Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage.
At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary.
But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women.
In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention.
Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...
Even in states where regulations were severe, most congregations moved on quickly.
Jeff Schoch was ready to be done with COVID-19 health safety regulations.
Like most ministers in the US, the pastor of Crossroads Bible Church in San Jose, California, did his best to comply with the many pandemic rules imposed by state and local governments. But as soon as they were lifted, he wanted to put them all behind him. He quickly tore down the state-mandated signs about social distancing, hand washing, and masks.
“I got rid of every visual reminder in the church,” Schoch told CT. “I was anxious, personally, to make that a memory.”
Across the country, Protestant congregations are dealing with the long-term impacts of the pandemic. A new, extensive study by Arbor Research Group and ChurchSalary, a ministry of Christianity Today, found that a lot of pastors are still in crisis. Some furloughed staff members haven’t gone back to work. And even when attendance numbers have rebounded, there are still people missing from many congregations. Christian leaders will likely be grappling with the fallout from COVID-19 for years to come.
But, surprisingly, state-level pandemic restrictions had no measurable, lasting impact on American churches. Even in places like San Jose—where the county government imposed some of the strictest rules in the country, the restrictions changed frequently, and authorities aggressively went after churches they said failed to comply—pastors like Schoch were able to just move on. The data doesn’t show any adverse effects from the government regulations.
Eric Shieh, a research consultant for Arbor Research, said that surprised him.
“You would think that the restrictions made things tougher for churches. They didn’t meet as much, and so you’d ...Continue reading...
The Bible declares that God is our Father and our heavenly Father’s heart is for His children. He has our best interest at heart. Remember, love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5) and God is love (1 John 4:8). Therefore, God is seeking what is best for us because He is love.
He has given us His spirit, the Holy Spirit, because He wants us to know His heart. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:11, “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”
God wants us to fellowship with Him and have a heart-to-heart relationship with Him just like in the beginning with Him and Adam. Many Christians know God’s acts and know about God, but few go deeper to know God for themselves and to know His heart. Moses knew God’s ways and not just His acts and God spoke with him face to face.
The Keys of Life are in God’s Heart
When we know God’s heart we will never miss God. When we understand His heart we won’t just know what to do because we fellowship with Him, but we will also know why we’re doing what we’re doing.
Understanding His ways is also knowing God’s heart. When you know someone’s heart, you will understand why they do what they do and not just look at their action. God wants us to understand His heart for every situation in life and this helps us also in building our intimacy and relationship with him.
Jesus is a great example of someone who knew the Father’s heart. Jesus declares in John 5:19, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Jesus always moved according to the Father’s heart and therefore He never missed God. He never missed His seasons or assignment because He understood the Father’s heart and what to do.
So you may ask, how do I know the Father’s heart? We learn this from Jesus.
So, What’s the Play Call?
We must know the Word of God because it’s His will for us and His thoughts. When we know the Word, we get to understand God. We must also learn to rely on the Holy Spirit and fellowship with Him because He knows what is in the Father’s heart and reveals it to us.
We also need to cultivate a lifestyle of fellowshipping with God. Spending time with Him in prayer, worship, and in thanksgiving builds our knowledge of God. It is in these things that we learn who God is and become men and women after God’s own heart.
When Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15-year-old girl (Isabela Moner), they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight.
Now, Pete and Ellie must hilariously try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hopes of becoming a family. INSTANT FAMILY is inspired by the real events from the life of writer/director Sean Anders and also stars Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro and Margo Martindale.
Mark your calendars for November 16, 2018 for this family-fun film.
Of course, we all have at one point in time. But, what if I told you that getting out of our minds is the exact thing we need to do in order to reach the place where God is calling us to be. After so many failed attempts of doing things the safe way, I understand now that walking by faith and taking Godly risks is the way to go.
Think about this for a second: How many times have you sat alone in your room contemplating whether to make a move towards a certain goal? How many times have you regret not making a move?
The reason why we all can relate is that we all experience fear and doubt. We sit still and overthink the idea of going for it. We manipulate ourselves into agreeing with the fear of inability. However, just as much as there is the idea of inability, there is the idea of ability. Let me show you.
If God be God, I Can
In Matthew 14:22, Jesus gives orders to the disciples to get into a ship and go to the other side while He dismisses the crowd. As the disciples followed His orders and began cruising to their destination, they encounter a storm. As they are battling the storm, Jesus comes toward the ship walking on water. When they see Him, they mistake Him for a ghost.
In order to find out whether it was really Jesus or not, Peter asks Him for the ability to walk on water, just like Him. Peter told Jesus, “Bid me come.” Jesus replied, “Come”.
Now, Peter has two choices to Jesus’ invitation to “come.” Either he stays on the ship in fear and continues to settle for his inability to defeat the storm, or he steps out of fear and onto the water with Jesus.
Without overthinking it, Peter steps out of the boat and begins to walk on water. Peter was only able to do the impossible because he refused to give in to fear and dared to step out of his comfort zone.
My question to you is this: Are you fighting something that exists only because you are giving it the attention it needs to remain in your presence? I believe that everything in your life changes once you decide to focus on the One walking on the water, instead of what is happening on the ship.
The amazing part of this story is that the other disciples had the same opportunity to step out of the boat, but they were distracted by the storm and stuck in fear. They had to continue to deal with the storm until Jesus spoke and commanded the storm to be still.
So, What’s The Play Call?
Take that step. Your “not enough” will turn into “more than enough” with Jesus.
Are you contemplating making a move? Have you been thinking about going to the next level or going for that position on your job? Have you been pondering how you can start your own business and become an entrepreneur?
Jesus is on the water and He is saying, “Come.” Jesus is the key that unlocks the door to opportunities you’ve been looking for. So, leave the negative thoughts behind.
I’ve confessed, full of discouragement, more times than I care to count or admit. It’s a declaration that I’ve never been proud to use because it exposed a weakness each time I uttered it. But, there seems to come a point in many situations where I feel that I am incapable of going through it.
Growing up, I would always hear that I was never to use the phrase, “I can’t!” I was taught by my parents and teachers to try my best and never give up. So, it was understood that those two words used together, somehow, meant that I’d given up, and I wasn’t allowed to do that.
Well, there are plenty of times that I decided to give up, even recently, because I decided that “I can’t!” In fact, writing about it hit me the other day when I yelled, “I can’t!” and realized that unless I asked God to help me, it wouldn’t get done.
The Revelation of Weakness
It wasn’t until recently that I really paid any attention to why I felt this way – it was because “I” can’t.
Now, I’m sure that sounds no different than before so let me explain.
Often as adults, the things we set out to do and, ultimately, decide that we can’t do were things we would never be able to accomplish on our own. I’ve always needed God’s help to get through or accomplish a goal. But, once again, more times than I care to count, I didn’t ask Him for help. I tried to succeed on my own.
So, I finally learned that what I was taught about the phrase “I can’t!” wasn’t completely true. See, when you surrender to God’s will, that’s when you become capable. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” This lets us know that we can do “all things” as long as our strength is coming from God.
So, What’s The Play Call?
In all of your doing, remember that you really can’t unless God is pouring the resources and tools you need to get the job done. Never forget that you must rely on God to validate your capabilities. Here are a few things to keep in mind when the phrase “I can’t!” comes to mind:
“You can!” as long as God allows you to. As our previous Playbook reference reminds us, we need His will and His strength to complete all that we set out to do. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
Trust God more than you trust yourself. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
Your words have power. Yep, they sure do, and when you declare that you can’t, your mind and heart begin to believe it. Yes, I do realize that we’ve just talked about the fact that we can’t without God. But when we trust Him, we are capable. Turn your understanding of “I” can’t into the confession that “God can.” “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21
Remember, when you’re the weakest, God’s the strongest. Our lowest point of weakness reveals God’s greatest strength in our lives. It’s an unfair, gracious exchange by God. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Don’t let fear stop you from doing all that you were called to do. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
The key thing to remember is that, as the song says, “Without Him, I could do nothing. Without Him, I would fail.” Know that without God, you really can’t. And, it is okay to admit that… in fact, God is waiting for you to admit it so that He can step in and help you. So, go ahead and give it all to God.
With original music and an all-star cast, Warner Bros’ “SMALLFOOT” turns the Bigfoot legend upside down when a bright young yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human.
News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in this all-new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.
“SMALLFOOT” stars Channing Tatum (“The LEGO® Batman Movie,” the “Jump Street” films) as the yeti, Migo, and James Corden (“Trolls,” “The Emoji Movie”) as the Smallfoot, Percy. Also starring are Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Common (“Selma”), LeBron James (upcoming “Space Jam 2”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), Danny DeVito (“The Lorax,” Oscar nominee for “Erin Brockovich”), Yara Shahidi (TV’s “Black-ish”), Ely Henry (TV’s “Justice League Action”), and Jimmy Tatro (“22 Jump Street”).
Check out the trailer above, and go behind the scenes with Common and his original song “Let it Lie“. Mark your calendars for the September 28, 2018 debut in theaters everywhere.
Less than 10% of kids eat the recommended number of fruit and vegetable servings each day. Most parents won’t be surprised by that news. They already know how frustrated they are trying to get their kids to eat more healthy foods overall. So, what is the answer?
Finicky eating is normal during preschool years because kids are learning to become independent and vocalize their opinions. The key is to not allow their food preferences to dictate your meal plan and prevent you from exposing them to a variety of nourishing yummy foods.
Sadly, parents are accepting defeat way too soon! When their child proclaims they don’t like a food, many parents feel they only have 2 options: 1) require them to take at least 1 bite to ‘taste it’ or 2) give up and stop serving it. Many of us try option 1 for a little while and then the kids wear us down and we move to option 2 – tired of all the tantrums, dinnertime battles, and power struggles.
Good news: There Are More Healthy Eating Strategies for Kids!
For some strong-willed children, trying to convince them to try a food only leads to resentment. And research shows that pressure and negative food experiences can decrease preference for these foods later in life.
But, it is possible to exert your authority without dominance.
Ellyn Satter, Registered Dietitian and Social Worker, has created a feeding model that thousands of parents have found incredibly useful. Her Division of Responsibility in Feeding identifies that parents and kids both have a level of responsibility at meals. Parents are in charge of what foodis served, when it is served, and how it is served. Kids are responsible for if they eat it and how much.
While there are some extreme picky eaters that do need to work with a Registered Dietitian, the majority of parents can rest assured that this model works. You can turn in your short order cook hat that you didn’t like anyway. No more frustrated (and useless) attempts negotiating another bite with your child.
When we talk about training our kids in the way they should go, this isn’t about making their decisions for them – it’s about training them how to make responsible decisions and take ownership of those choices and their bodies. That involves practice. This method allows them to make mistakes and feel consequences – positive and uncomfortable. It allows them to feel the weight of their decision.
Before we get to the 4 secrets, here is one last thought. If your child knows that when they complain about a food, you will make them a PB&J or chicken nuggets or their favorite go-to food, then you will continue to reinforce that they are in control. Essentially, you are training them to expect their desire to be met when they ask. And, if you never expose them to new foods but allow them to request ‘safe’ foods, then the variety in their diet will never expand.
So, let’s get to some practical strategies you can implement to help your kids eat more fruits and veggies.
1. Modeling
Parents are in the best position to influence their children. They can demonstrate habits, rhythms, and so much more. Interestingly, parents create the food environment and while they can’t make their child eat anything (at least not in a positive light), they can model healthy choices and eating patterns.
Unfortunately, only 1 in 10 adults eat the recommended number of fruits and vegetables each day. This means that many parents are missing out on an opportunity to influence their child in a positive way.
Don’t believe they notice? Well, they do. My 3-year-old asked my husband why he wasn’t eating any of the cauliflower on the dinner table. She also wants to dress and top her salad, “just like mommy.” And, the other night when her 10-month-old sister was eating a fruit and veggie pouch, my 3-year-old was quite perturbed as to why she didn’t have one too.
They notice. The more we make daily fruit and vegetable consumption ‘normal’ and look delicious, the more they will be curious, interested, and willing to try them too.
2. Make One Vegetable 10 Different Ways
Kids often say that they don’t like something – it’s a normal response. Maybe they don’t like how it tastes, but there could be dozens of reasons why they ‘don’t like it.’
It’s possible that they don’t like how it feels in their mouth or the crunch, creaminess, or even the sound it makes when they are chewing. Kids are also influenced by peers, so it’s possible they have heard another child or someone they look up to say they didn’t like it.
The amazing thing is that practically every vegetable and fruit can be prepared or cooked in many different ways for an entirely unique food experience.
For example, carrots can be eaten raw with dip, but they can also be prepared in savory and sweet dishes. My daughter claimed she didn’t like carrots for months, but instead of believing her, I just decided to keep presenting them in lots of tasty ways until she found one (or more!) that she liked. She eventually decided she likes them raw dipped in almond butter.
Now, when they are presented and she is not so sure about eating them, I just remind her that she ‘likes’ carrots and use that as a reminder that this new food isn’t as scary as she originally thought. It opens the door to trying new foods or at least considering them. Remember, the goal isn’t for your kids to eat everything but to keep an open mind.
If they don’t prefer a vegetable or fruit prepared a certain way, just keep presenting it in lots of yummy ways. These Carrot Cake Snack Balls are amazing! This Carrot Ginger Butternut Soup is creamy and rich with a hint of sweetness and can be topped with nuts or even your child’s favorite granola. And, these Parmesan Carrot Fries are almost like sweet and savory candy. The possibilities are endless, so don’t accept ‘no’. Instead, keep making yummy vegetables lots of different ways!
3. Change Your Language
One day I overheard a family member asking my 3-year-old, “Are you sure you like green olives?” Obviously, this individual was skeptical and assumed that the tangy, salty flavor would not be well received. In fact, my daughter does eat green olives, along with many other tangy foods.
Many of us project our own preferences on our kids. We assume they will like certain foods because they are or aren’t ‘kid foods’ OR because we do or don’t like them. Every time we make assumptions or question their decision to try something, we put skepticism in their mind and begin closing the door to open-mindedness.
When my daughter mixed applesauce into her rice, who am I to say whether she will like that or not? Or, the time when she asked for some balsamic dressing on her sweet potato – why should I deny her the option? Of course, playing with food at the table is an entirely different matter, but if our kids are taking steps to be adventurous eaters, let’s not set up roadblocks with our language.
Similarly, every time we tell our kids they are ‘picky eaters’, we are keeping them stuck in a box. We are labeling them, speaking words over them that are the opposite of uplifting.
4. Take a Cooking Class with Your Child
Kids love fun! Adults do too! Find a local cooking class you can take with your child that introduces them to a variety of unfamiliar foods in a fun and entertaining way. These classes are excellent opportunities to connect with your child and teach them new skills. But, they also allow kids to engage with foods using all of their senses.
These fun classes create a non-threatening environment for kids to explore, create, and taste (if they want to) without pressure. They will see other kids engaging as well which can be a helpful motivator.
Remember, the more kids engage with foods, the more familiar they become, de-escalating the scariness.
So, what’s the play call?
Getting your child to eat broccoli is not hopeless. But, it’s important to remember that their health (and yours) isn’t pending any one fruit or vegetable.
Don’t underestimate your power as a parent to teach them open-mindedness and curiosity. Take your responsibility seriously. Stay proactive. And, have a little more fun in the kitchen.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)
A few weeks ago I was going through my 11-year-old’s phone – a regular occurrence in my household – and I noticed a friend of hers said something that I felt was just a little too “grown” for my taste.
It wasn’t anything completely inappropriate, but I sometimes like to think that my daughter is above middle-school drama.I immediately thought, “I’m going to tell Chloe that she can no longer be friends with this girl.”But, just as instantly as that thought came to my mind, I was convicted because here I was judging a situation and a person by one text message chain.
And of course, I started to try to find what God wanted me to learn from this.If you haven’t realized this about me, I challenge myself every day to become more like Jesus and I know, for me, that it starts with my thoughts.And, what I found out through studying is that God does not want us to eliminate people from our lives before we show them the love of Christ.
Would Jesus Write Us Off?
I had always been quick to write people off when I felt like they weren’t the right fit for my life.I would justify my actions by telling myself that I don’t need to be around negative people or that Christians don’t hang out with sinners.But when I looked deep within me, I found that I would write people off because I felt like they would hinder me in some way (selfish ambition), or that I deserve better friends (conceit).
After really poring over the Word of God, especially Philippians 2:3-4 ESV, I now understand that my previous method of managing relationships was not Christ-like and could be isolating to others.
God welcomes anyone who believes and the Church should be inclusive, not exclusive.When the Pharisees asked the disciples why Jesus eats with sinners, Jesus responded, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17 ESV).
As believers, we cannot exclude and isolate people from Christianity, and then be confused as to why they aren’t rushing to join the local churches.We have to be the reason that others want to come and form or rebuild a relationship with God. Matthew 5:16 calls us to let our “light shine before others, so that they may see [y]our good works and give glory to [y]our Father who is in heaven” (ESV).
So, What’s the Play Call?
These are the things I tell my daughter about being the light of the world and winning others:
“Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12 ESV). As believers, we are walking billboards for Christ and someone is always looking to us and at us for an excuse to either believe or not believe.Nothing that we do should deter someone from believing.
“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 NIV).Never allow anyone in your group of friends to lead you down the wrong path.It is your responsibility to be a leader for Christ and to lead others to Christ.
“Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.In everything set them an example by doing what is good.In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:6-8 NIV).Always maintain self-discipline and don’t do anything that can be misconstrued as dishonorable or dishonest.We cannot give anyone an excuse to not follow Jesus.We must be the reason others open their hearts to God.
Someone is always watching – be the reason they believe that we serve a good and faithful God.
Dare 2 Share Live is a national, live, multi-site evangelism training and outreach event designed to spark a movement of gospel conversations across the country through teenagers.
In 2017, over 10,000 students and adult leaders attended Dare 2 Share Live from 68 sites. This year, on October 13, thousands of students will gather in local churches across the United States to be inspired and equipped to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then released – at the exact same time – to share the gospel in their neighborhoods and serve with love. Dare 2 Share LIVE will be broadcast from the flagship event in Denver, Colorado and streamed to over 95 satellite sites nationwide.
We caught up with Dare 2 Share Ministries founder, Greg Stier, to learn more about his heart for youth evangelism and Dare 2 Share Live 2018.
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Greg, tell us a little about your background and how you developed a passion for youth and evangelism.
Greg Stier, Founder, Dare 2 Share Ministries
My earliest memories of growing up were of a lot of violence. Many of my family members were street fighters and bodybuilders. They loved to fight and, because we lived in the highest crime rate area of our city, violence and crime of all sorts was easy to come by. My family was in a downward spiral, but, on a dare, a preacher from the suburbs nicknamed “Yankee” (although he spoke with a Southern accent) reached out to the toughest one of my family members, my Uncle Jack.
Uncle Jack was a muscle-bound, street fighting bodybuilder who was full of rage and intensity. He had been in and out of jail – once for choking 2 cops out who were trying to arrest him on assault charges. Yankee knocked on Uncle Jack’s door and shared the Gospel with him. Uncle Jack, for the first time, really understood that Jesus came to die for sinners just like him. When Yankee asked, “Does that make sense?” He blurted out “Hell yeah!” That was his sinner’s prayer.
Yankee equipped Uncle Jack to share his faith and he began to tell anyone who would listen (and they usually listened because he was still pretty intimidating). In one month, he brought 250 people – mostly thugs, bodybuilders, and tough guys – out to Yankee’s church to hear the Gospel.
One by one my family members were radically transformed by the Gospel. Within a few years, most of my family were saved and on fire to share the Gospel.
And, Yankee had a huge passion to reach young people. At one point, his youth group numbered over 800 young people. He trained and equipped us on how to share the Gospel with our own peers. And, we did just that. There was an expectation in his youth group that, if you wanted to be a leader, you’d lead the way when it came to evangelism.
I was all in. As a fatherless teen from the inner city, I now had a “Heavenly Father.” As an aimless kid from the streets, I now had a purpose, to make and multiply disciples.
When I was fifteen, I began to call churches in our community to see if I could train their teens to share the Gospel. I finally got a hold of Clay Stone at Community Baptist Church and he invited me to go there that Wednesday night and equip his teens to share the Gospel. I rode my bike there and trained them all.
In a sense, I’ve been riding my bike ever since training teens from coast to coast (although now that bike comes in the form of an airplane!). In the last 27 years of Dare 2 Share, I’ve been blessed to equip over a million teenagers to share the Gospel. But it all started with my family being reached for Christ, and then equipped with the Gospel by a preacher who dared to reach into the city and share the hope of Christ with my family.
When you think about the early days of Dare 2 Share Ministries, how has your approach to engaging teens to share the gospel changed? How is it the same?
Early on, we just gave teenagers straight up questions to bring up with people. We used questions like, “Do you know you are going to heaven when you die?” And “If I could tell you in less than two minutes who you could know would that be good news?”
Today we train teenagers to have Gospel conversations. We equip them to “Ask, Admire and Admit”. We train them to ask questions to get to know someone and, at some point, to discover their spiritual background. Then, they seek to admire something about their belief system (like Paul did with the Athenian philosophers in Acts 17:22-24) And, finally, we train them to admit that the reason they are a Christian is that they are so messed up they needed Jesus to save them.
This approach has led to teenagers having many more Gospel conversations instead of traditional evangelistic presentations. We have discovered that this conversational approach has much more power with the average teenager today.
Also, we have changed the methodology of how we explain the Gospel. Before we used a GOSPEL acrostic that began in Genesis 3 with “God says everyone has sinned.” Now, our approach tells the whole story of the Bible from Genesis 1-Revelation 22. We still use an acrostic, but it tells the whole story of the Bible:
God created us to be with him. Genesis 1,2
Our sins separate us from God. Genesis 3
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. Genesis 4-Malachi 4
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. Matthew-Luke
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. John
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. Acts-Revelation
Some feel discipleship before evangelism is key – making sure teens are well-trained and well-versed in the gospel before they share their faith. Your perspective is different. Share what your experience has been regarding when teens are “ready” to share Jesus Christ.
I’m convinced we make a mistake when we make evangelism the 401 class instead of the 101 class.
The first sign of the indwelling Holy Spirit in Acts 2 is that the disciples’ tongues were set on fire with the Gospel and 3,000 were added to their numbers that day. When you think about it, water baptism was immediate and in public in that culture. It was your first evangelistic opportunity because you were proclaiming to everyone present that you believed in Jesus and were making it public!
The sooner our teens share their faith the sooner they die to themselves. In a sense, they are risking a social death every time they share the gospel. And, it’s this risk that produces spiritual growth. It makes them utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit and the Spirit produces His fruit in them and through them as a result.
Think about it this way. If you have a sponge and pour fresh milk into it until it is full, it will eventually spoil if it is not wrung out. In the same way, we must be constantly pouring the milk of God’s Word into our teenagers’ hearts and minds and then challenging them to wring out the Gospel to their friends. It will keep them from spoiling spiritually.
If you think about how Jesus discipled his disciples, it was far from academic. He took them on a 3 1/2 year mission trip and taught them truth along the way. What if we ran our youth ministries the same way? It would produce both numerical and spiritual growth in ways we never anticipated!
For youth who truly love Jesus, but are shy or nervous about sharing their faith, what’s one piece of advice you’d give them?
It’s good to feel nervous when it comes to sharing the Gospel because it makes you depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit. Learn how to pray and ask God to give you boldness because He will…and then just go for it!
For youth leaders who have struggled to get their young people excited about sharing their faith, what first step can they take towards building a gospel advancing youth ministry?
First of all, they need to understand that Gospel Advancing is not a model of ministry, but a mindset for ministry. We define a Gospel Advancing Ministry as one that “relentlessly pursues the mission of Jesus by relationally multiplying disciples resulting in radical Gospel transformation.” It is built on a philosophy of ministry that’s really 2,000 years old. Once they understand this they can take a look at the core elements of a Gospel Advancing ministry and see what is missing from their current strategy.
The 7 values of a Gospel Advancing ministry are:
Intercessory prayer fuels it.
Relational evangelism drives it.
Leaders fully embrace and model it.
A disciple multiplication strategy guides it.
A bold vision focuses it.
Biblical outcomes measure it.
Ongoing programs reflect it.
There’s a simple 12 question diagnostic on gospeladvancing.org that youth leaders can take to discover which stage of Gospel Advancement they are in as a youth group. I encourage youth leaders to take it, see where they are at, and then take the recommended next steps to get to the next stage.
Progressing from stage to stage can be a challenging process that takes time and effort. But it’s worth it.
We see there’s a Dare2Share App available – how can churches and youth leaders use this resource to equip their teens?
This app has all of our core evangelism training for teenagers in the form of short videos. I encourage you to have all your teens download it and go through it with them one segment at a time. Teens will discover why they should share their faith in the “Why share?” Section and how to bring it up, explain it and wrap up the conversation in the “How 2 share” Section. Teenagers will also have access to free Gospel conversation-starting videos in the app and still pictures to upload on Instagram and Facebook.
One of the best parts of the Dare 2 Share app is the “How to reach different worldviews segment.” Here, teenagers learn how to reach out to their Mormon, Muslim, and Buddhist friends (along with ten other beliefs/worldviews.) It’s a great way to teach them apologetics.
Thank you, Greg, you’ve shared some amazing information with us. Lastly, how can youth and youth leaders best support Dare2Share and participate on October 13th?
On October 13th, we are praying that God will bring tens of thousands of on-fire teenagers gathering in 99 cities across the country to be mobilized to evangelize.
The Skit Guys, Shane and Shane, Flame, Zane Black, Kayla Thompson and myself will be inspiring and equipping teenagers from the host site in Denver. But, in every site, there will be live worship and a live pre-trained emcee/trainer who will train live from that site as well. It’s a 9 am West Coast start and noon East Coast start, so teens will be receiving the exact same training at the exact same time!
Also, teens will be able to download the Dare 2 Share Live app and be able to communicate with each other through it.
Youth leaders should go to www.dare2sharelive.org to find the closest site near them. They can click on that city and sign up right there.
The Gospel will be given clearly during Dare 2 Share Live so be sure to bring out unreached teens. And teens will be inspired, equipped and mobilized (that day) to share the Good News so bring out all your Christian teens as well.
Pray with us that God strikes a revival on October 13th by setting the alarm on your phone to 10:13 am. When it goes off, stop for a minute to pray for revival amongst the next generation to erupt as a result of Dare 2 Share Live.
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Teammates! Be sure to check out Dare 2 Share LIVE, sign-up your youth ministry, download the available resources, and tune in on October 13th!
I so enjoy cruises. See, once you’ve made the decision to climb aboard a cruise ship, there is nothing left to do but enjoy the benefits of your well-planned vacation.
But, I’ll admit it. Some of my cruising experiences have been less than perfect. However, those bad experiences didn’t stop me from getting on the next ship.
Doesn’t that remind you of relationSHIPS? We don’t give up on our relationSHIPS because of bad experiences or memories from past “ships”.
How many of us are jumping ship every time the journey is less than perfect – according to our standards and demands?
We must allow God to work it ALL for our good!
Life Lessons While Cruising
The first cruise I ever took was a day trip (small ferry boat) from the Florida coast over to the Bahamas. At that time, I realized I did not have the stomach to deal with the rocking of the boat. Nauseated and dizzy for the entire ride, I vowed to never get on a boat again.
God was teaching me something about myself that day. I was the person who would turn around mid-voyage, even if where God told me to go was through choppy waters. I wanted calm seas every day of my life, but God reminded me that I was not exempt from the storms and the rain. So, I needed to learn how to keep it together and stomach uncomfortable situations.
My second cruise took place on a simple dinner cruise boat. I went for a bigger boat this time and a little further out to sea. I was much more confident and prepared for what was to come – or so I thought.
Ultimately, a fight broke out between a few travelers who had too many happy hour drinks. Needless to say, I was livid. I had allowed their situation to disturb my peace. I wanted my way, which meant that everyone should behave according to my standards.
During this experience, God was teaching me to be tolerant and non-judgmental of people who didn’t act or experience life just like me.
Experience Builds Your Hope in God
I have been on more than 10 cruises now. Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot of lessons, including the need to put my hope for a great travel plan, safety, and joy in God’s hands. That’s what experience does. As we’re patient with our process, experience builds hope that leads to confidence in Christ (Romans 5:4-5 KJV).
How does this apply to relationSHIPS? We all want to travel through life with a great partner – safely and with joy. No one wants their relationSHIP to be overtaken by the waves of life and capsized.
So, here are 5 tips to ensure peace, safety, and joy in your relationship – with Jesus as your Captain:
1. Allow God to Choose Your Time and Seat at the Captain’s Dinner
Accept God’s timing for when He allows your blessings to be served and who He chooses to be present doing this time.
2. Enjoy God’s Travel Plans for You
Realize that purpose in relationSHIPs is personal. Everyone is not on the “ship” for the same reasons. Don’t lose your purpose being busy watching and emulating the habits of others. Do what is required to keep your relationSHIP heading in the right direction.
3. Know That the Boat Will Rock
When life with your spouse gets rocky, move up to higher levels in your faith and prayer life so you won’t be so distracted. Don’t get stuck living low or thinking low – beneath the greatness where God has called you. God will be your shield against any motion sickness (Psalm 91:4).
4. Put on Your Life Jacket (The Holy Spirit)
When every report says you’re about to sink, the Holy Spirit will not only keep you afloat, but He will lead you into the real truth (John 16:13). Your relationSHIP will not survive without the assistance of a life jacket.
5. Keep Your Hands off the Helm
Let God be God and keep the relationSHIP steering at the appropriate angles according to the conditions He sees up ahead.
So, What’s the Play Call?
Plan your life journey with God as the Captain of your RelationSHIP, making sure everyone in your cabin wants to be onboard on the journey to destiny.
Special Guest: Anthony ONeal, Best-Selling Author and Ramsey Personality
“Pursuing Purpose” is a new podcast interview series with people who are walking in purpose and destined for greatness. These persons come from all backgrounds of life; many are well-known and well-respected professionals in their respective industries. Some are household names, and others are not. But, what they all have in common is their faith in God. They are all Team Jesus! As Christ Followers, they have endured and overcome challenges and have made the commitment to dedicate their lives to walking in and living out their God-given purpose, no matter what.
Meet Anthony ONeal, a Dave Ramsey Personality and the Wall Street Journal national best-selling author of The Graduate Survival Guide. Once homeless, living out of his car, and drowning in debt, Anthony now travels the country helping others to become debt-free and to build wealth for themselves and their families.
Listen in to his testimony of survival and purpose…
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to Pursuing Purpose: The Podcast
The Bible declares that God is our Father and our heavenly Father’s heart is for His children. He has our best interest at heart. Remember, love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5) and God is love (1 John 4:8). Therefore, God is seeking what is best for us because He is love.
When we know God’s heart we will never miss God. When we understand His heart we won’t just know what to do because we fellowship with Him, but we will also know why we’re doing what we’re doing.
In Matthew 14:22, Jesus gives orders to the disciples to get into a ship and go to the other side while He dismisses the crowd. As the disciples followed His orders and began cruising to their destination, they encounter a storm. As they are battling the storm, Jesus comes toward the ship walking on water. When they see Him, they mistake Him for a ghost.
It wasn’t until recently that I really paid any attention to why I felt this way – it was because “I” can’t.
For some strong-willed children, trying to convince them to try a food only leads to resentment. And 
Before we get to the 4 secrets, here is one last thought. If your child knows that when they complain about a food, you will make them a PB&J or chicken nuggets or their favorite go-to food, then you will continue to reinforce that they are in control. Essentially, you are training them to expect their desire to be met when they ask. And, if you never expose them to new foods but allow them to request ‘safe’ foods, then the variety in their diet will never expand.
Kids often say that they don’t like something – it’s a normal response. Maybe they don’t like how it tastes, but there could be dozens of reasons why they ‘don’t like it.’ 
Kids love fun! Adults do too! Find a local cooking class you can take with your child that introduces them to a variety of unfamiliar foods in a fun and entertaining way. These classes are excellent opportunities to connect with your child and teach them new skills. But, they also allow kids to engage with foods using all of their senses. 
I had always been quick to write people off when I felt like they weren’t the right fit for my life.
The first cruise I ever took was a day trip (small ferry boat) from the Florida coast over to the Bahamas. At that time, I realized I did not have the stomach to deal with the rocking of the boat. Nauseated and dizzy for the entire ride, I vowed to never get on a boat again.
