Focus on Eternity

              Before reading this article, please take time to read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-16.       The morning after a long Thanksgiving weekend, I am ashamed to admit, I found myself provoked by a passage of Scripture I encountered in 2 Thessalonians 3.  After reading it, I penned the following phrase, "Don't Grow Weary—Idleness Is Not a Virtue in God's Kingdom."  I felt a little guilty after sitting too long in a comfortable chair, enjoying good food, and watching hours of football.  Possibly you joined me in this holiday tradition.  When I wasn't consuming food or sport, I filled my time with binge-watching past episodes of a popular British crime series.  Yes, it was highly entertaining, but it held no lasting value.  If we're not careful, we might find ourselves caught in idle pursuits without thinking about glorifying God.       As I recall my lazy weekend, I promised myself that I would roll up my sleeves and diligently pursue what the Bible has to

     My youngest daughter turned fifteen this week, and I was extremely blessed to learn what her amazing friends did to celebrate her birthday.   She received a jar filled with brightly colored notes.   On the exterior was a key:   pink notes – reasons we love you.   Orange notes – quotes that remind us of you, and green notes –shared memories.   I do not know which friends created this beautiful gift, nor will I inquire of the contents.   Yet, I saw the joyful smile spread across my daughter's face as she told me about the incredible gift she received.   Our youngest daughter has chosen her friends well.   We are highly blessed.     The week before her birthday was very hectic.   Our daughter, trying to minimize symptoms of throat irritation, but finally, her cough could not be controlled.   We followed all the Covid protocols, checking temperatures but not recognizing her symptoms as anything more than a cold.   We kept her home on a Friday, but we allowed her to return to sc

               These past several weeks, I have felt strongly that the Holy Spirit urges me to pay close attention to a particular area of my life.   Unbeknownst to me, a pattern became evident as I reviewed my most recent lessons.   I began to realize that my experiences were about to change.      On the 20 th of October, I recorded, "Earnest Prayer brings amazing faith-building results." With a passage from Acts 12, I wrote two keywords in my Christian Planner, "Sincerity and Conviction." I was pondering my prayer life and recognized that as of late, I realized that this area resembled far less effort than it deserved.    The ache in my heart toward things that genuinely matter was minimal. I've settled for life in the comfort zone, which is a dangerous place to hang out.   How do I know?   My prayers have been focused primarily on gratitude.           Maybe I should have noticed that the Holy Spirit was about to move in my life when I found my reading plan