Tag Archives: Missions

Searching Before They’re Lost

My church hosted a 3 on 3 basketball tournament at our local recreation center over the weekend. There was a great turnout, and it was fun to see the young folks competing and laughing. Several people shared their testimonies. Jesus, the Good Shepherd who goes looking for lost sheep, was doing just that on SaturdayContinue reading “Searching Before They’re Lost”

The Lost Art of the Missionary Story

When Jesus sent His disciples out two by two, they cast out unclean spirits, and they called for people to repent of their sins.  They were excited when they returned to Him with the world’s first Christian missionary stories.  Missionary stories aren’t in vogue any more. My favorite one, written by Amy Carmichael, a missionaryContinue reading “The Lost Art of the Missionary Story”

On Praying for Your Pastor

I prayed for my pastor today. He had crawled up into the church’s playground equipment and was scrubbing graffitied profanity with a magic eraser.  As I watched him scrub, I thought of the many times people brought him their sins, cloaked as problems to be solved. Instead of offering magic erasers, my pastor gave theContinue reading “On Praying for Your Pastor”

Made Beautiful

“Hello? This is Dakota Baptist Church.” “Sarahcanyoubringmeapop??” One of my responsibilities the summer I was seventeen was to answer the church phone. The caller was a twelve year old girl. She spoke so quickly that all her words ran together, and we had the same conversation everyday. “Well, where are you?” “Atmyhouse.” “Where’s your house?”Continue reading “Made Beautiful”

Carrying the Banner

I love that movie from the nineties called, “Newsies.” Homeless, streetsmart boys find employment selling newspapers, and they often do it by embellishing the headlines. Their theme is that they are “carrying the banner.”  I thought of the movie, and its catchy song, this week at backyard Bible club. The kids in my neighborhood wereContinue reading “Carrying the Banner”

Acquainted with Grief

A married couple came to me after Sunday school. They had eaten supper with one of our students, and they were troubled. “This little girl shouldn’t even know about the things she was telling us,” the wife said.  The husband agreed and asked the girl’s name again so that they could pray for her. BothContinue reading “Acquainted with Grief”

Easter Everyday

In Paul’s last letter, he wrote to Timothy, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom.” Tradition has it that Paul was beheaded by Nero because of his faith in Jesus. And it does seem kind of ludicrous, doesn’t it? Is being beheaded coming safely anywhere?Continue reading “Easter Everyday”

A Little Salty

Listen HERE There’s an old wooden case filled with salt spoons hanging on the wall of our dining room.  A salt spoon is a tiny spoon that people used to scoop salt from a tiny dish called a salt cellar. Those were the days before salt shakers were a thing. When I was about eightContinue reading “A Little Salty”

When God Made Fruit

Listen HERE A ministry called “On Eagle’s Wings” sends us interns every March. Each young man who has come has been saved by Jesus and OEW helps them learn to share their “hope story.” They spend the summer months traveling to different reservations across North America sharing the story of how Jesus saved them. ThoughContinue reading “When God Made Fruit”