Tag: Jesus
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Gratitude: 3 Ways Thankfulness Improves Relationships

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” -Psalm 136:1 Gratitude, the simple act of acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of our lives, can have a profound impact on our relationships. When we cultivate a sense of gratitude, we open ourselves up to deeper connections, stronger bonds, and more…
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Be a Messenger of Hope

In a disturbing series of incidents following the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Black Americans across the country received racist text messages threatening enslavement. The messages, which often referenced plantations and white vans, were sent from a variety of phone numbers and appeared to originate from different states. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are…
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How to Connect with Someone Across the Divide

Many cultural commentators would say that people are becoming more and more divided. While virtually no one would argue against the fact that we all desire community, people are also quite adept at separating from each other. It seems that our need for community is expressed to fault. We don’t just appreciate our own culture…
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3 Ways to Stand Up Against Hate

Recently a group of people held a racist demonstration on a highway overpass in the St. Louis area, my hometown. It was a sad sight. The masked individuals held up Nazi flags and a banner proudly touting white supremacist language. Along with sadness, it was surreal for me to witness this deplorable sight. Unfortunately, I’m…
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Lift Someone Up!

As a kid, I loved watching professional wrestling. My favorite wrestler was Hulk Hogan. He was big, strong, and controlled his situation. At times, if someone was opposing him, he would pick them up and throw them out of his way. This is great entertainment, but doesn’t work in real life. Many teams and organizations…
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The Blessing of Disagreement

“Everything just looked blurry!” That’s what I told my mom and my kindergarten teacher. School was frustrating because I couldn’t see what was on the board, even when I sat in the front row and squinted. But, thankfully, things changed when I told others what I saw and that allowed them to help me. After…
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People of Reconciliation

When you hear the term “reconciliation” what comes to mind? In America, “racial reconciliation” can be volatile and is usually hotly discussed, or avoided, depending on the setting. While race is a relatively modern concept (concurrent with the transatlantic slave trade), people have always found reasons to separate from each other. Some of these reasons…
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Healing and Restoration

Message from Sunday June 16, 2024 from Ephesians 4:11-16. The way to successful cross-cultural relationships is through empathy and engagement.
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This is a Man’s World?

In his 1966 classic James Brown sings: This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without a woman or a girl Brown gets half of this line right. In this song he endeavors to list the achievements that men have developed over the course of history while noting the vital maternal roles that…
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What is God’s View of Women?

Sadly, many competent and godly women have been hurt and their gifts have been undervalued due to ignorance or chauvinism. Yet, God created women to reflect His image just as much as men. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27…