Serve by Design

We have two members of our family who are in a serious decision time in their lives. They are in that exciting liminal or threshold point of determining God’s will for their lives. More specifically, these men are praying about what the call of God looks like at the next chapter in their journey of ministry. One is sixteen and a half years-old and ready to wrap up his high school years, and the other is in his late forties and quite familiar with the unfolding of God’s plan for his life. He has a college education and some serious Bible study behind him along with plenty of work and life experiences that have shaped him. Credit: Jesus Loves Austin unsplash.com I have been at a similar juncture several times throughout the last sixty years since I first stood before my home church and surrendered my life for special service. That’s how intentionally broad the commitment to ministry looked like for me as a fifteen-year-old teenager. I had a lot to discover about the dynamic and ever-unfo...

We have a new baby in the church! His parents are so proud, and they cradle him in their arms with such care, as they introduce him throughout the Sunday morning crowd of friends. Several times now, Monique and I have gazed into his precious face with excited emotion. We are mesmerized by his sweet little features and the inquisitive look in his eyes. We have wondered what he is thinking about as he sees the many faces leaning forward to peer into his little face. We can’t help ourselves from speaking to him in “baby talk” with soft and higher pitched greetings! Family Prayer Image: vecteezy.com Babies bring celebration and new life to the church! They give us hope and the certainty of a blessed future in the next generations. When baby Jesus was presented in the Temple by Mary and Joseph, two mature adults, named Simeon and Anna, came up to bless Him with lofty words of praise. Simeon took the baby in his arms and exclaimed, “For my eyes have seen your salvation!” Anna also gave thank...