upward & inward

On Sunday morning, we awoke to the ongoing coverage of a national tragedy. As of this writing, 49 families lost a loved one, killed in cold blood.   53 other families are still waiting for their loved ones to heal and recover from life-threatening wounds.   Still others are wondering how they made it out alive.   All affected by this tragedy will never be the same. And a nation mourns.   Now is the time to pray. Pray for recovery – both physically and emotionally – and that all would feel the healing and comfort of Christ Himself. Now is not the time for blame. Now is not the time for hidden (and not so hidden) agendas to take priority over the care required for the hurting.   Now is not the time to presume upon God whatever motive suits us. And, now is not the time to score political points for our preferred politicians. There will be time for remedial action but in the near term, we have a healing role to play in our fa...

--> In addition to having our children, my bride and I have enjoyed the privilege of sponsoring children internationally. But, what does it mean to "sponsor a child"?  Through the Church of God's Children of Promise ministry ( www.echildrenofpromise.org ), you and I have the opportunity to literally change lives through financial and spiritual means. For just $32 per month (about a tank of gas in the US), you can sponsor a child and immediately affect his or her life through schooling, clothing, food, and spiritual nourishment. And, this is not just for the child but also his or her family, too. When a child is sponsored the ripple effect is dramatic. In addition, sponsoring a child means establishing and developing a real relationship. Through emails, letters, gifts, prayers, and personal visits on mission trips, sponsors can play an invested role in a child's life that is so very fulfilling. We have sponsors in our church who ...