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Showing posts from November, 2015

When (not if) the bottom drops out of your life...

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Are you trying to cope with devastating hurt? Loss? Sadness? Anger? Broken-heartedness? Or _______? (If not right now, it's inevitable that you will, so keep reading.) Then let it out to God and your closest friends. I dare you to give it full vent. Yes, I'm serious. Be very careful to not prolong and compound your grief by pretending it's all good—or covering it over with a thin layer of spiritual verbiage. If it hurts, keep it real. Why?  Because sometimes, life sucks. And some of the most spiritual people in the Bible weren't afraid to express their deepest hurts and pain to God and their friends. At our times of greatest sorrows, we would do well to learn to grieve as pictured in the book of Lamentations. Bible in Five: Lamentations on Vimeo . I know. In our strange, consumeristic God-wants-you-to-be-happy Christian culture, we don't talk a lot about how to grieve well. But God sure speaks to this in many places in his Book. Check ou

Why you don't have to be afraid of bad news...

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1              Praise the  Lord . Blessed are those  who fear the  Lord ,      who find great delight  in his commands. 2  Their children  will be mighty in the land;      the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3  Wealth and riches  are in their houses,      and their righteousness endures  forever. 4  Even in darkness light dawns  for the upright ,      for those who are gracious and compassionate      and righteous. 5  Good will come to those who are generous and      l end freely,      who conduct their affairs with justice. 6  Surely the righteous will never be shaken;      they will be remembered  forever. 7  They will have no fear of bad news;      their hearts are steadfast,  trusting in      the  Lord . 8  Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;      in the end they will look in triumph on their      foes. 9  They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,      their righteousness endures  forever;      their horn will

My Encounter with Moses...

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I just received word that my 109 year-old friend, George H. Reader, aka, Moses, died Thursday, November 5, 2015. Below is a tribute I wrote about Moses in 2004. Read and be encouraged and instructed by a life well-lived. My Encounter with Moses... The scene: September 12, 2004. After the morning community service. I've finished preaching, and I am simply connecting with the people of Chrisman, IL in the city square.... "Ninety-eight years old tomorrow?" I asked incredulously. "That's right, I'll be ninety-eight years old tomorrow," said the man in a voice that could barely be heard. He looked much stronger than his voice sounded. "What did you do for work?" I asked. "I was in the ministry for seventy-two years. That's why you can barely hear me. Over the years, I preached so much that I preached my voice out." I don't know exactly what happened in my heart at that moment other than to say that it was like an e

Monday Funday: What are you thankful for?

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"... at least they tried." Happy Thanksgiving! Track with us on social media!      Instagram            Facebook            Twitter      Subscribe: Let me encourage you most Mondays !

Your Job Matters to God...

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I'm proud to be friends with this guy since he was a teenager! If video doesn't appear, go here . Mike nailed it! Lives it! Models it! All of life IS a missions trip... including your job! But let's be honest: Most people don't approach their job/work as if it really matters to God... do they? So, practically speaking, how can you move toward this all-of-life-IS-a-missions-trip way of living? Great question. Start here . Then check out the related posts  near the bottom of this post. And he has a bathroom in his house filled with fun Elvis stuff! Not your average pastor! Me with Pastor Mike back when he looked a lot like Lemmy from the band Motorhead. (As you can see, Mike and I like the same football team too. It's the same football team Jesus likes .) Disciplemaking friends... with a selfie stick. You can connect with Pastor Mike Klamecki and New Hope Community Church here . Related Posts: * A message I wish every vo