Tag: peace

Hope For A New Year – Advent #4

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Hope For A New Year - Advent #4
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A New Year is an opportunity to let go of some things, hold onto other things, and grab onto new things. It also involves various emotions. Even though a New Year can feel scary, not knowing what’s ahead, it can also be exciting with new opportunities. In some cases, it may be a relief to walk into a fresh perspective. Hope for new possibilities begins to rise. Sadness about aging, saying good-byes, or letting go of previous endeavors can be painful. Knowing there will be difficult challenges is sobering. Yet, overall, most people embrace hope as one year morphs into another. God gives hope for a New Year.

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Manage Christmas Sadness – Advent #3

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You might be surprised to know Christmas sadness is a real thing. It hits when people go through difficulties that stretch into the season of Christmas. Or it happens with unexpected tragedy or bad news. But Christmas sadness can sometimes appear when everything is going fine. Unexpectedly, something rises up or invades without permission – and surprises you. In fact, you may even wonder why it’s there because there’s no identifiable reason.

Whatever the scenario, you are not alone if you experience Christmas sadness.

Subsequently, the kindest thing you can do for yourself is to learn how to manage Christmas sadness.

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Joy of Anticipation – Advent #2

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You know the little kid in the back seat on a long trip? Every 15 minutes, they ask (with a tired sigh) – “Are we there yet?!” That’s the same little cherub, along with a host of other little kids – and just as many adults – who asks, “Is it Christmas yet?” The first exclamation – “Are we there yet?” – is more like – “Gosh! How much longer?!” An impatience and a feeling of being confined. The second exclamation – “Is it Christmas yet?” – is more like – “I’m so excited, I can hardly wait.” An expression of the joy of anticipation.

 

 

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Prepare For Christmas With Advent

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Prepare For Christmas With Advent
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The Christmas season is almost here! Many people are getting excited. How about you? Christmas tree, lights, candles, beautiful music, gifts, special foods, and Advent. In fact, Advent starts in just a few days.

Incidentally, have you wondered what Advent is about? What’s the purpose? What value does Advent bring to your modern, extremely busy life – especially during one of the busiest months of the year?

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The Truth About Loneliness

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The Truth About Loneliness
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Do you remember the film, “Cast Away?” Tom Hanks plays a systems analysist named Chuck who is marooned on an island quite unexpectedly when his flight goes down over the Pacific Ocean. In this movie, you get a front-row seat on how a person might deal with loneliness. From hopelessness, to anger, to desperation, to finding a way. He’s alone on this island for four years! Meanwhile, he’s declared dead by family and friends back home. Chuck’s only friend is a volleyball that washed ashore from the plane wreckage. This ball becomes Chuck’s only friend: “Wilson.” Chuck becomes very familiar with the truth about loneliness. 
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Famine – Scripture Dissection

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Well, it’s time! The last two Scripture dissections, God’s Timing and God’s Humor, we left something completely unresolved. The famine! And really – that’s an important development. We built up to it, showing how people suffered intolerably for three years. Now, Elijah introduces he’s back! And then introduces it’s God’s timing to end the famine. So, here is the amazing story – with a couple of twists and some teaching points.

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Feeling Down: 6 Helpful Tips

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Feeling Down: 6 Helpful Tips
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Feeling down is a common, yet challenging condition to manage. Whether over-tired, mistreated, discouraged, or even struggling with depression – being on the “down side” is real.

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You Need A Sponge

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You Need A Sponge
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Do you remember when you first learned how to clean up a mess? Whether it was your own mess or someone else’s, it stared you in the face, and you had to clean it up. So, what tools did you use to clean up the mess? From spills in the kitchen to oil overflows in the garage. Perhaps a pet issue or simply spilled milk. Whatever the mess to clean up – you need a sponge.

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I Am “They”

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I Am "They"
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Many people feel invisible today. Some work hard and long to do the right thing – often behind-the-scenes – not for recognition or glory, but because it must be done. As a result, many folks with noble commitment go unnoticed. You’ve likely felt invisible in your hard work, faithfully doing what God asks each day. And “they” don’t seem to notice. But God notices. In fact, He says – “I Am They.”

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Learn Well – Live Well – Love Well

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As we go into today’s content . . . Learn Well – Live Well – Love Well . . . I first want to read off a list of one-liners we’ve heard over the years. They deal with the hum-drum of life:

  • Same old – same old
  • Been there – done that (bought the T-shirt)
  • Nothing new under the sun
  • Do it again – and again
  • Hummin’ right along
  • Another day – another dollar
  • Tomorrow never comes
  • Don’t hold your breath
  • Can’t trust anyone
  • Pie-crust promises
  • Where’s the beef? (that was a commercial)
  • Never thought I’d see the day
  • It ain’t gonna happen
  • In your wildest dreams

 

And on go the one-liners we’ve heard in a variety of ways. All seem to speak to an emptiness, dullness, boring repetition, and rather skeptical view of life.

But life is NOT hum-drum! Therefore, let’s explore a full, exciting, fresh-every-day, and rather hopeful view of life. Will you join me?

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