A Slower Pace

I am in downtown San Francisco on business travel attending a organizational unit forum for my company. This evening some dinner plans were rearranged by the forum team due to the World Series. It moved back dinner to a very late time of 8pm – which is 11pm my east coast body time. So I declined and instead enjoyed a much earlier dinner with my boss.

After a nice meal and conversation, she headed home to her family and I took the opportunity, because it was still early, to walk over to the Apple store. Now I am not necessarily an Apple fan, although I can appreciate the design and simplified interfaces. And because it is tech, I have a natural inclination towards anything tech. So my quick stroll over there brought me in front of the store and into its innards to explore the tech offerings inside.

I mostly wanted to see the iPad. I played around with it for 20 minutes and thoroughly enjoyed what it could do and its interface. I even thought about surprising my wife with one – something we could use at night in bed for surfing, email, simple reading and video watching. I think it would outperform the laptop we currently share now. However, I ultimately declined and moved on to look at other things – mainly because I could not justify the high price for such a gimmicky toy, which is really what it is.

After another 10 minutes walking around gawking at the tech toys, I exited the store and proceeded on my short 2 city block walk back to the hotel. While at a corner, waiting for the light to turn, a bum, homeless man, beggar – you choose your particular term – walked up to me and asked for a handout. I politely declined. He said “Hey, come on man. The Giants won and I want to get something to eat”. I declined again and told him that I didn’t give out money. However, if he was truly hungry, that I would share a meal with him. I suggested Subway which was within sight. He agreed and we began walking towards our dining destination.

I introduced myself and he replied and said his name was Reggie. He was from New Orleans but left after Katrina ravaged the area. I thought I heard him say he was with the merchant marine there but the traffic drowned out our conversation. I did find out that he was in San Francisco because he wanted to get far away from his two ex-wives.

Reggie’s physical condition was one of unemployment but it did not look like he was living on the streets. I say this because I have seen guys in his same circumstance much dirtier and more aeromatic than he was. He sported some newish sneakers and his courderoy pants were not frayed or stained. His Army jacket conveyed some weathering but he seemed to be better off inside – mentally and emotionally – than his direct, first glance appearance let off.

We arrived at Subway and he proceeded to order his sandwich. I grabbed a lemon iced tea and then watched him grab a bottled soda and a bag of chips. He ordered a foot long pastrami and cheese and then got my money’s worth by piling all sort of the veggies and condiments on it. At checkout, he added two cookies to the list along with an empty cup and asked for a bag so he could take it to go. I paid the cashier, grabbed one of my business cards and told Reggie that I wanted him to have my business card. He took it and gave it a quick glance. I didn’t think he realized exactly what it was or said – he just said something about calling me tomorrow for another meal. At that, we began to exit the store. He abruptly turned to the drink bar to maximize his cup while I was exiting the store.

So now to the blog post title subject – what I struggle with.

I struggle with do I define boundaries on my giving or just meet someone’s physical need. My perspective was that Reggie found himself a “free lunch” and was taking advantage of that. Do I let that happen or do I restrict it or hold him accountable? It became apparent that this meal would not make or break me or Reggie. I obviously could afford it. But he treated it just like another gullible city folk free lunch. I do not think it really impacted either one of us. I felt like I felt back when I had Jamba Juice with Aaron that there might have been a slight need, but it was more of an “angle” or scam rather than a true need. I struggle with differentiating between scam and need. And that is a huge challenge in a city like San Francisco where homeless folks are littered all over like trash, and also ignored and stepped over like trash as well. Is it better for me to find a homeless person to share a meal rather than the hustler homeless person finding me?

And I ask these questions because I hope, you the reader, might have some insights that can be shared via comment or email.

Again, I don’t pretend to have all (or any) of the answers. However, I do know that I am called to be obedient and to serve Christ and that I do not have to have the answer to the problem to be a small part of the solution.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

A fellow at work and I had an interesting conversation that caused me to take a step back, pause and think about an issue within the church. It relates around end times prophecy.

There are many who preach on end times prophecy. It is a popular topic that tends to garner lots of attention. From Nostradamus to the book series “Left Behind” to the movie “2012”, there are many opinions of how, what, and when the world will end as well as many different people preaching many different things. Some are based on scripture, others not so much. But it seems that no matter what perspective you are taking – Biblical or secular – we all want to know the future and what is going to happen in the end.

Now some of these answers are, indeed, in scripture. The book of Revelation is probably the most common resource people look to for answers. And because of its figurative and metaphorical writing, it is very challenging to get a clear picture on the end times. However, there are a few other books in the Bible that hint at future occurrences. The books of Daniel and Ezekiel, for example, have a few nuggets that point to some possible end times events. The Gospel of Mark in chapter 24 also has some insight. But overall, there are as many interpretations of the end times, as there are translations of the Bible.

But I am here to pose a totally different “end times” prophecy perspective. IT DOESN’T MATTER!!!!! Matthew 24:36 says “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Because even Jesus doesn’t know when He will return, any time spent by us trying to figure that out is in vain. Additionally, in Mark 12:29-31, Jesus boiled down all the commandments, in essence the entire Old Testament, to two orders – love God and love your neighbor. Done! Simple, easy, effective.

We should not be wasting our time “preparing for the end”. We should be loving, praising and worshiping God and then we should be loving our neighbor – serving, helping, giving and sacrificing ourselves for others. In fact, if we are doing all that, we will, indeed, be preparing for the end times!

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

As many of you know, it is my discipleship responsibility and calling to look for opportunities to serve Christ. And I have been torn between blogging about it to give others ideas and keeping it between me and God. So lately, I have not been blogging about it as much, even though I have been distributing my “business cards” liberally.

However, I always want to celebrate the victories my fellow brothers and sisters have in serving Christ. I will deliberately and persistently lift them up and share their experiences so others get ideas and are inspired.

Below is one of those stories from a fellow sister in Christ in her own words.

Ok, so for a very long time I have wanted to do something in the lines of helping troubled kids; kids who come from a hard walk, teen moms, kids who feel like there’s no hope or that anyone cares, a group home, detention center, something along those lines. Unfortunately I’ve allowed my own fear to hold me back. However, it’s been very heavy on my heart, so I’ve been praying about it a lot.

The other day I prayed and asked God to lead me where I’m needed. I don’t know where that is, but I trust that he does. I got in my car with no set destination and said “Ok God, you do the driving. Take me where you want me to be, where I can be the hands and feet of you.”

I ended up in Lyndon at the Kentucky Children’s Housing, the Kentucky Juvenille Justice. I had no idea what it was or where to go. I got out of my car, walked up to a door that was locked. I waited for someone to open it and explained that I was wanting to volunteer and give back to my community. I didn’t know what they did there or what was needed but that God brought me there.

The 1st gentleman wasn’t sure what to say or where to direct me. He asked another gentleman to come over. I introduced myself and explained the same thing. He looked at me and said “Wow, you want to volunteer? We don’t have people just showing up wanting to do that.”

He walked me into the director of the school. I explained myself again and we spoke for a little bit. He handed me some paper work to fill out and explained to me where I was; that they have the school which buses kids in, troubled kids that is, a resident facility which is a level 3, and a group home.

Instead of mailing back my paper work, I drove it there the next day but instead walked into the front door of the residential facility. I was asked if I wanted a job instead of volunteering! I spoke with one of the counselors, the drug and alcohol counselor. I asked a lot of questions about what they do there, what outside programs come in, are they in need of some volunteers. The director of that facility then walked out to get someone who was there for an interview and they introduced me to her. She walked me back asked some questions. I explained why I was there and she said she’d love to spend some time talking with me.

After that, I left and if God wants me there I will be.

She just called me to schedule some time on the 26th to come in and talk with her. We’ll see where it goes. I’m not necessarily looking for a job; I’m looking to give back.

There you have it summed up!!

I am so proud of my sister in Christ and how God has used her so far…..and will continue to use her to further His kingdom.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

Yesterday was a wonderful day. The Men’s Emmaus walk 129 started yesterday evening and I am blessed enough to be able to sponsor a pilgrim on his spiritual journey this weekend. This friend is a great disciple of Christ and will be forged into an even greater servant, husband, father and man of God. I am excited to see his transformation on Sunday afternoon.

One of the items of personal improvement I added to my short term “to do” list was to add markers along my route to and from work. These markers would remind me to be in prayer during my commute. It is consistent with recent sermons that have highlighted being a prayerful church and being in constant prayer. This was reminded to me last night at Emmaus send off and it was my intent to identify those markers on the way in to work this morning.

I had pulled into the right lane and slowed my car down deliberately so I could begin to mentally identify markers and link a specific ongoing prayer to each one (obedience, family guidance, blessings on our church, protection for our soldiers, etc). Within 10-15 seconds I spotted something up ahead on the side of the road. However, it wasn’t a marker but a pulled over vehicle. As I passed it, I noticed a woman inside and a left front flat tire. Now for me, that is a meatball softball pitch — a no-brainer chance for a home run. I try to pay special attention to women and old folks pulled over on the side of the road. While there are a lot of people that need help, I imagine my wife, my daughter or my mom along the side of the road needing help and try to do for others what I would like someone to do for them. That is not to say that there aren’t guys out there on the side of the road that need help. It just means that I try to focus on where I think the need might be greater.

So after I passed the vehicle, I pulled over and went back to see if I could help. The lady, indeed, had a left front flat tire which I offered to help change. She had a spare in the back along with the jack. She asked if she could help and the only thing I requested was for her to stand at the back corner of the car, look back towards traffic, and warn me if there were any inattentive, texting or drunk drivers veering our way. She agreed and set up position while I knelt down to jack the car up. As I raised the vehicle I said a prayer for safety, service and that the lady get to where she was going safely. It seemed like a while with all the cars and semi-trucks whizzing past us but in about 5 minutes I had the tire changed and the jack removed. Unfortunately, the spare wasn’t as inflated as it should be. I asked her where she was headed and she said she worked downtown. Not thinking the spare would survive that trip, I offered to take her to work. She balked knowing how far out of the way it was and asked “Are you sure?”. With it being Friday and my only meeting starting at 12:00pm, I confirmed the suggestion and knew it was the right thing for me to be doing.

We ushered her vehicle down to the next off ramp and secured it in a local strip mall where she could pick it up later after work. She then jumped in and headed downtown. I introduced myself and she said her name was Jenny. I gave her one of my business cards to let her know the reason I was helping her out today. She worked at a large bank building downtown and had just dropped off her daughter at school. She has lived in the Louisville area her whole life but grew up across town. We talked about the beautiful morning that was around us along with a few other conversational things. The traffic was surprisingly light into downtown and even made me ponder the tolerability of the commute if I had a job down there (as opposed to some other downtowns like LA, Frisco, Chicago or NY). Soon enough we were in front of her tall building and I pulled over to the side to drop her off. I offered to give her my cellphone number in case she needed a ride home from work. However, she was confident that she could secure a return trip home. At that Jenny said thank you and exited the vehicle only about 20 minutes late for work.

I continue to be amazed at how God can use a broken vessel like me to love others. I am happy I was able to “close the loop” and that she knows that Jesus loves her by my actions and by the card I gave her. I still need to get back to my original mission of identifying markers along my work commute. But now I know that sometimes God provides temporary and mobile markers for prayer and his glory as well.

Please pray for the men on Emmaus walk 129 throughout this weekend.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I am so excited. The business cards I ordered are finally here for me to put to good use.

Jesus Loves You!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” — John 13:34

If you don’t know what I am talking about, go check out my previous post — the Last Mile — from about two weeks ago.

I’ll blog post on how this goes. Also, for anyone who wants to do something similarly on a shoestring budget (under $5), go check out www.vistaprint.com .

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

I am excited.

If you are a regular reader, you know that I have a habit of keeping my eye out for opportunities to serve Christ…..most often along the freeway or side of the road helping someone in need. You can read about some of those efforts here.

Last week I had two opportunities that I did not blog about. They were fine and I felt that two people out there now knows someone cares about them and had a need met. However, I felt that I did not go that last final mile and explicitly tell the people that I was moved to help them because of the love of Christ. I feel that is important because none of this helping people out is about me — it is the light of Christ that shines wthin me which is why I do what I do. If it was up to me, I would be on the couch watching football.

I need to cover that last mile to be sure people know of the love of Christ. And that was where I was falling short as a disciple. For all they know, the people I help out could just think I was a nice guy or a Dudley Do Right or good Samaritan. And that might be true, but it is because of Christ, not me. And this message needs to be passed on. Again, I fail at the last mile.

So I brought my struggle to my men’s accountability group Saturday morning and asked them to help me and give me some options and solutions. And, of course, they came through (or rather God came through and used them). One of them suggested using a business card written with a few words that convey the message that they need to know. He had seen someone use this method before. And it is quite effective because it leaves them with something.

So being a disciple of action, I found a free online resource that provides free business cards and only charges shipping. So I am having 250 business cards sent to me for about 5 bucks.

This is what they say. Simple, effective and it conveys the message so I can complete the last mile.

I can’t wait for them to get here so I can use them. Until then, I am going to challenge myself to verbally cover that last mile message.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

“It’s one thing to climb into the lifeboat of Jesus yourself. It’s another to unselfishly help others in and share it.”

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

This morning I met up with some of my fellow brothers in Christ for our now routine early Tuesday morning Bible study at the coffee shop. While we meet early at zero-dark-hundred (military speak for butt early), it gets my butt out of bed, gets me early to work and, more importantly, is a consistent Bible study in that it will never get cancelled due to sports practices, Scouts, date nights, movies, concerts or any of the other after work activities that make it so hard to stay rooted in a Bible study group. I have learned that consistency and persistence are very important ingredients in my walk with Jesus.

As we progressed with the study of the book of Acts, in chapter 8 there is a story where Philip was moved by the Holy Spirit to go speak with a servant of the Ethiopian queen. He shared the good news of Christ with him and baptized him. He very likely was one of the first African Christians. And all this from him being moved and listening to the Holy Spirit. At that point, one of my buddies shared a recent event this week where he was moved by the Holy Spirit. I have struggled in the past with sharing these stories when I perform these acts of service. However, I gladly boast of them when performed by my fellow brothers in Christ.

My friend was running errands this past weekend when he felt prompted to stop by the local farmer’s market. He is a chef by trade and he knows where to get all the good stuff. As he was perusing the fresh goods, he spotted a soldier in fatigues. He was going stall to stall talking with each stall owner. He got to the stall my friend was at and asked the stall owner/farmer if he was heading towards the Elizabethtown area after the market close. So far no vendors were going that way (about 45 minutes away). It seems that the soldier had an argument with his girlfriend and was booted out of her place with no way back to base. He had to get back before the end of his leave or he would be AWOL. My friend recognized the need and stepped in to serve in love. He offered to give the soldier a ride all the way back to base right then. The soldier took him up on it and he was able to get to where he was going.

While we don’t all have time to drive someone almost 2 hours out of our way, we all need to tune our hearts to the Holy Spirit and be prepared when called to serve. I am proud of my friend and highlight him successfully being the hands and feet of Jesus.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

While my daughter, R, was serving on the Chrysalis youth support team this week, she also gave one of the many talks that lead and build the Chrysalis caterpillars faith journey with Christ. R has a God given gift of public speaking and communication. She has done several sermons at our old church and is now sharing her perspective with her Chrysalis talk.

I am humbled and privileged to be the dad to such a wise and mature woman of Christ. She is beyond her years in spiritual maturity and is grounded in Christ far beyond what I was at her age. I pray that she continue to be used to share the love of Christ. Below is her talk:

Last summer I went on a trip to Virginia Beach with my youth group. On our last night there we went out to eat. After dinner our youth leader surprised us with a challenge. We were split into groups of three. Each group was given five dollars. Here was the challenge: with five dollars we were to go out and do something kind for people we did not know. In other words we were to perform random acts of kindness to complete strangers.

I remember the group I was in really wanted to stretch our five dollars to try and reach out to as many individuals as possible. First we bought about a dozen lollipops to give out to people. Our first attempt to give out a lollipop kind of failed. After all, we were strangers giving out free candy. But we put a smile on our faces and tried not to be discouraged. I remember there was one girl who was working as a vendor. She had a hurt leg and we were told she had been standing there literally all day. When offered a lollipop, a huge smile appeared on her face. She said that made her day. Seeing smiles appear on these people’s faces made me smile. I was glad I could bring a little more joy to someone’s day.

The next thing we did was buy a few postcards and a pen. On the postcards we wrote encouraging messages such as “smile, Jesus loves you.” We put the postcards in random places as we walked like a statue or ledge for example. We stuck the remaining postcards we had on the windows of cars in a parking garage.

We now had around a dollar left. After some discussion, we decided to buy a necklace. I forget what it looked like but I’m pretty sure the necklace had some spiritual reference. We wrote a note on a post-it, stuck it on the back of the newly purchased necklace, said a prayer, then gave it to the cashier asking her to give it to customer whom she thought might need it.

All that was left of our five dollars was change. We divided that up and each of us held a very small amount of money in our hand. We dropped the coins one by one on our walk back to the car. As I dropped each coin, I said I little prayer for the person that might find that one penny, nickel, or dime.

While I never saw the faces of the people who received the postcards, necklace, or coins, I hope that maybe just maybe my random actions of kindness might help them in some way or brighten their day. Just like in life people come and people may go. It’s your words and actions however that can leave a lasting impression and possibly be what that person needs- whether you know it or not. A simple loving action from a selfless heart can plant a seed in someone. And we all know with a little help and care a seed can grow.

My name is R and the title of this talk is Christian Action.

Just like prayer and study, action is just as important to your spiritual growth. Christian action is the third leg that completes the tripod. This tripod you’ve been hearing about represents what we, as Christians, should be doing in order to fly and spread the love of Christ. Through prayer you offer your heart, through study you offer your mind, and through action you offer your body to Christ. Christ wants you to be an example of Him through your actions.

Christian action is being the hands and feet of Christ; it is allowing Christ to act through us. Everyday you have the opportunity to reach out. Sometimes you just have to open your eyes a little bit more to those chances. I have learned that the greatest accessory I can have is a smile. A simple smile can show care, love, and above all happiness. And often times a smile is contagious. It is also the simple actions that can show care such as holding a door for someone or saying hi as you walk by.

I hope you realize that you don’t have to wait to go on a mission trip or be with a youth group to be Christ-like. While mission trips and youth groups are awesome, Christian action starts where you are. Christ told us to love our neighbors and that doesn’t just mean the people who live next door, nor does it mean to only love your family or specific friends. Just as we all work together as the body of Christ, we must learn to love and help those in need. Being a good neighbor means treating everyone equally. We are all God’s children; we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. In our daily lives one way to show love is by being a Christian friend, so set that example. Continue to be there for friends that you already have, but also be a friend to those who might be lonely. You never know what someone may be going through, so talk to them. You could be the one who plants that seed and helps them grow towards Christ.

I have had the wonderful opportunity of planting seeds in people while on mission trips here in Kentucky. It is so cool to see someone come to Christ. On these mission trips I’ve helped replace whole roofs. During this five-day process of tearing down, rebuilding, and replacing the homeowner is overwhelmed and often tears come to their eyes. They can’t believe that a team of young adults, teenagers, gave up a week of their summer to give them a new roof and asked for nothing in return. Often we pray with the homeowner and have a daily devotional. It is through this way the homeowner may ask about our faith and want to know more. Know that just because you’re young doesn’t mean you’re unable to share your story. As youth, you still have the ability to inspire other people. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

As Christians we are to pass the love that has grown in us from Christ to others. We can only do that if we live out loud, we can’t just exist. So be active in your everyday life. 1 John 3:18 says, “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”

I know in my life my dad has been an example of Christian love and Christian action from the beginning. When I was still a baby, my biological father died of cancer. I call him my daddy in heaven. When I was four, my mom remarried to a wonderful man I call my dad. He accepted me and loved me just the same. At the wedding I was the flower girl and he gave me a little gold necklace, which reads “Daddy’s Little Girl”. In second grade he adopted me and I was officially a ‘family member’. My dad is very strong in his faith and is not afraid to show it. He is always helping others in the church, at home, at work, basically wherever he goes. Everywhere my family travels, he is always finding someone to talk to. I’ve heard many stories of how he met someone and had the chance to talk faith with them. It’s quite amazing how many encounters he’s had with that kind of opportunity.

One thing my dad has done in the past is eat a meal with a homeless person. Instead of offering them money he will offer to them a nice meal and eat with them. As you may have noticed this offers a good opportunity to talk and learn a little about someone. During the meal my dad will chat with this person. He might even end up getting the chance to talk about faith in some aspect. But the main point is he treats this person as a true child of God.

I can definitely learn from my dad’s example. He shines his light on others and I’m sure his actions have helped many. My dad has also shown me that Christ is everywhere. He has helped me to learn that the people are the church, not the building.

My dad is among many people whom with I share a Christ-like relationship with. It is in these relationships where my Christian action is helped to stay encouraged. You see, I have not always been this much-set on fire to share the love of Christ with others. In fact, I only began going to church regularly about five years ago. When I was younger, I only remember going to church a couple times out of the year. I never went to Sunday school mainly because I didn’t want to and thought you needed a vast knowledge of the Bible. I knew there was a God, He was born in a manger, died on a cross, and has been risen from the grave. I thought life was pretty good. Then when I was eleven my family moved from southern California to Kentucky. You can imagine my joy. Not long after the move my family decided we would start going to church on Sundays. After getting into the habit of our new Sunday routine and had been attending Sunday school regularly now, my interest in the Bible slowly began to grow. I wanted to know more about my Jesus. The summer before I started high school was when I went on my first mission trip and had the most amazing time. I think that’s when I was first set on fire for the Lord. Life was no longer just good; it was wonderful and had amazing purpose!

Over the years I’ve created strong friendships within my youth group. This past school year the Lord has also brought some amazing people into my life that encourage me. These friends have helped me grow so much. They have such a positive influence in my life. It is their love for Christ which makes them shine and whenever I see or talk with them a little bit of their light shines on me, giving me the love I need to make it through any difficulty I may be experiencing. The thing that sets these friendships apart from other friendships I’ve had is that we all share a strong love for the Lord. The relationships that have helped me grow are also the ones that keep me going and remind me to live for Christ.

Is there anyone in your life who is a shining example of Christ’s love? More importantly, are you an example of Christ’s love to others? Matthew 5:14-16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Your actions can speak louder than your words. God has given you each an amazing gift- His love. Are you going to share that gift with others through your kind actions? Let me tell you, the Lord has set me on fire for Him and I cannot keep His love to myself. It is far too great to hold it all inside. I want people to know and experience and feel his love, just as I have. But know this; in order for you to truly be Christ in action, you must first have Christ in your heart. You must let Him in and let Him consume you.

If you are a flashlight, then Christ is part of the inner workings that help empower you. And for any flashlight to turn on, it needs batteries. As Disciples of Christ we need two, one battery is called prayer and the other is study. Sound familiar? Without these two batteries the flashlight won’t turn on. But with these two batteries charged the power of Christ can flow through you. When Christ empowers you, it can be easy for others to see your light. Just remember not to shine too brightly. Christ loves everyone the same and we are all His children. Shine just enough for others to see, but don’t blind them.

Like I mentioned earlier, you must want others to know the love of Christ in their lives. Think about all of your friends. Do they truly know the love of Christ? Have you been a shining example to them?

I have these four friends who are all sisters. They are wonderful girls and are some of the sweetest friends I know. However, their family is not religious. My heart yearns for them to know Christ. Whenever I see them, I am the Christian friend as I usually try to be. I can hope my Christian action may spark something in them. I have never really talked about Jesus with them, but they know I am a Christian. I pray someday they might ask or the opportunity would come up where we could talk. I don’t want to be pushy about it or make them feel uncomfortable, so I pray for them. You shouldn’t force Christ on another person. Jesus is everywhere and already in other people’s lives. Christian action is respectful. We are to love and share and let God do the rest. We are to also be accepting. You shouldn’t judge someone or assume they don’t already have a relationship with God. Yet be sensitive to someone’s needs. Also be excited to hear about someone else’s experience with God. Likewise, you should share your stories too.

To help pass on the love of Christ, there are three easy steps you can follow. They are make a friend, be a friend, and bring your friend to Christ. You can make a friend anywhere- at school, at work, in your church, in your community, even when you’re on summer vacation. Remember that this person is a child of God, a unique creation. You should be kind and accepting. Love this person for who they are. And remember to smile. Nothing can be more friendly than a kind face.

Be a friend. After you’ve made a friend, keep that connection. And I don’t mean to just act friendly, really be a friend. Be there for your friend whenever they may need someone. Stand by them. Talk to them, and when you ask the question “How are you?” really mean it. Be caring. Introduce your friend to the ultimate best friend- Jesus Christ. Share with them the one who inspires you and is your joy. Share with them the reason for your Christian action. Keep in mind though that sometimes God will use you to plant a seed in someone and the harvest will be brought in later. While you may not see the results of your planting, you can definitely see the beginnings. Know that God will continue to guide that person which you helped plant a seed in.

So ladies, I challenge you to be the light the world needs. Remember to pack the right batteries of prayer and study and know that Jesus can always recharge your batteries; all you have to do is ask Him. Don’t be afraid to shine your light. Share with others the power source behind your light. With Jesus on your side you have nothing to fear and with God all things are possible. Be bold as you fly. Turn your flashlight on so others can see the light of Christ.

There is a song by Lifehouse called “Everything”. One of the lines in the lyrics is

“how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
would you tell me how could it be any better than this.”

Those words are so true. How can you know the truth, which is Jesus Christ, and not be moved? How can you not be moved by the ultimate act of love, Jesus? My hope is that all of you will be moved by Jesus and that He moves you so much you feel the passion inside you to show someone else the love of Christ.

Colossians 3:12-17 says what we, as disciples in action are to do. “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Fly with Christ

Be inspired, be obedient and be of action.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net

My oldest daughter, R, has been gone all weekend. She is working as a volunteer for the summer Chrysalis Flight. If you didn’t know, Chrysalis is the high school version of Emmaus and is a huge booster to one’s walk with Christ. It takes a large amount of coordinated work from many very committed volunteers to provide a life changing experience for those on the Chrysalis flight (dubbed “caterpillars”).

They have been in my prayers all weekend but today I ask for prayers from you. The closing ceremony is this evening and these high school youth will return to their “normal” lives. I ask that you pray that their experience from caterpillars to butterflies will blossom and take flight as they strengthen their walk with Christ from this day forward. Pray that they be led; that they be emptied of themselves and filled with the Holy Spirit to be used to further God’s kingdom.

…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net