In her book, Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott shares a story from her pastor about a time when her best friend got lost as a little girl. “The little girl ran up and down the streets of the big town where they lived, but she couldn’t find a single landmark. She was very frightened. Finally, a policeman stopped to help her. He put her in the passenger seat of his car, and they drown around until she finally saw her church. She pointed it out to the policeman, and then she told him firmly, ‘You could let me out now.  This is my church, and I can always find my way home from here.’”  

Lamott picks up on the metaphor and says, “That’s why I have stayed so close to mine – because no matter how bad I am feeling, how lost or lonely or frightened, when I see the faces of the people at my church, and hear their tawny voices, I can always find my way home.”

We all need people in our lives who help us feel at home with ourselves and the world around us. We all need people who will comfort us encourage us and even challenge us to live better. 

My pastor’s prayer for each of you is that you would have some type of faith community. Even if you aren’t able to be with them in person, I hope that you will make an effort to connect with others along the journey so that when you are lost, scared, confused, or hurting, you always can find your way home.

Let us pray: God of Hope, we long for deep meaningful relationships. We long for people who know us and accept us for who we are. We long for others with whom we can share life’s joys and burdens. In these difficult times, so full of health concerns, help us find creative ways of staying in touch. As we offer our time, our love, our acceptance, our listening ears, and our caring hearts, fill us again with your grace and hope. We ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

For many years, Tony Campolo spent much of his time traveling around the world as an inspirational Christian speaker. His wife, Peggy, on the other hand, chose to be a stay-at-home mom. Occasionally, when Peggy traveled with her husband, she would find herself engaged in conversations with some pretty impressive and influential people.

After one such trip, Peggy told Tony that sometimes as she visits with these powerful people… she finds herself feeling intimidated and sometimes even questions her own self-worth. Tony said to her: “Well, honey, why don’t you come up with something you could say when you meet people that will let them know that you strongly value what you do and that you feel that it is crucially important?

Not long after that, they were at a party where a woman said to Peggy in a rather condescending tone, “Well, my dear, what do you do?” Tony heard his wife say: “I am nurturing two Homo Sapiens into the dominant values of the Judaeo-Christian tradition in order that they might become instruments for the transformation of the social order into the kind of eschatological utopia God envisioned from the beginning of time.” And the other woman responded:  “O my, I’m just a lawyer.”

Today, I am grateful for all parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, and mentors who sacrifice in ways large and small for the good of children, and for all who have helped plant seeds of faith. 

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”

Let us pray: We thank you for those who made a difference in our lives when we were children. And today help us to be a bright light for others — to shine a little love, hope, and grace through our words, through our generosity, and through our actions. May we be a sign of your Kingdom; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Yesterday we reflected on Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. He writes:

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by all, and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3)

Now it is interesting. Paul says you are a letter of Christ, but then he adds, prepared by us… that is by his ministry and the ministry of others alongside him. So Paul is acknowledging that God uses others to help write this letter… that people impact our hearts and our lives in such a way that shape our values, how we live, and the kinds of relationships we have.

If your life is a letter, who has helped prepare that letter?

I think about my own life, I think about my mother and father – watching their generosity, hospitality, and care for others. My grandfather was another one who had a major impact on my life… Herb Meza was another. There were certainly teachers. Ms. Barringer, my seventh-grade teacher comes to mind. She had a heart for the underdog.

If my life is a letter, being written by Christ, there are many along the way who have helped prepare it. And I’m sure that is true for you as well.

The truth is that we do have a choice about who we allow to shape this letter… We have a choice about whose example we draw on…I know many of us have had people in our lives who may have betrayed us, hurt us, or given us a really negative example. And I know it can be tempting to blame them or blame other bad experiences for our own negative actions. But in truth, we do have a choice, don’t we?

No matter what our age is, this letter, which is our life, is still being written. Christ is still seeking to speak into our lives and to speak through our lives…

If your life is a letter, what do you want it to say? Who do you want to allow to shape it?

Let us pray: God of grace, we thank you today for the people who have impacted our lives for the better, and for those who even now are helping to shape our faith. Help us to ever look to the right people. We are grateful that you are not finished with us yet; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today’s message was written by my friend, Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

Friend of Dial Hope, how are you dealing with worry? Worry is a major contributor to physical illness. But we must not confuse worry with concern. We should be concerned about the conditions of the world, the plight of the poor, the diseased, the abuse of children. We should be concerned about our health. Sometimes worry is destructive. God’s resources are at our own disposal, and God is anxious to help, for worry cannot live in an atmosphere saturated with God’s unconditional love. Remember these words of scripture, the Bible, which I call the Manufacturer’s Handbook:

Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your own requests be made to God (Philippians 4:6).

I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:15).

Cast all your anxiety on God … because God cares for you (l Peter 5:7).

My grace is sufficient for you (Il Corinthians 12:9).

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28).

The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid (Hebrews 13:6).

Friend of Dial Hope, when you and God are working together, you can live without worry!

Let us pray: God of gentle dreams and awesome space, cultivate in our hearts a faith that is tall and sure. Create in us a spirit that overcomes hopelessness. No mind is without doubt or worry and we would not ask for that. May we believe enough in your Spirit of Grace to risk the hurt of love in order to find the joy of love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You know the old saying isn’t true: Sticks and Stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me! The truth is that sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may break my heart, take the gleam out of my eye, the pep out of my step, the heart out of my soul.

Words are powerful. We read in the book of James in the Message Version, “A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything – or destroy it!”

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul puts it this way, “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

Today, may you be intentional in using your words to build up, to encourage, and to give grace.

Let us pray: O Lord God, we have said some things we wished we hadn’t. We all know first-hand the pain that words can cause and the pain of words withheld or used carelessly. I pray that today you would heal any old wounds we carry. Remind us of the value and the grace that are given through a listening ear. Thank you for listening to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.