Almost 30 years ago, our pastor said when you say yes to following Jesus, your options have automatically decreased. He was not speaking about sin so much -although it obviously applies, but how we order our lives for the single purpose of following Jesus. Has stuck with me over the years as I sometimes struggled feeling left out of various groups or events because of “choices”
Also when we first married and too poor to eat out, we invited people over to share meals and discovered our best ministry is at the table. Right now husband preparing masa for a group of ex convicts to make tamales at. our house for their connection group.
My family used to have a pretty good nightly routine where we would read from a good fiction book, a Bible story, and then sing a hymn. A couple of years ago we got out of that habit because of sports, life, etc., but I'm resolved to start again. Even though we are active in our church and study the Bible in our homeschool, I believe we need this additional family time. So I'm hopeful that we can be consistent in that. Thanks for your encouraging post! May God bless you in your efforts this year. ❤️
Thank you--and blessings to you as well in these efforts this year, Megan! And I love your nightly routine idea. I think a lot about the things our kids will remember from their childhood, and I think these sorts of routines make for wonderful memories, if we can keep them up!
This is so refreshing! Two other sources, besides the Lord Jesus, come to mind. Pastoral theologian Scott Cormode has written that, while gifts and passions and goals are part of one's calling, calling is first and foremost about the people entrusted to our care. And ethicist Gilbert Meilaender wrote years ago, in a letter to his adopted son: "Don't imagine that the point of life is to set goals. Think, instead, that its point is to be faithful to the commitments already built into your life."
Almost 30 years ago, our pastor said when you say yes to following Jesus, your options have automatically decreased. He was not speaking about sin so much -although it obviously applies, but how we order our lives for the single purpose of following Jesus. Has stuck with me over the years as I sometimes struggled feeling left out of various groups or events because of “choices”
Also when we first married and too poor to eat out, we invited people over to share meals and discovered our best ministry is at the table. Right now husband preparing masa for a group of ex convicts to make tamales at. our house for their connection group.
I love this so much, Trisha! And this point is just powerful--and true: "our best ministry is at the table."
My family used to have a pretty good nightly routine where we would read from a good fiction book, a Bible story, and then sing a hymn. A couple of years ago we got out of that habit because of sports, life, etc., but I'm resolved to start again. Even though we are active in our church and study the Bible in our homeschool, I believe we need this additional family time. So I'm hopeful that we can be consistent in that. Thanks for your encouraging post! May God bless you in your efforts this year. ❤️
Thank you--and blessings to you as well in these efforts this year, Megan! And I love your nightly routine idea. I think a lot about the things our kids will remember from their childhood, and I think these sorts of routines make for wonderful memories, if we can keep them up!
Reading through the Bible in a year is a great way to keep focused on who God is
This is so refreshing! Two other sources, besides the Lord Jesus, come to mind. Pastoral theologian Scott Cormode has written that, while gifts and passions and goals are part of one's calling, calling is first and foremost about the people entrusted to our care. And ethicist Gilbert Meilaender wrote years ago, in a letter to his adopted son: "Don't imagine that the point of life is to set goals. Think, instead, that its point is to be faithful to the commitments already built into your life."