Musings from My Sun Porch

                 For the last few weeks, we’ve all seen the “congratulations” signs on the lawns and some of you have probably already attended a graduation or two.   Tomorrow, my oldest nephew, Braylen, will graduate from North Bullitt High School.   It seems like only yesterday that he was attending preschool, and now he’s a young man about to embark on life’s journey.   I’m so proud of him!             As they step out into a whole new world, what words of wisdom do we need to give to our graduates?   We’ve all heard a few—things like, follow your dreams, make wise decisions, be careful with your finances, and work hard.   There’s no doubt that those are some of the keys to a good life, but I think there is so much more.               Life will not be perfect so it’s unfair for us to paint tha...

               I must confess that I think I got ahead of myself when I posted the last two blogs about reflecting Christ in our lives.   Before we can reflect Him and all that He stands for, we must first have a connection with Him.   John 15: 4, 5 says it like this, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (NIV84). Personally, I prefer the King James Version that says, “Abide in me”.  There’s just something about the word “abide” that gives me a clearer picture of what Jesus is trying to say.             I’ve gone to various places around the country and remained in some cities for days or even weeks at a time, but I have only “abided” in one city my whole life.   For me, “remain” could be a temporary status, but “abide” is a permanent con...

                 In my last blog post, I talked about what it looks like to reflect Jesus in our lives.   Today, I would like to expand on that post.   During a recent podcast, Bible teacher, Kristi McClelland, asked, “Why were the followers of Jesus first called Christians at Antioch?”   I have always accepted that as fact since the Scripture states it plainly in Acts 11:26, but I had never questioned why.   After all, it would have made more sense for them to be called Christians in Jerusalem, where the church began on the day of Pentecost.   However, we all know that God’s ways do not always make sense to our feeble brains.   So, why Antioch?   Being a major trade center and the third largest city in the Roman Empire meant that it was a diverse city.   There were many pagan religions and cults in addition to the “worship” of the Roman emperor.   It was also a large city with a populatio...

                 During a recent prayer gathering, I was prompted to consider the line we’ve all probably heard many times, “If our church disappeared, would anyone notice that it was gone?”   However, I believe the Holy Spirit prompted me to consider a different perspective on that question.   “When I die, will anyone know that I was a Christian?”             The easy answer is “yes”.   After all, I’ve taught Sunday School for over 25 years.   I lead a Bible Study in my home.   I’m the Mission Team Leader at my church.   I could keep adding to the list, but those are things that I do.   The real question is, “How do I reflect Jesus in my life?”   That’s a much harder question to answer, and it requires us to take the time to evaluate the status of our hearts.             David said, “C...

                 Our minister recently told the story of Jochebed, Moses’ mother, and how she was able to “redeem” time with her child, despite Pharoah’s attempts to kill him.   When Pharoah’s daughter found Moses in the small ark floating in the Nile, she needed someone to nurse the child.   Through divine intervention, the baby’s mother was chosen, and she took full advantage of the time she had with her son.   Although Moses was raised in Pharoah’s palace, he was a Jew and he knew his people and their God, thanks to the training he received during the time that Jochebed “redeemed”.               We’ve probably all had time that we would like to redeem.   If we could go back in time, what would we do differently?   There may be relationships to be restored or maybe mistakes to be atoned for.   Maybe it’s the time that we’ve wasted that we would ...

                 This past Sunday was Mother’s Day, a day when we celebrate those who have given birth to each of us. I am not a mother, so I always feel a little awkward on that day.   It’s not that I bemoan the fact that I never gave birth.   If I’m honest, I never envisioned carrying a child.             Don’t get me wrong!   I still see babies as precious little beings, each with their own personality.   Of course, I also see them as “breakable” and too dangerous for me to handle.   I never had to feed or change them or endure those sleepless nights when nothing seemed to soothe them.               I’m not alone.   There are 1000’s of women who have never been called “Mom.”   Some of them mourn that loss as the greatest disappointment of their life.   Others never had a desire ...

                 If you are graduating or know of someone who is, I invite you to check out my latest book, Life Rules for My Graduate: Wisdom at the Crossroads .   The paragraphs below are excerpts from the introduction.   The Life Rules included are: Start with God, Remember You Didn’t Get Here Alone, Choose Your Life Companions Wisely, Preserve Your Integrity, Seek Wise Counsel, Think Before You Speak, Lead with Humility, Don’t Just Dream, Work Hard, Be a Blessing, and Listen for God’s Voice.   “Graduation signifies the completion of one stage of your life. You are now at one of many crossroads that you will face during your lifetime. The decisions that you make in the coming months may very well affect your life for decades to come. The problem is that making decisions at life’s crossroads is not always easy.   Just know that there may not be a right or wrong answer. Your whole life is before you. It is an adven...

  In most churches, there are only a handful of people who are in the “limelight”.   These are the ministers and worship leaders who are seen and known by almost everyone.   However, did you ever stop to think how many people work behind the scenes to facilitate a successful and inviting Sunday service?             Hopefully, when you walk through the doors, there are the greeters who will genuinely welcome you into God’s family.   If you take a few moments to mingle with other believers, you may find your way to the coffee corner where the fresh brew and perhaps some tasty treats await you.   Those are more of the front-line people.   You may not know their names but you’re probably glad they are there.             Behind the scenes, there are the maintenance people who make sure the lights are on, and that the building temperature is right for...

                 Yesterday was the National Day of Prayer for our nation.   As I considered how we should focus our prayers, several Scriptures came to mind. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7: 14, NIV84).             While that was written to the nation of Israel, the Church is now the “people called by His name” so I am confident that if we, as Christians, humble ourselves, repent of the sin and evil that we have tolerated in this land, and turn towards God, He will hear us.             “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we ma...