Charisa Stories

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  • Sharing A Bipartisan Devotional with Guaranteed Good News

    I am offering these humble ramblings before the 2024 Election Day. I care deeply about my country. I have deep convictions about many political issues. I have friends and family on both sides of the aisle desperately wanting victory. I have friends and family suffering anxiety that the world will collapse if their side loses. I used to suffer that anxiety and desperate desire to win. Something has completely changed in my heart. May I share 5 reasons why I have experienced that change of heart?

    1. God is Sovereign

    Our Western culture demands answers. We feel the need and even the right to understand why something happens. Is God totally sovereign or do I have free will? Logic says one or the other must be true. God says both are true. We can’t fathom that so we pick a side. As I have slowly grown in my faith I have come to fully embrace the many attributes of God and that His plan is perfect and will ultimately prevail. Paul writes an interesting and challenging statement to the people living in a deeply political state in Rome.

    “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” (Romans 13:1, NLT)

    What? This leader I struggle to accept was placed there by God? When you read through the Old Testament history of leaders you see how this happens. God desired to lead His people through His chosen leaders. The people’s sinful desire to control things instead demanded kings. So that disobedient cry was granted and you read that the results were usually bad. When His people recognized their need for God and turned to Him the results changed to good. Are we repeating this sad cycle? What I believe is that God’s plan will happen. How we get there is yet to be determined. The story of Joseph and the his hateful brothers shows how an all-powerful God can control all things to change the outcome of disobedience.

    20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (Genesis 50:20, NLT)

    God will control all the pieces to make it turn out for good. To paraphrase the old Gospel song I peeked at the back of the book and I am confident it will end in glorious victory.

    2. My Hope is in Jesus

    I can’t explain why bad things happen. Sometimes it is sin. Sometimes it is simply life. I have learned in my years of following Jesus that He does not let suffering go in vain. I have seen over and over how God redeems sadness and tragedy. He does bring beauty out of ashes. When I cannot see how any good can come out of a trial I trust my Abba Father in faith. Believe me I don’t always “feel” that but I can move forward in faith. God has never let me down. And I believe He never will.

    Peter talked about the inevitability of suffering in this life.

    “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (1 Peter 4, NLT)

    We think we can fix things with the right tools. Only Jesus can heal the suffering we all will endure at some point in our journey. Jesus meets you there and not just in theory. He suffered. He agonized with God the Father. He knows the human condition. He has already been where you are. Peter did not end his writing on suffering with the buzz kill of Chapter 4. He wrapped it in a bow of incredible hope in the next chapter.

    “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.” (1 Peter 5, NLT)

    My hope is in Jesus to place me on a firm foundation no matter what the world looks like around me.

    3. No Matter What Happens in the Future Jesus Will Be With Me

    I remind myself daily that God loves me as His child. He sent His Son to die on a Cross while bearing my sins past, present, and future. Jesus rose from the grave and conquered death. I believe that.

    I try to view every negative event through that lens of hope. God holds the future. My life for Him is worth the living no matter what trials I will endure. Jesus was pretty clear that our journey with Him would be challenging.

    “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation…”

    Jesus didn’t say we might have some problems now and then. He honestly said you will have trials and tribulation. Why are we so surprised when that happens?  The enemy definitely tries to distract us from the rest of His promise.

     “But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33, NLT)

    Read the words of Jesus carefully. I have overcome the world. It will be okay. At times the journey will be rough, but I believe with all of my heart that my faith in Him will lead me through the dark valleys.

    4. My Eternal Home is Guaranteed

    Trust God and trust who He says you are because of the finished work of Jesus. Believe you are forgiven of all sins past, present, and future. Wholly accept that you are a brand new creation and live in grateful freedom. Drink in the inexhaustible grace of God every day. Allow God to love you as His beloved and then pay that love forward for His glory. Look through the lens of grace and you will find sacred moments in every single day. Recognize that everything about your walk with Jesus is a gift of grace. It is all about the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. At the moment you believe that Jesus is the way to salvation you are gifted with the most incredible gift. Eternal life.

    24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. (John 5:24, NLT)

    That incredible gift of grace helps me navigate the negativity of this world.

    5. I Know I Will Be Okay Because of God’s Redeeming Grace and Love

    I faced a crossroads many years ago. Would I follow Jesus or go my own way? My way was not going particularly well. While I was still dirty and clothed in filthy garments of sin, I was forgiven, accepted, justified, and wrapped in the robe of righteousness. I was no longer condemned. Satan would have me forget that the robe of righteousness is wrapped lovingly around me. The author of lies attempts to remind me (constantly) that I still wear dirty clothing. He suggests that I don’t deserve to wear the robe until I clean myself up. That is the power of His gift of grace . The robe of righteousness is never earned. It is a gift of grace. Even on my worst day the Father wraps me up in this precious garment because of His Son, Jesus.

    How differently I would live if I remembered that truth every day. I am a saint. I am wrapped in the robe of righteousness. I am a new creature who is forgiven, accepted, and cloaked in this incomprehensible gift of grace. Even in my failure Jesus loves me anyway and just as much. No matter what happens I will be okay. His grace is sufficient. Right Paul?

    9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT)

    Paul begged three times to have his difficulty removed. What he really need was the grace and love of God. I feel confident His grace will be sufficient in the days ahead.

    I am focusing on those truths this week and for the rest of my journey.

  • What Jesus Would Say About Politics in the Pulpit?

    I used to be a rabid political guy. I once believed we could change the culture with the correct political leaders. I was right to dream about changing our culture but I was wrong about the best method. Even if I could get my “dream team” elected we would still have a problem in our world.

    Sin.

    Politics and legislation don’t change the inconvenient truth that we have an inherent human heart problem. Jesus gave us a perfect example of what it looks like to be a good citizen while recognizing what really changes the heart of man. The religious legalists (the Pharisees) were trying to trick Jesus to get Him in trouble with the Roman government. Nice try.

    “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?”

    Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I’ll tell you.”When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

    “Caesar’s,” they replied.

    “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

    His reply completely amazed them. (Mark 12:13-17, NLT)

    Tim Keller brilliantly identifies what happens when we make politics an ultimate thing.

    “If you center your life and identity on a “noble cause,” you will divide the world into “good” and “bad” and demonize your opponents. Ironically, you will be controlled by your enemies. Without them, you have no purpose.”

    So many people have taken demonizing to an art form in this current climate and both sides of the aisle believe they have the noble cause. We have seen the devastation to our country when we demonize our opponents. We must not fall into that trap as representatives of Jesus. Love those who oppose you and show them that grace is a bipartisan gift from God. Let me say that I take my responsibility as a citizen very seriously. I do my homework and I vote in every election. That is a privilege I treasure.

    Paul wrote to a church in Rome that certainly had to deal with some political issues.

    Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.  (Romans 13:1, NLT)

    That can be a hard one for believers right, left, and center to stomach at times. But I didn’t write those words in Scripture that remind me that God is in control and I am not.

    Author Philip Yancey offered this insight.

    “Jesus and Paul spent no energy on trying to clean up the Roman empire, despite their terrible practices of abandoning infants, pederasty, and gladiator games.  Indeed, the people Jesus denounced most harshly, the Pharisees, were some of the most moral people on earth.  He did not give us the challenge of imposing our morality on others, but rather of spreading a far more radical message: that God loves sinners.  Politics is based on power, and power always causes divisions.  It is very difficulty indeed to get across a message of love and power at the same time.  One of them always loses out, and we are called to emphasize love.”

    I agree. Jesus spent zero time trying to change the political culture. He spent all of His time changing hearts. The real power to change our broken world comes from the finished work of Jesus and the transformational power of the Gospel. No matter what happens on Election Day I will believe that God is sovereign and His plan will be accomplished. My passion will be to share the hope that Jesus offers to both sides of the aisle and that hope is eternal. I now believe with all of my heart that the Gospel of forgiveness and grace is the ultimate cultural game changer.

  • Do You Not Love God if You Don’t Love Your Neighbor?

    I recently finished a free online course from Dallas Theological Seminary taught by Dr. Stanley Toussaint. His application from the Parable of the Good Samaritan was simple and positively convicting.

    ”You can tell how a person loves God by how they love people.”

    Ouch. My defensive response included an excuse about how difficult it is to love some people. Come on Lord. You know them better than I do!

    Later that day I cued a Spotify country song list and up popped a tune by bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent. God has a sense of humor. The song is called “You Don’t Love God If You Don’t Love Your Neighbor” and the lyrics begin like this.

    There are many people
    who will say they’re Christians
    and they live like Christians on the Sabbath day

    But come Monday morning, til the coming Sunday
    They will fight their neighbor all along the way.

    {chorus}

    Oh you don’t love God, if you don’t love your neighbor
    if you gossip about him, if you never have mercy
    if he gets into trouble, and you don’t try to help him
    then you don’t love your neighbor, and you don’t love God

    I am going to keep my judge’s robe in the closet and not evaluate your heart and whether you love God or not. But I can say from uncomfortable personal experience that if you are living the lyrics above you may want to take a look at your actions in lieu of this command of Jesus.

    A religious expert on the law tried to trap Jesus by asking this question.

    “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
    Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:36-39 NLT)

     The hypocrisy of so many who claim the name of Jesus Christ is the most consistent complaint that I hear from my tens of readers. I hear it from those who are churched, unchurched, and those who wish they had an option other than church. My book When Bad Christians Happen To Good People addressed this topic honestly.

    Why do we often fail in this command to love others? I think some insight that I picked up from my buddies at Truefaced.com helped me to understand the issue.

    Knowing truth does not transform lives. Only trusting truth transforms lives.

    We have lots of people who have logged a lot of pew time and heard tons of teaching. They have memorized verses and they can speak fluent Churchianity. Yet they demonstrate little or no difference from their neighbors who go to church only on Easter and Christmas or maybe never darken the church doors. How can that be?

    I think that for too many Christians they have not fully trusted the truth they have heard. I am learning to put my full weight on the truths that are foundational. That God supernaturally changed me at the moment I put my trust in Jesus for my salvation. I became a new person. So my standing in God’s eyes is not about what I do but about who I am. Do I trust that truth? Do you?

    Do you believe that God’s faithfulness and loving kindness and grace will sustain you in whatever circumstance you find yourself in? Are you willing to give up control and trust that God has your back and your best interests in His eternal plan? Or do you fear that He might require you to go or do something that you really don’t want to do? Does that kind of thinking make sense in light of what Paul writes about Christ?

    Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. (Romans 5, NLT)

    Do I really think that a God that loved me like that would punish me with a bad assignment to love unlovable people because He is displeased with me? Jesus did not say that He came so that I could have life sporadically. He promised abundantly and that means to follow His commands. So I am choosing to trust the truths that I have known for many years. He is trustworthy. His Word is true. I am wasting my time if I don’t put my full weight on those truths. Slowly and often awkwardly I am learning to do that. And it is changing me.

    When I lean fully on who I am in Christ and how remarkable His gift of grace was to an undeserving sinner it makes loving my sometimes annoying neighbor a whole lot more possible. And my response to my neighbor is a good measuring stick of how much God’s love is filling my heart.

  • Why Misplaced Hope Makes Life So Hard

    It is more than a little disconcerting to see the division, anger, and hatred we are witnessing in our country. I experienced a similar season in the late 1960’s but this one seems even more intense. Perhaps social media and 24 hour news exacerbates the tension. As a self-righteous know-it-all back then I thought we would be able to fix everything my parent’s generation had messed up. We had great hope that we would change the system and fix the problems.

    We thought that hope would be realized with the right leader or a political party. In retrospect I see that I was putting my long game hope in all the wrong places.

    The word hope is used about 80 times in the New Testament. The first appearance of the word in the NIV New Testament translation pretty much lays out my belief that my hope is not found in the houses of power.

    “In his name (Jesus) the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12, NIV)

    Paul wrote about the hope that I now have in his letter to the Romans.

    I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13, NIV)

    Real hope occurs when I remember who I am.
    I am a follower of Jesus. A child of God. A servant who is humbled by His amazing grace. A person who has been changed because of Christ. A follower of the Lord who believes that God is sovereign and His plan will be fulfilled.

    When those truths are my focus I have hope that is real. I have peace that transcends circumstance. When I keep my eyes on Jesus, I maintain a better perspective on every area of my life. You do that by remembering what really matters.

    Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us. (Colossians 3:10-11, NLT)

    I remember a campfire song from the Jesus movement that was, to borrow the approach of Law and Order, “ripped” from the Gospel of Matthew. (Matthew 6:33)

    Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
    and all these things shall be added unto you.
    Allelu, alleluia

    Who (or what) are you centering your hope on today? Hope grows when you seek Jesus and rest in His Righteousness. Nothing else makes sense.

  • The Most Difficult Thing Jesus Asks of Us

    I think forgiveness is the most challenging thing Jesus commands us to do. I sometimes ignore God’s Word about forgiveness and whether someone “deserves” mercy. Scripture can be so annoying! Paul threw down this difficult challenge to the Ephesian church.

    Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32, NLT)

    That is a very tall order and one that is impossible to do without remembering how much I have been forgiven. If you say something nasty about me and ask for forgiveness, I will probably grant it. If you do it again and ask forgiveness, I might forgive you again. If you do the same thing again and ask forgiveness, I will most likely respond with skepticism and ask you to “prove” you are sorry.

    Yet that illustration is exactly what I do in my relationship with God every day. I have asked Him to forgive the same sin dozens, even hundreds of times. Still His Word tells me I am forgiven and He loves me just the same as the first time I confessed that sin. That is how God has forgiven me through Christ. I should respond accordingly to others, forgiving out of profound gratitude. Do you see any way around the obvious command to forgive? Me either.

     Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13, NLT)

    Bottom line: we are commanded to forgive as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness may well be the missing ingredient to the healing of most relationships. Forgive the one who wounded you. Forgive yourself and seek forgiveness if you are the one who wounded.

    I imagine Jesus’ heart is saddened by my stubborn refusal to consider His forgiveness extended to me and, consequently, my refusal to lean on His power to forgive.

    The reality is that there is fear on the road to forgiveness whenever I take my eyes off of Christ. My heart cries out in protest. What if they reject, scoff, or take advantage of my forgiveness? Jesus reminds me gently that He understands. And it is the right thing to do, no matter how the other party responds.

    When I allow God to heal my heart and give me the power to forgive others the weight of the world is lifted off my soul. Sadly, too often, it is the road less taken. But it is the path that will make a difference in my (and your) journey with Jesus.

    Author Will Davis Jr. explains that forgiveness is a process empowered by taking the step of faith.

    “Once you decide to forgive, you initiate the healing process. Forgiveness gives your soul permission to move on to the higher and healthier ground of emotional recovery. Forgiveness is to your soul what antibiotics are to infection. It is the curative agent that will help to fully restore your soul. It doesn’t immediately remove the pain of the offense but it does start you on the road to recovery.”

    I really like that perspective. The decision to forgive initiates but does not complete healing. You and I will, in time, heal. But we will never get there without taking the first step of faith.

    I have spent a lot of unhappy moments not enjoying the freedom the Lord intended because I did not want to forgive someone who hurt me. I grieve to think of how I have stubbornly refused to forgive others for real and/or perceived slights over the years. I can imagine Jesus looking at me with sadness (not condemnation) because I have not fully comprehended the magnitude of the debt that has been erased from my account because of Him. If I cannot forgive, I have forgotten or never comprehended how much I have been forgiven.

    How quickly I forget. I forget how much I have been forgiven. I forget how much I am loved by Jesus. I forget that I am a brand new creation. I forget I am righteous because of the finished  work of Christ. I forget that there is no condemnation in Christ. I forget that I am a beloved child of God and He is for me. I forget that He has my back and He has me in His hand forever. I am forgetful.

    But thank God He does not forget His promises. I need to remember that today.

  • The Number One Component for Healthy Community

    Bill Withers wrote and recorded a song that we could sing in church on Sundays. The lyrics talk about the pain we all endure and the need for community to help us through.

    Sometimes in our lives
    We all have pain
    We all have sorrow

    Lean on me, when you’re not strong
    And I’ll be your friend
    I’ll help you carry on

    I write a lot about grace in community. Some say too much. To be honest, I have had moments when I wondered if living in community with messy people is worth it. I have come to understand why legalism is so much easier than grace. Legalism allows me to assess the situation and then apply a verse, assign a task, and move away in self-righteous expectation. If that person rejects that Biblical admonition or task then legalism allows me to withdraw because they are disobedient. Grace does not give me that option. Grace demands that I move toward the struggle of my brother or sister and not away in judgment. No wonder grace can be a tough sell.

    That is the glorious dichotomy of grace. Grace wears me out and lifts me up. Grace frustrates and exhilarates.  My old nature screams that people who make bad decisions over and over get what they “deserve”. They don’t “deserve” to be pursued and loved and restored. They made their bed now let them lay in it. But there is a small quiet voice in my heart that tells me that they have value. That they are loved by their Creator. And that voice asks who am I to decide who “deserves” anything?

    A quote by Pastor Paul Donnan says it far better than I ever could.

    “Grace doesn’t treat us better than we deserve. It treats us without the slightest reference to what we deserve. Grace ceases to be grace if God withdraws it upon any human failure. If Grace is in any way tied to something you do, then it is no longer a gift but a wage, and that’s not grace.”

    And, to be selfish, the lyrics of Bill Withers tells me why it is in my own best interest to give grace willingly.

    I’ll help you carry on
    For it won’t be long
    Till I’m gonna need
    Somebody to lean on

    Yep. It is just a matter of time until I will be begging for grace for some stupid action or words. Paul knew that was true and reminded the Galatian Church.

    Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6, The Message)

    Why are we so willing to receive grace and not extend it? Maybe the next lyric has a clue.

    Please swallow your pride
    If I have things you need to borrow
    For no one can fill those of your needs
    That you won’t let show

    Pride. Pride causes us to cover our needs because that would show weakness. Pride tells us to wear a mask of false joy so that others won’t know our shame and sin and need. Our Father in Heaven designed this journey to be lived in community. God knows that we need Him and we need one another. So drop the mask of false joy. Be honest and express your need for community.

    We all need somebody to lean on
    I just might have a problem
    That you’ll understand

    We all need somebody to lean on

    Yes it is hard to walk with the wounded. Yes it is frustrating to watch messy people make the same mistakes over and over. Yes it is tiring to give grace to the needy. But my heart’s desire remains the same. These words in Hebrews wrap it up nicely.

    And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. (Hebrews 13:16)

    Do the right thing. We all need one another and especially now. Love God this week by being kind to some of His children.

  • How Does God Measure Your Value Differently from the World?

    Valuing everyone is how Jesus lived. He modeled that value with women, children, people with physical and mental challenges, lepers, social outcasts, and sinners. He served the weak and loved the unloved. He created the template for the New Testament church.

    How did the early church explode and multiply against all odds? By serving selflessly, recklessly, and fearlessly. There was nothing comfortable about spreading the news about Jesus in the days, months, and years after His resurrection. The Apostles understood after the Cross what Jesus had been trying to tell them earlier. That the world measures greatness on an entirely different scale from the one that God uses.

    Remember that debate among the apostles? They had the criteria for greatness completely wrong.

    They began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.”
    (Luke 22:24-27, NLT)

    The best way to take your eyes off your own circumstances is to serve others. Even as Jesus faced the horror of the Cross, He was serving others.

    Martin Luther King Jr. said it well: “Everybody can be great . . . because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

    Amen.

    Every person in the body of Christ can serve in some way. It may be running errands for a seasoned citizen who can no longer drive. It may be babysitting for a harried young mom. It may be providing a meal to a family dealing with illness. It may be calling or visiting a lonely person. Sometimes listening is one of the greatest ways to serve others. Maybe one subtle way to serve is simply appreciating those people whom you work and live with in community.

    The Carrot Principle, a book by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, determined that appreciation might well be the missing accelerator for happiness and ­self-​­esteem. Based on a ­ten-​­year study in which two hundred thousand people were interviewed, the authors conclude that appreciation tops the list of things employees say they want from their bosses. For those who worked in offices with high morale, an amazing 94 percent reported that they were shown appreciation. Not surprisingly, when employees quit, nearly 80 percent cited lack of appreciation as the number one reason.

    I suspect that heartfelt appreciation is in short supply in our faith communities as well. That is a wonderful way you can serve others. Simply affirm and bless them in their gifts and skills.

    Serving can be the smallest gesture, or it can be a selfless response to a crisis. I absolutely love the slogan from the Salvation Army: “We combat natural disasters with Acts of God.”

    That is a powerful thought. We as the body of Christ commit “acts of God” by loving, helping, and healing those who suffer from a disaster, or sometimes just from life. My insurance policy outlines “acts of God” as a way to diminish liability. My understanding of God’s Word is that we have increased liability when others need help.

    I pray that I will be willing to commit an “act of God” whenever I see a hurting person. When a student is struggling and needs mentoring, you can commit an “act of God.” When a family does not have money for gifts at Christmas, your “act of God” will make the difference. When someone is feeling blue, you can affirm and lift that person’s spirits by simply being present and caring. Jesus taught that these things we do are acts for God.

    “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

    “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

    “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:34-40, NLT)

    Part of the journey to connect more effectively to God and others is simple. Get outside yourself by serving and affirming others. The rewards are remarkable and God is glorified by your actions.