GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: December 4, 2025

Three Weeks until Christmas

It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving. (Mother Theresa)

Some folks have already planned their gift-giving, finished their Christmas shopping, and are wrapping the packages. Echoing Mother Teresa’s comment, Author Toni Sorenson suggests: “Don’t get caught up in the wrapping paper and forget that the gift of the Christmas season is simply love.” That’s good advice. Keep focusing on your love for those you are gifting.

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Stop & Think: December 3, 2025

Speak Out

Be a voice, not an echo (Alfred Einstein, noted scientist)

No matter how you get the news, you hear it from many personalities and very different perspectives. But even casual listeners will note that most often they hear the same stories and opinions over and over again. And seldom is any of it “good news.” New stories seem to be rare; we’re just hearing echoes. Einstein urges us to share our own clearly thought-out ideas.

The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking. . . . The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly (Proverbs 15:28; 16:13).

Stop & Think: December 2, 2025

Character and Deeds

Who you are matters more than what you do. (Jarryd Wallace, champion runner)

Noted for his athletic achievements, Wallace reminds us that it’s our character and integrity that matter most. Why? Because what you are is demonstrated in what you do. In spite of health issues, Wallace earned recognition in sports because of his personal character. Does what you do demonstrate your personal values? It’s a challenge!

May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you. . . . Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord (Psalm 25:21; 119:1).

Stop & Think: December 1, 2025

A New Month

It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready. (Sarah Kay, poet)

Ready or not,  it’s December and we’ve hardly adjusted to the changes Fall brought. Author Terri Guillemets wrote: “Welcome winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless.” Whatever your favorite month, December is always filled with anticipation and hope. Enjoy it!

He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy (Acts 14:17).

Stop & Think: November 30, 2025

Make the Best of It

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. (John Wooden, late Basketball coach)

Life is full of variety. We see it in the beauty of God’s creation, the changes of the seasons, and the differences in personalities. Then, too, there are the good days with smooth sailing and the not so good days with unexpected problems and difficulties. On those occasions, try to follow Wooden’s advice and make the best of it.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity (Proverbs 21:5).

Stop & Think: November 29, 2025

Expressing Thanks

Gratitude is built into every one of us, as much a universal human characteristic as guilt. (Charles Colson, Christian apologist)

There are people who apparently have a really good life but somehow take for granted the courtesy and kindness of others. And then there’s the other person who seems always to be thanking everybody for the least little gesture of kindness. Colson is suggesting that we practice the innate grace of gratitude. It’s a God-like characteristic that encourages everyone.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. . . . And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20).

Stop & Think: November 28, 2025

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is not just a day. It’s a way we can live our lives every day. (Katrina Mayer, author)

Are you a thankful person? Or do you have to be reminded, like a three-year-old: “Now, what do you say?” As author Robert Rodenmeyer instructs us: “There are three kinds of giving: grudge giving, duty giving, and thanksgiving. Grudge giving says, I have to; duty giving says, I ought to; thanksgiving says, I want to.”  Let’s graciously express our gratitude to God and all those who bless our lives.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34).

Stop & Think: November 27, 2025

Life

If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of. (Bruce Lee, late martial artist and actor)

Some people seem to be unhappy with life. It’s as if they wish they didn’t have to face tomorrow. Lee addresses the rest of us, who enjoy life and find pleasure in just living. We may not need his advice, but there are others who seem to suffer from inertia. If you know someone like that, remind them that wasting time is sacrificing life itself.

And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

Stop & Think: November 26, 2025

Beware!

Don’t trust everything you see. Even salt looks like sugar. (Common proverb)

This obvious axiom is not really about salt. It’s a warning to maintain a healthy level of skepticism as you face life’s uncertainties. Appearances and smooth-sounding ads can be deceiving. We need to be cautious about what we see or hear and warn coming generations to beware of media deceptions. In other words, take it all with a “grain of salt.”

I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray (1 John 2:16).

Stop & Think: November 25, 2025

Change

The best part of wanting to change the world…is ultimately, YOU will be changed in the process. (Eugene Cho, world hunger relief advocate)

You cannot hope to make significant changes in the world unless you are willing to initiate change in your own life. It’s also helpful to consider a specific group who need help bringing about change, rather than thinking of the world at large or yourself personally. You may soon discover that as you help others, you have been changed for good in the process.

I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things (Revelation 2:19).

Stop & Think: November 24, 2025

Faith

The greatest act of faith takes place when a man finally decides he is not God. (Johann Goethe, 18th-19th century German writer)

In many ways, we all live lives of active faith. We trust in the blind miracles of nature (e.g., gravity) and inventions like electricity without understanding how they work. We simply trust these things to always happen. Those who accept the theory of evolution exercise as much—maybe even more faith—than those who trust the evidence of creation.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. . . . By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen (Hebrews 11:1, 3).

Stop & Think: November 23, 2025

Judging Others

When you judge another, you do not define them; you define yourself. (Wayne Dyer, Motivational Author and Speaker)

When we are tempted to judge someone, we must be careful to limit our effort to an evaluation of their work or their words, not their character or motives. What they say and do will reveal their character, so we should let that be the evidence without our judgment. As Dyer suggests, our judgment of others really reveals more about our character than theirs.

In the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you  (Matthew 7:2).