What I soon began to understand is that being teachable isn’t about academic strength. It is about having a humble heart that is willing to let others speak into your life.

I found that I spent the entire year counting down. In the summer I counted down the days until mid-September when temperatures cool down at night. In the winter, I counted down until mid-April when I knew I’d have to face the high temperatures again during the day.

The destruction for Norma and I of our childhood reached far and wide into our lives. It affected how we saw situations and relationships, and how we responded or reacted in life, even with each other. Unresolved sin doesn’t go away if you simply don’t think about it.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a light blue vehicle ready to exit into traffic. Since he was on the phone, he was distracted and didn’t look in my direction. He pulled out. As he did, he smashed into the passenger side of my car

My neighbors seemed to have forgotten about the pandemic that night. They were having fun. They were together.

As my daughter processed this experience with me of her grief over the hair that would take years to regrow, I was reminded of how powerless we are over the wrongs done against us. Though the manager didn’t charge my daughter for the appointment, she couldn’t glue my daughter’s hair back in place.

Of greater concern to me is that for a long time I took my salvation for granted. I didn’t live in the beauty and power of what Jesus accomplished for me because I felt resentment for the challenges in my life. Because of this, I lacked contentment. I missed the joy of the Lord.

Barney taught me about life on the streets. Before knowing him, I understood that not everyone who lives on the street is an addict or a criminal. My friendship with him brought this fact to life.

Life in this sinful world deeply affects us. Routine days can distract us from our losses, but the focus of the holiday once again brings them front and center.

I thought my leader would offer a theological rebuke and remove me from my ministry responsibilities. Instead, he asked, “Why don’t you ask God to reveal Himself to you? He wants you to know and trust Him.”

Even when snow fell after the tulips and daffodils came up, we knew that warmer days were coming and the snow would quickly melt. There was hope for pleasant days ahead.

The soldiers, the chief priests and scribes, those who were crucified with Him, and the people passing by all stood in the presence of true perfection. Their shame exploded in contempt for the Perfect One.

Like the older brother, my way of trying to appease my earthly father, and as it turns out, my Heavenly Father, was to do everything I was told. If I’m compliant, then he/He will be pleased, and all will be well. I will have earned favor. I will be safe. And I may even experience being valued.

I didn’t think my faith could sustain another broken dream and so I didn’t chance it. I denied myself the privilege.

It is a test of our faith to believe in the goodness of God when no relief comes to the weariness and heartaches of life. Will we believe that God is who He says He is and we are who He says we are when He is silent and unmoving?

The first bill arrived. My roommate and I were flabbergasted at the sum we owed. We couldn’t imagine the reason for the total. We checked in the crawl space of the storage and attic and discovered that the roof had no proper insulation.

A new year has begun. What will the next twelve months hold for us? Change for the good? Hard times? Routine days? We won’t know until the end of December all that we will experience in the fifty-two weeks ahead.

But in every program, every musical or pageant that I led, there came a time in the service when a hush came over the congregation.

When I went to visit him in his home in the years before his death, I told him in our chats how much I learned from him. He’d forget what I said so I’d tell him again. It was important to me that he knew.

Choosing to make amends and choosing to be grateful takes practice. Left to ourselves, we’d be just like little children who say the words but don’t mean it.