I call all of this “preparing the soil to receive the seed of the gospel.” The picture and first paragraph are the metaphor for the idea. Fill the bed with a rich, light soil mix. A general all-purpose recipe includes 1 part perlite and 2 parts each of topsoil, peat moss, and compost. Mix it … More Preparing the Neighborhood Soil for Christmas
Yes, that’s my bride and two of our oldest, and yes, I know she is beautiful inside and out. When we were young and had children underfoot, life was complicated and wonderful. We miss our kids. Everyday. The call of God has taken us 14 hours drive away from two, and 6 hours from another, and … More When We Were Young
Some of the best ideas I have heard about how we can meet the needs of our world in the present moment. Reach out to neighbors whose children are suddenly home from school and offer to help with babysitting. Check in on any elderly neighbors or neighbors who you know have underlying health issues (COPD, … More Loving People in the Covid19 World
Part One of a two part series: Practice the Ministry of Presence. There is no influence without contact. My general rule is that if a neighbor invites me to anything, whatever was on my schedule is going to be replaced. My neighbors know I am a Christian. So when they are willing to take the … More 7 Ideas for Summer Outreach in Your Neighborhood
Confession: An annual pleasure: Watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Christmas time. This year, we didn’t get to watch the film until after Christmas. But it was still a joy. It goes beyond the fact that Jimmy Stewart was my favorite actor from the growing-up-years of my life. And it goes beyond the encouraging message(s) of the film: … More Breaking the Ice with Your New Neighbor
Saw this video on Facebook and it gave me new insight and incentive to meet more of my neighbors. Let’s be aware of the loneliness of the people around us. And here is another great Steve Hartman story about blessing a neighbor.
It’s freezing in Chicago-land but Spring is coming. It really is. Pitchers and catchers report Wednesday, days are getting longer, the geese are back picking through corn fields. It’s coming. And it really won’t be long. So now really is a good time to start planning what you will do to demonstrate the love of … More Plan Now for a Spring Harvest of Souls
How do we help our neighbors both hear and see the gospel? How do we help our neighbors both hear and see the gospel if we never have any contact with them? —never talk to them? —never visit with them? —never have them in our homes? —never laugh with them? —never cry with them? —never … More How Do We Help Our Neighbors both Hear and See the Gospel?
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