Appreciating You

Most of you opened an email to get to this post. You may have dozens of others sitting in your inbox, but you opened this one. Most of you do it every Monday morning. I want to take a moment just to tell you that I don’t take you for granted. I appreciate you.

Seek First to Understand

My friend, Jack Frederick, recently posted a piece on Facebook reflecting on the current racial tension in the US. I want to share some portions of it with you. As you read, please know that Jack and his wife, who are white, have reached out to people of different races for many years. Jack has made sacrifices to teach in many inner city schools and Historic Black Colleges. He walks the talk. This is a longer post than readers are used to in this space, but there are times when more is needed.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood” (one of Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”)

I want to speak frankly and honestly in humility; I will make mistakes and be misunderstood so I ask you to hear my words with kindness and grace. I’m searching like many to understand. I ask that you please not respond to this as a political statement; it is not. I’m not telling you ‘how it is’, I do not have the answers, I’m just wrestling like you are.

How Much for a Hug?

The following is from Sheila's blog "My Bucket of Sand."

Do you remember seeing a YouTube video of a man on a busy sidewalk holding a sign offering “Free Hugs”? At first people were skeptical and ignored him. Then a few people took him up on his offer and found it was a bargain. They took/gave a hug, and they cashed in on a surge of serotonin. They replenished their “happy hormone.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4)

In the Presence of Faith

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:38,  NLT).

Today I spent some time with a brother who has so recently been through the darkest of times. Probably twenty years my junior, with a daughter in her early twenties, he sat with his wife for five weeks as she lay in a coma. And then he said good bye to his precious life partner.

A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break

For the next few weeks I want to look at few of the passages that some of you shared two weeks ago to encourage our friend.  The first is from Isaiah 42, especially verse 3:

1“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen one in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will bring justice to the nations.

2He will not shout or cry out,

or raise his voice in the streets.

3A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.

In faithfulness he will bring forth justice…

God Has Not Given You Too Much (Trouble)

This is a Mind Change Moment Encore from 2007

She has suffered from so many debilitating and challenging physical problems that you need a scorecard to keep track. Her battle with diabetes caused her to lose her vision. She had kidney failure, regular dialysis and finally a kidney transplant. She has had at least two surgeries for cancer. Her schedule for doctors’ appointments in a month sounds like a fulltime job. Her husband has good health and a career, but is at her side when not working, and he empathizes and suffers vicariously with her.

Asking for Your Help

Today I am writing to ask for your help. We have a friend in Christ who has just been diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. The prognosis is not good. I know she would be encouraged to hear a thought or a Scripture from many of you who have also faced dark or uncertain times.