Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. When have you been genuinely surprised (in a positive way) by a loved one? What action, gift, or other blessing from this person truly caught you off guard? 2. Do you regularly take time to count your blessings? Quickly make a top 10 […]
The English author Lynne Truss wrote a clever book about punctuation called Eats, Shoots & Leaves. The book’s title comes from the grammatical misstep of a student who wrote an essay about pandas and tried to explain their plant-based diet. These creatures, the writer meant to explain, “eats shoots and leaves.” Unfortunately, the student inserted […]
When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples,” he insinuated by his instruction that it was something that could be done. He expected us to put something together, to produce a plan, to create a process that makes disciples. Like many others, I have searched over the years for the “holy grail” that would do what […]
MONDAY Reading for Today:Matthew 24:1-14Romans 6:15-23Psalm 56Numbers 21–22 Matthew 24:1-14In this text the disciples first asked Jesus about the timing of his statement regarding the temple’s destruction. His prophecy must have shaken them to the core as the temple represented the heartbeat of their faith. Jesus answered their question in somewhat veiled terms. These verses […]
Twenty women in various stages of breast cancer squeezed around the table in Bren Miller’s dining room. It was the day of the Pink Posse cancer support group meeting. I joined as a spectator, allowed in because of the press badge clipped to my jacket. “Would anyone like to share something encouraging that happened to […]
