J Hall
You Have No Idea
What does it mean to walk a mile in someone’s shoes? I’ve heard that phrase used all my life, but it’s one that still makes me stop and think each time I hear it used. “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” is a variation of the saying, “You can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” It is attributed to Native American tribes and from the 1895 poem by Mary T. Lathrap, Judge Softly, with its…
Empty Arms with Full Hearts
In John chapter 4 we have Jesus talking to someone who, according to the apostles and the Jews of that day, He has no business talking to. Culturally speaking, Jesus is crossing a line by having this conversation that completely shocks His apostles. In John 4:27 we have their reaction described as, “…At this point, His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman…” The word used there to describe their reaction to what Jesus…
Fix Your Beatitude
In Matthew 4:23-25, we find Jesus in the infancy of His earthly ministry traveling the area of Galilee, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all types of sickness and demon possession. From all of this Jesus starts to amass a large crowd of people following him from city to city. It’s on this particular trek that He finds Himself at the foot of one of the “mountains” on the shore of the sea of Galilee. Matthew 5:1-2 tells…
Why Linger With Lot?
In the Summer of 1950 the city of Flagstaff, Maine was a city about to be utterly and irreversibly destroyed by floodwaters. The local residents not only knew about it before hand, but they knew upwards to a year out of the city’s termination. The awaited flooding wasn’t because of some predicted force of nature, but rather the decision of man. The local government was building a hydroelectric dam near Flagstaff and had plans to purposefully flood the area to…
Be Prepared
This Summer the BYG is engaged in a series in which we’re studying the King of Kings entitled, “Lion of Judah.” In this series we’re studying major moments in the life of Christ somewhat through the lens of certain lines or moments from the classic movie Lion King. So far, we’ve learned about how Christ broke through the “circle of life” by being able to offer a new life through His death, we’ve also been able to learn from His…
The Head & the Heart
The Roman empire from centuries ago was (and is still) known for its massive military dominance over surrounding countries and enemies. Rome engaged better trained men on the battlefield, improved weaponry fit for their fighting style, and most of all, they were trained in superior tactics. Early on however, there existed one major systematic flaw that hamstrung them time and time again. At any given battle, on any given day, Rome employed two separate Generals who took turns leading the…
Moving On, but Falling Back
Have you ever heard of the doorway effect before? More than likely it’s happened to you numerous times before in your life. It may have even happened to you this morning as you prepared for worship! The doorway effect is the psychological principle that explains why we often forget things after we walk into a new room. Science seems to prove that when we change our physical environments, as we simply transition from one room to the next, our thought…
When I Find Time
Do you ever have difficulty finding time for certain things? Are you familiar with that end-of-the-day feeling where you realize once again you failed to achieve something you’ve been wanting to accomplish? Maybe it’s extra time with your family around the dinner table, a few moments of solitude for yourself, or finding time to balance finances or catch up on your to-do list. How about in your spiritual life? Do you ever find yourself desperately wanting to have a better…
Afraid of the Truth
Have you ever been afraid to ask a question? Maybe you can recall a time back in grade school where you were too afraid to ask a question in class because you feared the embarrassment of not knowing. Or perhaps it was a time when you were working on some type of project or problem and needed to ask for help but feared the rejection of your peers or mentor. On the converse, have you ever been afraid to hear…
Swept Away
What’s the difference between being “swept up” in something and being “swept away” by something? It’s a minute change of words, but a clear difference in meaning. Google will tell you that being swept up means: to be carried by the momentum of something bigger than yourself. Some experience this feeling in different modes of entertainment. Perhaps an emotional performance, an inspiring movie, or even a moving piece of music swept you up in a moment of intense meaning. We can…
Kindness of Linus
Charlie Brown has a special place in most of our hearts for one reason or another. Multiple generations have grown up watching and reading the adventures he and his gang of friends get themselves into. For those not even a fan of the 50’s era cartoon story and characters, the incredible music of Vince Guaraldi draws them in year after year. For many of us the nostalgic animation brings us back into the world of Charlie Brown around this time…
The Kid’s Table
As I was growing up my parents would always let me stay with my Nana on the last Wednesday night of November. She would pick me up for mid-week Bible class earlier that day and then afterwards, I would get to stay the night with her in anticipation of thanksgiving the next day. She would let me “help” her make the dressing and finish up some of the other dishes in preparation for the big family meal. One of the…