My daughter is the athletic trainer for Faith Christian school. She also helps coach the basketball team and they were playing in a tournament not too far away from us. So the team asked if they could stay at our house and we had the privilege of seeing Kyrie's people and feel their love and acceptance of her. This was an amazing group of girls who were courteous and kind and appreciative. I was happy to provide them with fruit and eggs and juice and of course Rise N Roll for breakfast! It made my momma heart smile to see the pile of shoes by the door and to have a use for the large collection of air mattresses I have amassed over the years. Today we got to go watch the team in action and after the game the students gathered with their opponents and stood hand in hand, blue and maroon mingled together, and a student led them in prayer. The invitation was offered before the game as it is every game. Win or lose would you like to pray with us? ...
This is without a doubt my favorite Christmas story and every year I share it with my classes I am teaching. When I was in first grade we had a class gift exchange. The girls were in one group, the boys in another. Our price limit was fifty cents. I don't remember what I brought to the gift exchange but I do remember wishing and hoping for a coveted book of lifesavers. Each student was to bring a gift in order to participate. When the day arrived I remember a boy I will call Stanley opening his gift and receiving a matchbox car. His eyes lit up and shone with excitement as he quickly opened the car and raced it back and forth on his desk. I wouldn't understand for many years that the reason Stanley wolfed down his lunch each day was because he was hungry. Or that the lack of consistent running water was the reason he didn't always smell pleasant or look clean. His dad battled alcoholism and it was generally a losing ...
This local story caught my attention and has had me contemplating who and how I serve and share the love of God. "The Elkhart County Jail Ministry held its first-ever hymn-sing inside the Elkhart County Jail. A local Amish choir from Middlebury made rounds throughout the jail, singing two hymns in each ward. Hearing the slow, melodic songs reverberating off the concrete walls and ceiling had a calming and soothing effect on all of us. There were standing ovations, hands raised in worship, men singing along to songs they recognized from their childhood, requests for favorite hymns being shouted from the back of the room...and tears. This is what the Kingdom of God sounds like." Why? Why were they singing- in spite of their current situation? Why were they requesting their favorites? Why were they brought to tears? Because of the magic of music and how it aids in feeling the Holy Spirit and whispers to our souls truths we once knew. Even if life cho...
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