely Prospects
I stood next to him in the baptistery and listened to him make his confession of faith. In a matter of days, he would be headed back home to his native Turkey where living out his new faith would be challenging at best. Before we walked into the water, I looked at Emir (not his […]
Week 12 Character | Trying Patience
We want our food fast—and our downloads faster. We want new smart phones and new computers because new means faster. We want to watch our favorite movies and TV shows “on demand.” We want Amazon and FedEx and UPS to deliver our stuff by the next day—or better yet, today. And the boss needs that […]
Week 12 Daily Reading
MONDAY Reading for Today: Matthew 26:1-16 Romans 9:19-33 Psalm 62 Deuteronomy 1–3 Psalm 62 We sometimes look for rest in the wrong places. We might think we need to go on a vacation to get rest. We might think we need more sleep at night. Though vacations are wonderful, the best way to get rest […]
Week 11 Study | The People Gave Thanks to God
Giving thanks makes for a busy life. The busiest travel days in the United States occur around the Thanksgiving holiday. Airports are crammed and highways look like parking lots. Even so, Bob Russell says that Thanksgiving is the one holiday that has not suffered extreme commercialization (Bob Russell Ministries Blog, Thanksgiving—My Favorite Holiday, November 19, […]