This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. A day of remembrance for an intrepid group who fled religious persecution in Europe to start a new life in the new world. As Christians we are called to be the modern-day Pilgrims living a lifestyle that distinguishes us from the society around us. We are to be strangers living in a strange land. In Psalms 106:1 it says, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his love endures forever.” This is what the Pilgrims did that first Thanksgiving. They declared a day to acknowledge what God had done for them, giving thanks for the harvest, their religious freedom, and their lives. Here we are 378 years later commemorating that first Thanksgiving and adding our voices to theirs, praising God for what He has done for us.
Tag: Letter
August 2016 Letter
In addition to God watching over you, Jesus interceding for you at the right hand of the throne, and the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you, you have your Brothers in Christ rooting for you. Know that you are never alone or far from our thoughts, no matter how may miles away you travel.
January 2017 Letter
In this modern era there is still human sacrifice. We sacrifice our wives and children for the sake of our careers, our pleasures, and our selfish desires. What ever idol we place ahead of God and our family will destroy all that we shoud have held near and dear to our hearts. We hurt them deeply, often to the death of the relationship, as we vainly persue activities that have no eternal value, whose return on investment will utlimately cost us everything we have.
May 2017 Letter
I was reading in II Kings and was struck by the words in chapter 17 verse 15, "They followed worthless idols and they themselves became worthless." You become what you worship. If your worship money you become an ungiving tightwad without charity. If you worship beauty you become fixated on beautiful people, choosing to discriminate based on outward appearance rather than the heart; a rather shallow perspective on life. If you worship pleasure, you seek out only pleasurable activities, avoiding pain for yourself; instead causing great pain to others. If you worship yourself, you become selfish, self-centered, and self-serving; unmoved and uncaring about the needs of others.
July 2017 Letter
We must all take responsibility for our own reformation. No one can reform you, you must want it for yourself. It is up to society then to insure that the MDOC provides the right atmosphere in which reform can take place. Society should want this because it is in the best interest of everyone to ensure the safety and security of all its members, including 'the least of these' represented by those convicted of crimes against the society.
August 2017 Letter
It really boils down for a Christian to realize who it is we really work for: God or man? Man may set the task, the hours, the pay, the work rules but we answer to a higher authority. Doing the right thing in the right way is never wrong. In a dark place you will shine bright when you exceed expectation, do the job without grumbling and complaining, giving your all to the task without counting the cost.
March 2018 Letter
We can't change the past, but we must take from it lessons and learn from both our mistakes and our successes. Treasure the things that truly matter such as family and friends. Put work in its proper perspective. Seek to live at peace with everyone. Let go of past hurts. Share your blessings. Keep the faith.
April 2018 Letter
My observation is that leadership is often a thankless task that involves the arcane skill of herding cats. Christian leaders do it from their knees with their hands firmly clasped together and their heads bowed. While this sounds like a Zen thing it is really a Sinai thing. Moses is the archetype of a Christian leader.
August 2018 Letter
Joy is a feeling of gladness and rejoicing is the expression of that feeling. Trials build Godly character and we should be thankful to be counted worthy. It is thankfulness that brings joy. The problem is that we humans have such limited perspective that when we are going through trials we have a hard time seeing the big picture. We lack the eternal perspective. We just wish we weren't considered so special. Well, I'm here to tell you that you are special. Like it or not.
January 2019 Letter
Forgiveness is the cornerstone to reconciliation. Without reconciliation there can be no relationship between two people separated by the gulf of hurt, shame, anger, and retribution. Reconciliation is a foreign concept in todays legal system and the reason why it has failed. Most 12-Step programs have a step in which you need to seek forgiveness from those you’ve wronged (if possible). But they also go on to say that even if the other person won’t forgive you that’s their choice. You must move forward in your life. If the other person choses not to forgive then they are choosing to live in the past and continue to give someone else power over them. Forgiveness breaks the bonds that are holding a person back from healing and moving forward.