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  • Bring a “To Go” Box to Church

    Bring a “To Go” Box to Church

    I am a big fan of restaurant to go boxes. When I am full I can pack up the leftovers and be nourished again later. Recently I have adopted the “to go box” strategy when I go to church.

    I very intentionally pray for something I can pack away and take home that will nourish me spiritually and emotionally for the rest of the week. It is fascinating how God has honored that prayer by giving me something to put in my spiritual to go box each week.

    This week my to go box got filled during adult Bible class. We are going through the Old Testament book of 1st Samuel and the story of Hannah was discussed.

    Hannah was the wife of Elkanah who was married to a second wife named Peninnah. Elkanah seemed to emotionally favor Hannah but there was a problem. She was unable to bear children. That was a crushing burden to bear and especially when Peninnah openly taunted Hannah for being barren. Some thought that not being able to bear a child meant God was punishing that women for some sin. You can only imagine the hurtfulness of the comments from Peninnah.

    The story of Hannah is so rich and full of things to put in the to go box. The fact that Hannah did not quit worshiping and going to the Temple in spite of her circumstances is amazing. Even as she went to the Tabernacle Penninah would taunt her. How many Christians quit going to church in much less stressful settings? But she persevered.

    Hannah also recognized that she could not change things herself. While the text clearly stated that she was saddened by Penninah’s ugly comments there is no record of her responding in kind. Instead Hannah trusted God to hear her cries. Finally she reached a point of desperation that she channeled into dependence on God.

    After a sacrificial meal at Shiloh she left and went to pray because she was too upset to eat. Eli the priest was stationed in his customary spot by the entrance of the Tabernacle. He apparently had a front row seat to watch Hannah’s anguished prayer. She begged God to give her a son and promised to give that child back to the service of the Lord. Hannah poured out her heart and feelings to God with such deep emotions that Eli thought she must be drinking. In fact the text records that the Priest told her to throw away her wine!

    I think I might have gotten a bit defensive (okay, a lot defensive) if a religious leader accused me of being a drunk when I was honestly pouring out my heart to God. But once again Hannah showed grace.

    15 But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress. I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman. It’s just that, to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”

    17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.[

    Hannah prayed. She asked God to intervene. She trusted Him to hear her. But she not know if that request would be granted. She had years and years of sorrow weighing down her soul.

    What I packed in my “to go box” this week was Hannah’s response. She had poured out her heart. She trusted God. She decided that only He could change her situation and she had communicated honestly. After that moment of complete transparency Hannah recognized she had done all she could. She went back and began to eat again. And Scripture says her face no longer looked sad.

    There are many things I ask of God. Sometimes I ask with great anguish for those prayers to be answered the way I am asking. Hannah showed me a great response. When I honestly pray and lay those requests at the altar I can walk away with my face not showing sadness but gratitude for a God who listens. John writes these words.

    And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14, NET)

    Hannah’s faith was rewarded with a son named Samuel. God heard her petition. I am convinced He hears my petitions and especially when I tear down the walls of self-dependence. My desire may not be His will but I believe with all of my heart that God hears me and He will answer.

    Here are the contents of my to go box this week.

    1. Bring my requests to God with honesty.
    2. Leave them at the altar with a trusting heart.
    3. Walk away with a happy countenance knowing God can be trusted to hear and answer according to His will.

    Sometimes the answer is not what I want. But here is what I have learned in five decades of following Jesus. He is faithful.

    So I am asking you to take your to go box to church next week. I would love to hear what you pack in there!

  • A Life Lesson from My Labrador

    A Life Lesson from My Labrador

    One of the most valuable spiritual lessons from my rescued Labrador Hannah was the genesis of my book Stay.

    I had just stumbled through the back door from an all-night flight in the spring of 2011 when I noticed something was amiss with Hannah. Normally she would celebrate my arrival with a wild, exuberant, spinning dance accompanied by a vibrating, thumping tail. This time, her greeting was subdued, her gait slow, and her soulful eyes dull. 

    Joni and I immediately knew that something was wrong. Even though she seemed slightly better as the day wore on, we made an appointment with the vet just to make sure. 

    A suspicious growth on her spleen and fluid in her stomach signaled a grim prognosis. On Monday morning, we went to a specialist who confirmed the diagnosis. Dr. Carmenn Woolley explained the sad options we faced. Hannah had a splenic tumor which, given her age, would likely be malignant. 

    Our choices were less than optimal. Without surgery, Hannah’s tumor would rupture and bleed out and she would likely die within days or even sooner. With the surgery, she would still face an uncertain future, especially if the tumor was malignant. We could be talking a matter of weeks. The surgery was very expensive with no guarantees. 

    Still, a recent tax refund had given us the rare luxury of money to spend as we wished. Joni had a list of projects far more extensive than the refund would cover, and she had been trying to decide which project topped the list. That night we discussed the new reality. We could just try to keep our canine friend comfortable, or we could use the refund for Hannah’s surgery and give her a fighting chance. 

    Two days later, I picked her up from the Lake Ray Hubbard Emergency Pet Care Center after a successful surgery. So much for the new furniture, house painting, or landscaping. In place of those things, we got a dog friend with a twelve-inch incision on her belly and the hope of some sweet time to say good-bye. 

    Even after surgery, Hannah’s diagnosis was ominous. Splenic hemangiosarcoma. It was a horrible-sounding disease with an even worse prognosis. Without chemotherapy, the survival predictions were nineteen to sixty days. Six months would be a miracle. Dr. Woolley showed great compassion as tears welled in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. The doctor’s eyes grew misty as she shared one of the most painful duties of her job. She handed me a tissue, put her hand on my arm, and quietly said something. Since I was still reeling from the shock of everything that had happened so quickly, her words didn’t sink in until later.  

    “Hannah does not know she is sick. Dogs have no fear of death, so they live in the moment. Enjoy each moment that you have.” 

    I thought about that comment a lot in the days to come.

    Dogs have no fear of death so they live in the moment. Isn’t that a blueprint for how followers of Christ should live on a daily basis? I had been a Christian for more than thirty years and had not figured out such a succinct philosophy of living. Satan wants us to live in regret of the past and fear of the future, preventing us from contentment in the moment with our God and with those we love. 

    I began to learn that part of being content on the journey with Jesus is simply trusting Him one day at a time. You can’t live in regret of the past. It is forgiven. You can’t live in fear of the future. It is in God’s hands. Without regret or fear you are free to live in the moment. Or as C. S. Lewis put it, “Where, except in the present, can the Eternal be met?”

    Jesus proclaimed that exact message in the Gospel of Matthew.

    “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”

    Matthew 6:25-27

    It was true. Worrying would not add a single moment to my life or my sweet canine friend. The treatment gave us many months of extra time. And I began the journey of living in the moment thanks to the example of Hannah.

    It is now my daily pursuit to trust God and savor each precious day.

  • One Sin That Triggered Jesus

    One Sin That Triggered Jesus

    I am fascinated and more than a little convicted when I look at the behaviors that caused Jesus to react with harsh words. Jesus often responded to sinners with grace and no condemnation.

    A woman caught in adultery was dragged before Jesus with the demand that he condone the law that she should be killed for her sin. His reaction? Jesus knelt down, wrote in the sand, and challenged the persons without any sin to hurl the first rock. 

    When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. 
    And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8, NLT)

    Jesus had compassion on a person who was deeply shamed and in need of forgiveness for sin. He did not excuse her transgression. He commanded her to go and change her behavior but He did not condemn or lecture.


    Jesus dined with people who clearly violated His moral teachings. He recruited a tax collector who had betrayed and financially oppressed his own people. He allowed a woman of questionable reputation to anoint His feet with perfume. He violated every cultural standard by talking to and sharing the hope of salvation with a woman who had lived with multiple men. These acts brought condemnation from the religious leaders who saw religion as a performance based keeping of rules.

    Jesus did not demand groveling repentance before the person was worthy to win forgiveness. He looked on the heart of the person in sin and responded with healing grace. 

    But one sin did trigger Jesus on a consistent basis. The most harsh words from Jesus were usually directed at hypocrites.

    The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word hyprokrites, meaning one who plays a part, an actor. Probably no word is more destructively used in describing Christians than hypocrite. André Gide once defined a true hypocrite as the “one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity.”

    One of Christ’s severest rebukes concerned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Matthew 6). These religious leaders liked to be seen and heard when praying, recognized when giving, and pitied when fasting.

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. (All texts from NLT)

    Is it any wonder that Jesus was so reviled by the religious establishment? Jesus came to fulfill the law and provide a way for me (and you) to be reconciled to God. Jesus provides the opportunity for a relationship with God through faith and grace. The Pharisees, like many of the religious leaders that our culture criticizes, controlled by demanding legalistic works and by fear of punishment. 
    Today the church condemns those who live immoral lives while we churchgoers too often engage in gossip and selfishness and bigotry. The unchurched stand by in amazed, bemused, cynical, or angry observance of our hypocrisy. And they lose respect for our message. 

    So why don’t the followers of Jesus communicate the grace of God more effectively? That is too often the heartbreaking shortcoming of the church. 

    Tim Keller writes brilliantly about how we confuse righteousness with moralism.

    “Sin and evil are self-centeredness and pride that lead to oppression against others, but there are two forms of this. One form is being very bad and breaking all the rules, and the other form is being very good and keeping all the rules and becoming self-righteous.”

    My righteousness can only be because of Christ. I am sobered that Jesus was consistently triggered by hypocrisy. If I am going to be a light to others I need to focus on my heart and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate my areas of hypocrisy. I don’t want to just look good on the outside. I want my heart to be clean by the redeeming power of God’s gift of redemptive grace.

  • The Games People Still Play

    The Games People Still Play

    A song by Joe South reflected my teenage disdain for those in power who seemed to not care a whit about the regular folk. I check the comments of young people today and I realize that not much, if anything, has changed since this song was recorded in the turbulent late 60’s.

    “The Games People Play” was recorded by Joe South and here are the first two stanzas.

    Oh the games people play now
    Every night and every day now
    Never meaning what they say now
    Never saying what they mean

    And they wile away the hours
    In their ivory towers
    Till they’re covered up with flowers
    In the back of a black limousine

    I have to admit that a bit of the anger and power of the protest was diminished with this hard-hitting chorus.

    La-da da da da da da da
    La-da da da da da de
    Talking ’bout you and me
    And the games people play

    Hard to gin up a lot of “in your face” intensity and passion when you are singing “la-da-da-da-da-da-da”.

    My frustration with the hypocrisy I saw in my church was fueled by this lyric.

    People walking up to you
    Singing glory hallelulia
    And they’re tryin to sock it to you
    In the name of the Lord

    We thought we could change the world by promoting love, hope and peace.  I see the same anger directed at my generation (pretty much deserved) that we felt toward my parent’s. I read how this generation is going to change things by promoting love, hope and peace. Can you say full circle?

    We thought that hope would be realized with the right political party. We believed that change would come because of kindred politicians or better laws or courts that would establish justice as we saw it. We thought that the right leader would make sure that we educated every child no matter their circumstance. We hoped that this political savior would provide for the needs of every person. We were wrong by placing that hope on the government without putting responsibility on ourselves.

    So many people are placing their hope for happiness on political candidates and parties. I do believe that leaders make a difference. I care deeply about making an informed and prayerful choice. But I never place my hope or desire for change on a politician. The word hope is used about 80 times in the New Testament. The first appearance of the word in the NIV translation pretty much lays out my belief.

    “In his name (Jesus) the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12:21, NIV)

    Paul wrote about the hope that I 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)

    The second chorus of South’s tune has a real pearl of wisdom.

    God grant me the serenity
    To remember who I am

    That is what I have learned since I was the frustrated and all-knowing young man hellbent on changing the establishment. I remember who I am. I am a follower of Jesus. A child of God. A servant who is humbled by His amazing grace.

    I will be shocked if our leaders in Washington decide to work together for us and tone down the rhetoric. My peace lies in the belief that I have hope that is real. I have peace that transcends circumstance. Because of those truths I can deal with the rest of the news. I believe that no matter what happens in Washington in the coming months and years I am convinced that the following statement is true.

    God is in control. And that is where my hope rests today.

  • Do We Make Faith Too Complicated?

    Do We Make Faith Too Complicated?

    Sports fans might have heard TV analysts noting that a young athlete is struggling on the football field because the game is too fast and furious for them to react correctly. They say that when the game “slows down” that player will be much more effective. That means the athlete will learn what matters, what to react to, how not to get faked out, and how to respond properly in each situation.

    I think that is what is happening for me after all of these years. My once frenetic efforts to be a “good Christian” are slowing down. I think I am learning more about what matters, what to react to, how not to get faked out by Satan, and how to respond in grace.

    A great way to get some less than grace filled responses is to quote an R-rated movie. So here goes.

    “Nook” LaLoosh (from Bull Durham): “A good friend of mine used to say, “This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains. Think about that for a while.”

    Yeah! Think about that for awhile!

    In many ways Christianity is a very simple faith that we have made incredibly legalistic and difficult. To paraphrase the line above. “You love the Lord your God. You love your neighbor. Sometimes it is easy. sometimes it is hard. Sometimes life rains on you.”

    Why do I want to make it so maddeningly complex? A classic song by Chris Tomlin has one of the secrets that helped the game “slow down” for me. The lyrics from “I Will Follow” help make this journey a little more simple.

    All your ways are good
    All your ways are sure
    I will trust in you alone
    Higher than my side
    High above my life
    I will trust in you alone

    Where you go, I’ll go
    Where you stay, I’ll stay
    When you move, I’ll move
    I will follow you
    Who you love, I’ll love
    How you serve I’ll serve
    If this life I lose, I will follow you
    I will follow you

    I will follow you

    Hmmmm. Maybe if I give up my need to figure everything out and sound smart I will actually be more effective. Maybe if I just follow Him I will learn to naturally do all the things I have been struggling so hard to do. There seems to be some precedent for this concept of simply following Jesus. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19, NIV

    • But Jesus told him, “Follow me“….   Matthew 8:22, NIV
    • “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9, NIV
    • “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Matthew 16:24, NIV
    • “Then come, follow me.”   Matthew 19:21, NIV
    • Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”   John 1:43, NIV
    • “Whoever serves me must follow me;”   John 12:26, NIV
    • Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”   John 21:22, NIV

    In the immortal words of Forrest Gump…”I’m not a smart man”. But like Forrest I have a keen sense of the obvious. I have surmised (brilliantly) that Jesus wants me to follow Him. The rest of it we will figure out together.

  • Feeling Like A Nobody Just Might Be A Sign of Growth

    Feeling Like A Nobody Just Might Be A Sign of Growth

    My life odometer keeps adding mileage. No matter how hard I try I cannot roll it back. Part of acquiring higher mileage is getting some hard earned perspective on your life decisions. Some of my decisions were good. Some benign. Some not so good. Some truly regretful.

    That is life.

    The encouragement I have discovered is that even the really bad decisions can be redeemed by the grace of God. D.L.Moody was one of the greatest communicators of the Gospel in church history and a great Christian university bears his name. One of my favorite Moody quotes is about the learning curve of Moses. Moses ended up having a fairly decent impact for God.

    “Moses spent 40 years thinking he was somebody; 40 years learning he was nobody; and 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody.”

    I have to adjust the numbers for my life. I spent 40 years thinking I was somebody. Twenty years learning I was nobody apart from the grace of God. I now am looking at (fill in the blank someday) years praying and seeking to see what God can do with a nobody.

    This is not about groveling in self-loathing. Far from it. It is simply acknowledging the liberating recognition of my dependence and need for God.

    All of us have a purpose. Here is an excerpt from my book Stay about purpose. The book chronicles the spiritual lessons I learned from a couple of rescued dogs. My canine friend Hannah understood who she was and lived out of that identity every day.

    Hannah was predestined to swim, run, and retrieve. That is the destiny of any retriever. Hannah does not try to be anything else. Even as a puppy, she chased anything we tossed her way and eagerly brought it back. We did not have to spend one minute training her. It was as natural as breathing for Hannah. Retrieving was her purpose and passion.

    That was the lesson for today from my four-legged mentor. I have also been created with a purpose. In fact, every person has a God-designed destiny whether they believe it or not. Henri Nouwen wrote about living with that frame of mind.”We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. . . .We act as if we were simply dropped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.”

    Living out of who you are is liberating. The apostle Paul had some thoughts about such a life when he wrote to the church at Ephesus.

    God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT)

    Think about that! You were rescued from the death of sin by grace. It was a gift that could not be earned. And you are a new creation, indeed a masterpiece for whom good things were planned from the beginning of time. How can followers of Jesus possibly have self-image issues? When we believe the lies.

    Taken from Stay by Dave Burchett copyright © 2015

    Don’t believe the lies. The irony of God’s plan is that we become important when we quit thinking we are important. God can do amazing things with nobody’s who are trusting and willing.

    Read the first chapter of Stay:Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace by clicking this link.

  • Reviewing Your Jesus Contract

    Reviewing Your Jesus Contract

    When Joni and I purchased a new house we visited the title company to sign the official documents. The person from the title company relentlessly pushed papers in front of us along with a brief description of what we were signing. My memory may not be exact but it was something like this.

    This one says that the builder is transferring the deed to you. And this one says that you have paid the taxes that you owe to Caesar. This one says that you agree to let the HOA control everything you think and do. This one says that you are paying us random fees that you have no idea what they are or why they are needed but you have no choice. This one says a lawyer gets a lot of money for cut and pasting into a standard document. It was a mind-numbing process and by the end I probably would have signed anything put in front of me.

    Title Company: “This one says you will give us a kidney if we ask you.” 
    Me: “Okay…Where do I sign?”

    Seriously, we had carefully looked over the papers beforehand because we wanted to understand the significance of each document. 

    Later I wondering how a process like this could work when we decide to enter into a relationship with Jesus. What if we sat across from Jesus and signed off on everything He offered for our salvation? Would it help us to comprehend the amazing number of spiritual transactions that took place when Jesus became our substitute on the Cross? What would that closing appointment look like? 

    I imagined sitting down across from Jesus to close the deal. His smile was welcoming and kind as he arranged the papers on the table.

    Jesus: I am rejoicing that you have decided to follow Me. Let’s start with this document. This is the Forgiveness contract. In this one all of your sins are forgiven. Past, present, and future. God the Father will remember them no more. Let me paraphrase how my servant Paul put it to the Roman believers.

    Romans 8:1- So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Me.

    Do you accept this offer?

    Me: Absolutely!

    Jesus: Next are the Adoption Papers. These say that you are now a child of God. You are no longer separated from the Father. Paul told the Galatians we are all children of God through faith. (Galatians 3:26) Just sign right here and know that now you are His beloved child. Trust me, that is a wonderful position to be in. 

    The next document is the Eternal Warranty. This says that I guarantee my work on the Cross forever. There is nothing Satan can do to change this agreement. I remember when I said this to John and he wrote it in His Gospel account.

    I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. (John 10:28-29)

    This can never be voided. You understand that I am guaranteeing this and you have to do nothing to keep it in place? 

    Me: I do. This is amazing.

    Jesus: Sign here and I will tell you about our kingdom HOA agreement. It is a little different from your earthly version. It says here you have a home in Heaven and that you are part of the worldwide community of believers. That all of my followers will live together in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Paul explained it to the Corinthian Church…

    For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews of Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13)

     The next thing we need to look at is the Name Change document.

    This one says you will have a new title. You are still Dave but you will be DBA (doing business as) with a new name. Saint. That’s right. All of my followers are saints because of their relationship with me. 

    Let’s talk about Dwelling Rights next. This document says the Holy Spirit will come to dwell in you. This is such good deal because the Spirit seals you and guides you every moment. You have the presence of God in you by simply agreeing with this truth. After you initial and sign that we will look at the Identity Protection contract.

    This document says that you have a brand new identity and it cannot be taken away or hacked. It says that today you are spiritually regenerated as a result of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Gospel message that my Father gave to you through my life, death, and resurrection. Paul put in this way.

    This means that anyone who belongs to (Me) has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Cor. 5:17)

    You doing okay? You look a little overwhelmed. Let’s look at the Inheritance Clause. By agreeing to follow Me today you are now entitled to everything that the Father promises to Me. I know. That is amazing. There may be some trials along the way but it will be so worth it. Read what was written to the Roman Church.

    And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. (Romans 8:17)

    The next document says you don’t need to add anything else to complete this agreement. My sometimes impetuous child Peter said it very well.

    By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3) 

    Everything is being given to you at this moment and it further states that you are complete and lacking nothing. You have power over Satan and you don’t need to be a slave to sin. But never forget where that power comes from. You can’t do it without Me.

    Any questions?

    Me: This is unbelievable. Surely I have to bring something to the table to complete this deal?

    Jesus: Did you bring your sin?

    Me: Yes. Lots of it.

    Jesus: Do you recognize that you are separated from God by that sin and need a Savior to be reconciled and made right with Him?

    Me: Definitely

    Jesus: Do you believe that I took on your sin, went to the Cross, was killed, buried and rose again on the 3rd day? Do you believe I am the way, the truth, and the life

    Me: I do believe.

    Jesus: Then you are paid in full. The contract is in effect and cannot be voided. 

    Me: Your grace is incomprehensible. 

    Jesus smiles and stands up. He moves toward me and embraces me.

    Jesus: There is one more thing I need to say. Welcome to the Family!