It's time for the 2nd element in our 30 day kindness challenge: PRACTICING PRAISE. The goal is to find one positive thing that you can sincerely praise or affirm about your person and then tell them AND tell someone else.
According to research, that one simple activity can make a HUGE impact on even the most challenging of relationships.
Why is that? Check out part 3 of The KIND that Breaks and see for yourself.
Read MoreAlrighty ladies, this week it's your turn! Last week I was preaching to the gentlemen and this week it's time to turn our attention to you. In this week's message, I share the one choice you can make that can take your relationships to new heights.
What is it? Check out the video above and see for yourself.
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Today's guest post comes from Pastor Steve King, senior pastor of Cherrydale Baptist Church in Arlington, VA. Pastor Steve has faithfully served in the ministry for close to 40 years and has become both a friend and mentor to me personally. Below is a letter he wrote to a group of ministers about "losing heart." While the letter was written originally to people in full-time ministry, I think it has tremendous value for all who call themselves a servant of Christ.
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This is a guest post from Marina Abdel Malak – a FrAnthony.com guest post favorite. In her previous posts, Marina spoke about her battle with ANOREXIA NERVOSA and how God helped her overcome it. Now, thanks to God, Marina is preparing for a career in helping others overcome their illnesses in medical school. If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.
Read MoreWe're underway in our attempt to live "questionable" lives and the first habit we're going to practice is: I WILL BLESS THREE PEOPLE THIS WEEK.
What does it mean to "bless"? I gave some examples in this week's message but the main idea is to go out of your way to do something kind solely for the benefit of another person. It could be a nice note. It could be a surprise gift. It could be simply a hug. Whatever you decide to do, the goal is to find (at least) three people to bless week - one of whom must be outside of the church family.
Sounds like fun huh?
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
An elderly neighbour of mine (John) has been working as a full time school teacher for many years. John is both a good friend and a mentor to me as well. He gives me great advice on teaching kids – advice that has helped me over the past 11 years as I’ve been teaching Bible lessons to young children at school.
One of the pieces of advice that John gave me was to occasionally stop everything and listen to the children – their comments, their questions, their insights (which turned out to be pretty good parenting advice as well).
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For most of you, the journey to Christmas will be a cold one. I’ve been reading that parts of the USA have been received immense amounts of snow, much earlier than usual. Also, throughout Europe, it’s been a cold and wet winter so far as well.
But that isn’t a problem for me. That’s because I live in Sydney, Australia. And especially with the "climate change" that everyone’s talking about, it’s even hotter this year than usual. So all we can do is dream of having a “white Christmas.”
But here’s the thing: even though it doesn’t look like Christmas or feel like Christmas, it’s still Christmas.
Read More“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37
Week 4 in the God's Ethics: Realigning Your Moral Compassseries and this week's message might be the toughest to swallow of them all.
That's because the message focuses on the SINS OF THE TONGUE - not something we usually think about or pay much attention to. What's the big deal about a little gossip here or there? Or a dirty joke? Or a curse/swear? Or an exaggeration of the truth? We don't usually put these "little sins" into the same class as the big ones.
But guess what? GOD DOES!
“Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:5-6
Are you familiar with the account of the disabled man, troubled by illness for 38 years? He’s the guy sitting by a pool of water near the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem – a story written about in John 5.
Now, I was born with a mild brain injury. It’s called Cerebral Palsy and it has affected my mobility, my vision, and some other 'wiring problems' inside me for over 38 years now. So I can relate to this man very well.
And I'm not exaggerating when I say that if Jesus had walked up to me and asked, "Do you want to be made well?", as He did with the man in the story, I'd of course reply in my holiest voice, "Umm...I'm sorry...Have we met before??"
Shock. Curiosity. Hope.
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No one wants to admit it. You don’t want to admit it. I don’t want to admit it. No one wants to admit. But it’s a fact of life and we all must face it. And that fact is this…WE ALL GET DISCOURAGED.
We feel guilty admitting it but we shouldn’t. It doesn't mean that we don’t love God or the service we’re doing. It just means that we’re human and that we sometimes get tired.
I know you are happy to serve God at church, at a non-profit, in your home, in your high-powered career, or in the line at Starbucks. I know that you don’t do it because it’s the cool thing to do or because a celebrity told you to. I know that you do it because you have experienced His “unfailing love… [and] great compassion” (Psalm 51:1) and want to demonstrate this love and compassion to others.
I know you do all these things for the glory of God, and that the opinion of others doesn't matter. But I also know that you – like me – are human and that sometimes you get discouraged. Our strength and abilities may come from God, but that doesn't mean we don’t at times need some simple encouragement from our fellow man.
“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)
So here is my good word. Listen carefully…WHAT YOU DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
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