My wife and I traveled to Israel 18 years ago, and during our return visit last year we noticed that much about the Holy Land remains constant (and confusing)—a mix of the sacred and the strange. In Jerusalem pilgrims rub elbows with pickpockets. Merchants hawk T-shirts outside the entrance to the Wailing Wall. A peaceful […]
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 […]
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, […]
Clapping hands is a nearly universal way to express approval, honor, and celebration. Kids sing, “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.” Fans clap at ball games, audiences applaud musical performances, voters put their hands together in support of political candidates, and party-goers clap after singing “Happy Birthday” to a friend. The […]
Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. Imagine that you have been put in charge of organizing a dedication ceremony for a new hospital in your community. What would you include in the dedication ceremony? (Examples might include participants, guest list, theme, testimonies, and so on.) 2. Think of an […]
