The message of Christmas reassures us that no matter what we come up against in life, God is by our side to comfort us. For to us a Savior was born, Immanuel (which means “God with us”).

The purpose of I’m Glad It’s Not Me is to remind all of us that suffering, change, and disappointment are things that we will all face. Being members of God’s family does not insulate us from the realities of life. When we face those realities, our faith in God may be tested, but it does not have to be broken. God is still God. God is still faithful. And God is still involved.

There are no crystal balls in anyone’s pastoral tool kit, nor are there any magic wands to wave and suddenly repair our brokenness.

I’ve never seen us so divided. Some suggest we’ve never been this divided since the Civil War. But here’s what I know—we have everything we need to rise up out of this divide—and if we’re going to do it, it’s going to require us to find a third way. Not a middle way, not a “purple carpet” compromise, but a completely different floor covering. A third way.

We manage meaning and influence the emotional climate in our churches. We are not the only influencers, but we are far more influential than we think and sometimes more than we would like. So, here’s a second sharing of this article….given the living of these days before us. May it strengthen our hearts as we follow the risen Lord.

Focus on your breathing. Simply breathe in, then out. Breath in, breathe out. Now pair the phrase with your breath. Breathe in the phrase, “Be still and know,” then breathe out the phrase, “that I am God.” “Be still and know---that I am God.” Continue this prayer for a minute, or two, or ten. Feel the tension slip away. Become aware of God’s presence. Be well, my friend.

For those of us who think the teachings of Jesus matter, we must be as anxious to demonstrate these teachings after the election as we hopefully have been before it. This may be the truest of all signs of the depth of our faith in the Christ who said, “I have come that they may be one.”

Needed: Online Missional Strategist