GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: June 29, 2025

Excellence in Aging

Excellence is always its own reward . . . (Arthur Brooks, professor and author)

He continues: “. . . and this is how you can be most excellent as you age.” How? “[By devoting] the back half of your life to serving others with your wisdom. Get old sharing the things you believe are most important.” The most significant lessons of your life are probably what you learned from personal experience. Sharing your life lessons with others is its own reward.

Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old (Job 12:12).

Stop & Think: June 28, 2025

Teamwork

There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves. (Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th president)

Johnson’s thought may have been a bit optimistic; there are a few issues that we probably can’t solve even if we work in unity. But the sentiment is vital. There are many things that we are not able to achieve, even though we try our very best.  Many of them, however, will be accomplished by the cooperative effort of a team of committed minds.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live [and work] together in unity (Paraphrase of Psalm 133:1).

Stop & Think: June 27, 2025

Endurance

This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure. (Winston Churchill, World War II British Prime Minister)

Churchill spoke these words in a time of great distress and danger in Europe. It took all that England had to offer along with other Allied nations to restore peace. But in 21st century America, though we may seem to be at ease and comfortable, there are dangers that still need to be addressed with a war-like effort to overcome crime, disease, and poverty.

Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1).
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need (Colossians 1:11).

Stop & Think: June 26, 2025

Careful Thought

Think deeply. Live differently. (National Religious Broadcasters)

There is so much information available to us today—media driven AI or personal human relationships– that we simply can’t keep up with it all, much less give it a lot of careful thought. It is essential that we limit the input and give ourselves time to carefully digest the information so we can, indeed, live differently.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

Stop & Think: June 25, 2025

Empathy

In my darkest hour, I don’t need practical advice or solutions. (Robert John Meehan, educational consultant)

Meehan doesn’t mean to be unkind or to turn away someone who wants to help you in your time of difficulty. He makes that clear as he continues: “What I long for is a warm human nod of understanding.” Rather than someone’s advice or personal story, what we need when we’re hurting may simply be a sympathetic, “I’m so sorry you’re going through this.”

If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me (Psalm 69:20).
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4).

Stop & Think: June 24, 2025

Strength in Numbers

Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. (Kenyan Proverb)

That seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it? In spite of its self-evident truth, many of us still try to do our own thing by ourselves. Others find it embarrassing to ask for help, so they go it alone. But, if a project is worth pursuing, it would be wise to recruit as much capable help as possible to assure its success.

A person standing alone can be . . .  defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Stop & Think: June 23, 2025

Authors & Speakers: Beware!

The less you say, the more your words will matter. (J Paul Nadeau, motivational speaker)

Long-winded speakers or “wordy” writers are sometimes faced with the KISS response: “Keep it short, Stupid!” That may be impolite, but it is good advice for anyone who wishes to impact the public. Attention spans seem to be shorter and shorter, so it’s good counsel to share your thoughts clearly and in as few words as possible.

A truly wise person uses few words. (Proverbs 17:27).
The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they? . . . So let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 6:11; 5:2). 

Stop & Think: June 22, 2025

Baggage

It isn’t how much you carry that matters but how much you are able to leave behind. (Sean Dietrich, American writer)

From Dietrich’s blogs and stories, we can learn about some of the baggage he carries. Many today can relate because of their heavy loads: health, financial, or emotional issues. Many more are full of anxiety and fear. His advice to us today, no doubt, would be to unload some of our baggage and find someone to help us carry the rest. Lightening our loads would be a great start.

Jesus: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). 

Stop & Think: June 21, 2025

What’s Impossible?

The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible. (Arthur C. Clarke, fiction writer)

In other words, how do we know what the limits are? Any number of our everyday devices and instruments were once thought to be impossible. Who would have thought you could send messages around the world by simply pressing a keyboard button? Careful testing of what we now think are the limits will surely bring about many more useful ideas and products.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26).

Stop & Think: June 20, 2025

Better Ideas

Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up. (Oliver Wendell Holmes, 19th century educator)

Sometimes a great idea pops into one’s mind as if from nowhere. That person may pursue the idea and write a great poem, deliver a powerful speech, or invent a useful item. It is likely more often, however, that when the idea person shares the thought with another creative person, the idea will be developed into something even better.

Plans succeed through good counsel. . . Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 20:18; 11:14).

Stop & Think: June 19, 2025

Juneteenth Day

We all require and want respect, man or woman, Black or white. It’s our basic human right. (Aretha Franklin, late singer, songwriter)

Juneteenth marks the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing enslaved people in the U.S., finally reached Galveston, Texas in 1865. While enslavement and racism still continue in all too many places in the world, freedom and liberty are the hallmarks of democracy and basic human rights. Even more important is the freedom that’s available by faith in Jesus.

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins (Ephesians 1:7).

Stop & Think: June 18, 2025

It’s Your Choice

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. (Nelson Mandela, 20th-21st century activist and first president of South Africa)

Mandela had every reason to be fearful. As a result of his activism, he suffered imprisonments and isolation. But he maintained a positive attitude of hope, which resulted in his ultimate freedom and elevation to the highest office in the nation. Undoubtedly, it was that positive attitude that kept him hopeful, planning ahead for the day of his freedom. What an example!

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted (Romans 12:12; Proverbs 10:24).