Daily Stop & Thinks

Leadership

Leadership is “enabling others to do what they don’t want to do in order to be able to be what they want to be.” (Bill Hull, author)

“Leadership” has many definitions, and Hull’s is certainly a challenge. How do you get people “to do what they don’t want to do”? Sounds like his advice would be to discover what people ultimately want to be and the deepest desire of their hearts. Help them to work toward that goal, and you will have led them well.

If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. (Romans 12:8)

Donate to God of Hope today to help ensure that the spiritual leaders in others lives are properly equipped.

Others

Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others. (Helen Keller, 20th century author and lecturer)

When you realize the handicaps that Helen Keller endured from childhood, you have to marvel at her statement that “Life is an exciting business.” As the first blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from college, she typified persistence and moral strength. Keller challenges all of us with her comment that life is “most exciting when it is lived for others.”

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts. (Hebrews 6:11)

You can continue, or begin, living your life to help others by donating to God of Hope today.

Hope

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. (Robert Frost, 19th-20th century American poet)

The after-Christmas spirit is difficult for a lot of people. The excitement of the holidays has gone with taking down the tree, removing the decorations and the lights. The return to “normal” is a big let-down. But Frost reminds us of a very important lesson to learn in every change of seasons and circumstances. “Life goes on” and so must we—with hope and determination.

The Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. (Romans 15:4)

If you are finding it difficult to move past the holiday season, the book God of Hope may help restore some hope into your life.

The Day After

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly. (Andy Rooney, late TV commentator)

Isn’t it part of the holiday fun to pick up the gift wrappings and trash after the fun of opening and playing with those precious gifts? (Except maybe for the broken toy parts or the missing batteries.) Anyways, don’t lose the joy of the season so soon after the big day. Remembering the purpose of it all will help you to maintain the joy and good will of the holidays.

Those who trust the Lord will be joyful. (Proverbs 16:20)

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

Christmas

God walked down the stairs of heaven with a Baby in His arms. (Paul Scherer, late seminary professor)

Scherer’s comment doesn’t sound much like a seminary professor’s definition of Christmas, but it certainly states the most important event in history in simple, straight-forward terms. The theological term is “incarnation,” God taking on human flesh. Why? To experience human life and provide the necessary sacrifice (himself) to offer salvation for all who will trust him.

When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman… to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Christmas Eve

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. (Burton Hills, 20th century member of Canadian House of Commons)

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a popular but sadly emotional seasonal song. Almost everyone wants to be with family and close friends for the holidays. Tonight is the time when many families gather around the tree to sing, open gifts, and read the Christmas story from the Gospels. Be sure to consider that wonderful story and the truth it tells about Christmas.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

Help share the story of Jesus Christ with other’s by donating to God of Hope today.

Give a smile

Perhaps the best yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles. (from a Norman Rockwell calendar)

It’s just two days till Christmas, and we’ve enjoyed all the decorations for several days now. The house—inside and out, probably—is covered with lights and ornaments. Even the city streets and the rural roads give evidence of the season. We’re big into decorations for the holidays. But Rockwell highlights what may be the best decoration of all: a loving smile for everyone.

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. (Proverbs 15:18)

Help share the joy of God by donating today.

Success

In my experience, each failure contains the seeds of your next success—if you are willing to learn from it. (Paul Allen, late co-founder of Microsoft)

No one likes to fail, and often we just want to put that failure way back in our minds—just forget about it. But, as Allen suggests, if we examine those past disasters carefully, we may find some hints as to how to avoid the same mistakes in the future. Avoid the errors of the past, but try to determine what did go well and capitalize on it.

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. (Ecclesiastes 11:6)

Learn from life’s difficulties by self reflecting with the help of the book God of Hope.

Protest

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. (Mahatma Gandhi, 19th-20th century independence leader in India)

Gandhi demonstrated what progress was like in the long battle for independence in India. Are there some lessons to learn from him for today? Initial protests are often not heard, at least not from those whose actions are being challenged. Then, they are scorned and made light of. Too often that leads to actual conflict. But, in the end, if the protest is just, patience most often wins out. Stick to it!

Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones. (Proverbs 25:15)

Friendship

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. (Donna Roberts, imprisoned felon)

When you learn that Roberts is on death row in an Ohio prison, you have to wonder how many friends she has now. You also have to wonder what the song in her heart is. We can hope that there are friends who will encourage her and point her to the source of real friendship and hope. That’s something to live for.

A friend is always loyal… a real friend sticks closer than a brother… The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. (Proverbs 17:17; 18; 24; 27:9)

Encourage a friend around you by buying them the book God of Hope this holiday season.

Power

I firmly believe that before many centuries more, science will be the master of man. (Henry Adams, 19th-20th century historian)

Way back in 1862 Adams also wrote, “Someday science may have the existence of mankind in its power, and the human race [may] commit suicide by blowing up the world.” He even questioned if “we [shall] be able to cruise in space.” Wow, what foresight! But, is it a good thing that science should have so much power? Who or what is it that is the ultimate master?

For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations. God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you. (Psalm 22:28; 62:11)

Donate today to help show others who the power truly belongs to.

Your Gift List

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. (Peg Bracken, late American author)

Just one week till Christmas, and if you’ve not already finished your Christmas shopping, this is a good reminder from Peg Bracken. It isn’t the cost of the gift in terms of money, but the intent and the affection associated with it. The older we get, the more we appreciate those intangibles. So, as you complete your gift list, make sure you’re giving with joy and love.

For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Consider donating to God of Hope today to help spread God’s love to others.