Shawn saw a sticker on my truck and he simply wanted to stop by and say hello. His simple gesture went far beyond that! We ended up going to meet his mother, Linda, who operates the putt putt, Casey Jones Mini Golf in Jackson. After that meeting, they both came to church the following Sunday to hear me speak. And just like that, I have brand new friends!

I cannot think of anything better than stopping at a gas station in Tennessee and meeting good, Christians folks and developing a fellowship that will surely last for years to come. If you happen to spot me traveling in my Jeep, which has a Rivers of the World (ROW) sticker on it, take a few minutes to stop and say hello. I’d love to chat with you for a few minutes!

As much as I dearly love to meet new people and greet old friends, as Christians, we can look forward to the best meeting imaginable when Christ returns. Read this glorious promise in 1 Thessalonians 4:17:

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

After those who died with the saving knowledge of Christ have risen, we Christians who are alive and remain will suddenly be transported to meet with Jesus in the clouds. What a magnificent meeting that will be!

Do you know what always happens? People pack their bags, they take a deep breath, they meet me in the airport and away we go to serve the Lord in another country. I just returned from a trip to Honduras and I had the pleasure of accompanying some great young friends who had never been out of the country before. It was such an exciting time because these young folks had an opportunity to learn firsthand that whether they are in the United States, Honduras or at the far reaches of the earth, the Lord holds them securely in the palm of His hands.

You may be going through some very difficult times in your life but I can assure you the Lord is holding you firmly in His hands. He is merely a prayer away. We have a wonderful assurance found in Isaiah 41:13:

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

There is no suffering too great and no tribulation too intense that the Lord cannot speak forth comfort and peace into your life. He wants to help you. Will you let Him?

I confess that there are times I get so busy that I forget to be thankful for the folks around me. Today, I want to give a shout out to Karin Clack, who four years ago started her writing career with Rivers of the World (ROW). Since then, she has written over 500 devotions for ROW. These monthly devotions have been compiled into devotional books called ROWvotions. We now have a dozen books published!

This amazing journey all started with a simple e-mail from Karin that said, “Hey, can I help?” Karin, God bless you and thank you for serving ROW. I want you to know how very grateful to the Lord I am for your ministry. I pray that God is with you as you serve for a month in Hong Kong.

Some of us might have a clue as to the gifts God has given us. However, I believe far too many Christians believe they have nothing to offer others in service to the Lord. This could not be further from the truth. We see this in 1 Peter 4:10:

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

This verse does not state that some of us should use the gifts given to us from God. Instead, it plainly indicates that all of us as children of God have been instilled with a unique talent from the Lord. Determine today to figure out your strengths, talents and distinctive abilities and then use them to serve others.

ROW built a wonderful medical clinic in the Taulabe area in partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine. They are just wonderful folks. We minister to people in about 41 villages located up in the mountains.

On these trips to Honduras, ROW takes a team of people who may or may not know each other. By the end of the week, we have blended our talents so well that we have a solid team that represents Christ through very basic ministry. This ministry includes sharing the Gospel, feeding the hungry, showing compassion to the sick, curing where we can, healing often and always loving others in the name of Christ.

These trips are so exciting and fun to see how God can take ordinary people and use them to do some extraordinary things in the lives of those in need. If you are not involved in a mission program at your church, then contact me and I’ll get you plugged in to mission’s work around the world.

David tells us in Psalm 133:1 (NKJV)

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!”

As Christians, we must present a positive image to the world in order to attract them to Jesus. If they see us being kind to one another, working through differences of opinions in love and being generous with our time and money, they will naturally want to know more about our Lord and Savior.

This was an eye-opening experience and it prompted me to take an assessment of my own possessions. I went through my house and decided that if I came across something that I had not used within the last two months I would sell it and give the money to the Lord. I figured if it wasn’t bolted down or part of my house, then out the door it was going!

I want to encourage you to do the same thing with your possessions. Examine the things you have in your home, such as all those electronic devices, toys and games, recreational equipment and knick-knacks that do nothing but collect dust. Don’t forget to go through your closets and sort through all those clothes and shoes you haven’t worn in years! Honestly, if you are not using some of the possessions in your home, then why are you keeping them? Get rid of all the clutter and simplify your life. Sell those items and give the proceeds to your church or a charity. If you can’t figure out how to use the proceeds, call me and I guarantee you that I could find a good use for it somewhere around the world!

We must understand that we cannot take anything with us when we leave this earth. None of our possessions, no matter how valuable they are, will matter one bit when we kneel before Christ. How you spend your time, money and talents is a good indication of what matters most to you in your life. Christ tells us in Matthew 6:19-21:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Focus today upon those treasures that will count for all eternity.

Today, I am excited that Rivers of the World (ROW) has almost completed our new maternity ward in Punta Gorda, Belize. The problem, though, is we don’t have a name for the new facility. I would love it if you would give me a few suggestions for names. Think about it, what name do you give to a place that will offer Mayan mothers education, prenatal care, postnatal care and delivery services and that will specifically stand as a Christian witness to these expectant mothers. What is an appropriate name for a new maternity ward that will ultimately bring glory to the Lord? Drop me a note if you have any ideas.

If I could personally speak to each of the Mayan mothers who will give birth to a child in this new maternity ward, I would recite Psalm 127:3 (NKJV):

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.”

No matter how frustrating your children can be at times, never forget how precious they are to God. We should love our children with the understanding that they are a glorious heritage given to us by God.

Each afternoon he would look at me and say something that sounded like “icundeoundotae” and then he would disappear. I never did catch on to what that word meant until one day that dear man put down his shovel, tugged at me and said “icundeoundotae,” or at least that is what it sounded like to me! We went around to the back of the building, got down low and climbed up under the floor where it was cool and dark. We just sat there and relaxed. That’s when I figured out that what this man was saying meant, “Let’s go hide!”

I am so grateful for the things that I am able to learn from others. As Christians, the world we live in is a huge classroom where God is our teacher and other people He places in our lives are instruments that enhance our learning.

We are instructed in Proverbs 1:5 (NKJV):

“A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.”

Try spending less time talking today and more time just listening, to God, family, friends and others. You might be surprised what you learn.

The Petit 3 is 36 meters long and she will carry 300 tons of supplies up the Congo River from Kinshasa to Kisangani and back again. We will have an opportunity to deliver food to folks whose lives were ruined by six years of civil war. Omba Ngandu, one of ROW’s Congo directors, and the Petit 3, will make a great combination. With Omba’s skill of preaching in nine different languages and a new barge carrying 300 tons of food to refugee camps and villages along the Congo River, people will get a chance to receive physical and spiritual food. Frankly, it just doesn’t get any better than that!

As Christians, we have experienced the most incredible new and exciting thing ever. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV):

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

When we surrender our lives to Christ, He doesn’t just change us or transform us, instead, we are created brand new from the inside out. Our thought patterns, our desires, our motivations and are very purpose for living radically becomes new. We no longer resemble our former selves because we now serve a new master, Jesus Christ.

I looked at Winston and I said, “You’re so cute. I love you so much. You’re just the best in the whole wide world!” What I failed to realize is that within my line of sight was a great big ol’ boy who had just stepped out of his truck. He looked at me and all he could see from his perspective was me saying, “Oh, you’re just the greatest! I think you’re so cute!”

Our eyes suddenly met and I did what any guy would do. I said in a deep voice, “I’m talking about those Atlanta Braves. How about the Braves? Aren’t they the greatest!” Since the big guy didn’t seem too amused, I walked over, picked up Winston, held my dog to the guy and said, “I’m just talking about my dog!” We both burst out laughing!

If you have a faithful companion, give him a hug or a pat on the head for me. I miss my dog, Winston. It’s just not the same traveling without him. I think pets are indeed gifts from God so be kind to your animals today.

Sprinkled throughout the Word of God are verses that detail God’s care for animals and His expectation that man also care for His creation. We see this in Proverbs 12:10(a):

“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.”

Obviously, we shouldn’t put the needs of our pets above the needs of family and friends, but we also shouldn’t neglect the needs of our furry friends. Every creature serves a purpose on the earth and I believe cats, dogs, horses, hamsters and other pets provide us with companionship and unconditional love.

More recently, people practicing radical Islam on some city streets in Europe confronted me. I discovered that my heart had grown cold toward these folks and that really is not effective in trying to reach them for Christ. I do not know why I did this, but the last time I was confronted by a large group of radical Islamic Muslims, I started singing, “Jesus Loves Me.” As I sang that song aloud for all to hear, my heart softened and at the same time, I was actually presenting the Gospel through song.

Is this an effective way to deal with difficult people, telling them through a song that Jesus loves them? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Paul gives us a reminder and a good example for us to follow when we must deal with difficult people. Read Colossians 3:12 (Amplified):

“Clothe yourselves therefore, as God’s own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].”

If Christ is ever long-suffering with us than it would make sense that we must demonstrate a gentle spirit when dealing with folks who are a bit contentious.