Nov 04 2009

Not Sure What to Say to a Grieving Friend? Here’s Help!

Have you ever felt awkward about talking with a friend who has lost a loved one? We all probably have. The good news for us as Christians is that Jesus is the master when it comes to directing our steps. He encourages us to get ourselves out of the way and reach out to the person in need. And he makes it possible for us to do that, even if it takes us a bit out of our personal comfort zone. 

Grieving With Hope - Leaning on Jesus Devotion BookAs a CSR for CTA, I recently talked with pastor who had just read, Grieving with Hope . . . Leaning on Jesus. He passed it on—to a family grieving the loss of a child several years ago. The family came back a few days later to say, in essence, “We so wish we had read this at the time of our child’s death!”

Grief seldom evaporates the day after the funeral! Many people continue to grieve for months and even years. Experts in grief tell us that individuals each grieve in their own way, following their own timetable.

Do you have friends who struggle with grief? When you act in faith, our Savior will step in to care for those whose lives you touch. It’s never too late to bring the hope of Jesus to those who are grieving.

Editor’s Note: CTA’s Grieving with Hope . . . Leaning on Jesus has become a best-seller in only a few months! It costs much less than most sympathy cards and it comes with an envelop for easy mailing.  The Christ-centered message coupled with four-color, eye-striking photos, make it a truly valuable ministry tool! Churches, Stephen Ministers, chaplains, and others will want to buy a case to have on hand.

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Nov 03 2009

Give Thanks! A Devotion for Thanksgiving

How empty life would feel if we could not remember! 

  • The happy lick of a puppy’s tongue.
  • That week we spent in bed with chicken pox at age seven.
  • The tottering gait of our child’s first step.
  • The splendor of a path cut through a yellow, orange, green, brown forest.
  • The agony of sacrifice that backlights, as it were, our nation’s flag whenever we sing the national anthem.

 As we pause in November to give thanks for the hundred thousand blessings our Lord so freely pours into our lives, we can thank him also for the gift of memory, the ability to recall individual instances of his goodness. Listen to these familiar words in which the psalmist David recounts God’s blessings, remembering specific gifts from God’s hand:

Praise the LORD , O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:2-5 NIV)

 Wonderful as it is to remember, how terrible life would be without the ability to forget! Part of the appeal of “the good old days” comes from the fact that our minds tend to remember the good times and forget the bad ones! We remember the ice cream and the cartoon marathons from our chicken pox days, but forget the itchiness, the fever, and the arithmetic make-up work.

 Much more seriously, those who survive the trauma of war or abuse yearn to wipe the  dark memories from their consciousness. With Job, they ache to “forget [their] trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by” (Job 11:16 NIV). 

As God’s people, we celebrate our Lord’s willingness to remember—to remember his covenant love toward us in Christ Jesus from now into eternity:

He remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded,
for a thousand generations. (1 Chronicles 16:15 NIV)

 As God’s people, we also celebrate his promise to forget—for Jesus’ sake! Twice the writer to the Hebrews repeats these sweet words:

[T]heir sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17 KJV)

In light of what we remember and what we have forgotten, in light of what our Savior remembers and what he promises to forget, we have much for which to give thanks—this Thanksgiving month and every day!

Looking for Christ-centered inserts to add to the Thanksgiving baskets your church will distribute this month? Check out the value-priced items CTA offers!

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Nov 02 2009

Take Courage!

Yes, we need courage. We face many struggles—in the economy, in raising children, in creating a spiritual home environment, in relating to others as good husbands or wives, brothers or sisters, daughters or sons, friends, employee, or employers. Many days, it takes a good deal of courage just to get out of bed in the morning, just to take the first big breath of a new day! 

As much as we need courage, our Lord wants to give it to us. Courage is a virtue—one that comes to us as a gift from our Savior. He wants to pour courage into to us throughout life. That gift makes it possible for us to give ourselves to him and trust in him in body, mind, and spirit. 

As we face life’s difficulties, we can remember those who came before us. This past weekend in many liturgical churches God’s people observed “All Saints Day.” Among other thing, it reminds us that no generation was without its trials and sufferings, its ordeals and struggles. We thank God for our parents and for Christians in generations before them who relied on him, courageously raising their families, building our schools and churches, and inspiring us in our generation to take a stand for what is good, true, and beautiful. 

We “bend our knee before the Lord who made us” (Psalm 95:6). And we ask for his gift of courage.

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Oct 27 2009

Knee Work

Today’s devotion is the fourth in a series adapted slightly from Serving in His Steps: Focused Scriptures and Prayers for the Fast-Paced Life. It’s one of CTA’s newest products—an accordion-fold booklet with brief daily devotions and a pedometer to use while you walk. It makes a great thank-you gift for church professionals and volunteers who want to grow in the grace of caring for the health God has given them.

As you walk or run today, think about the Scripture below. Ask yourself the questions. Talk with Jesus about your answers. Enjoy your time with your Savior! 

[Jesus] went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. (Matthew 14:23 NIV)

Runners (and often walkers, too) pay particular attention to their knees. Knee injuries can ruin an athletic career or an exercise program. 

† As I serve today in Jesus’ steps, how diligent am I in my “knee work”? 

† When have I seen my Savior respond to my prayers? What do I want to say to him about that today?

 Lord Jesus, you graciously choose to hear my prayers. You promise that my prayers touch your heart. Lord, teach me to pray, just as you taught your first disciples to pray. Amen.

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Oct 23 2009

Is Your Ministry a Starbuck’s?

We often, in a joking manner, refer to the Parent’s Day Out program in our church as a “Starbuck’s for Children.” Why? At Starbuck’s, customer service is called “personal hospitality” and is their #1 priority. They build a relationship with each customer. It is no secret that people feel special sipping a Starbuck’s drink, but it isn’t the drink alone. It’s the Starbuck’s experience that causes people to overpay for a cup of coffee. 

Starbuck’s employees take pride in knowing what time their customers come in, being able to name their favorite drink, and knowing which table they pick. Employees strive to “surprise and delight” their customers, turning an ordinary cup of coffee into an extraordinary experience. Starbuck’s is a place to relax, a place where someone knows your name. 

That’s what we try to do with our Parent’s Day Out program. We want to care—physically, spiritually, and emotionally—for a community. 

As a leader in this program, part of my job involves knowing and caring for each child. I love to see the surprise and delight in the children’s eyes and on each child’s face as we sing a new song or master a new skill. 

When one of our children has been blessed with a new sibling, we intentionally work to help the big brother or sister feel special. We realize that all the attention at home may seem to focus on the new baby. Mom may well have less time for the older child(ren). And so we make an intentional effort to care for that child. 

Throughout the year, we stay as connected as possible to families, striving to learn what is going on in their lives so we can support parents and affirm the special role God has given them in the lives of their children. We look for ways to show them a God who turns life’s ordinary details into extraordinary blessings. 

We want to model a personal God, a Savior who knows, loves, and forgives each of us personally. We want every family member to know they matter—individually—to him.

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. . . . Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

Romans 12:10-12, 13-15 (The Message)

 

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Oct 21 2009

S.H.I.N.E. with the Love of Jesus

Fall is upon us in all its glory. Families have adjusted to the “back to school schedule,” the temperatures are dropping, and so are the leaves!

I find this to be a very special time of year, yet another beautiful season God sends us to enjoy. With these changes, we also begin to see pumpkins and scarecrows. Whether we live in a farming community or not, we begin to hear talk about the fall harvest.

In my classroom this time of year, we talk about the differences between fall and summer. Although many of my kindergarteners prefer summer, talking about all the positive aspects of fall helps them discover God’s glory in every season. As they name their own fall favorites, cooler days, raking leaves, bonfires, and going apple-picking almost always find their way onto our class list. We talk about the harvest, and about how God has blessed us with food for the winter months ahead.

Children love pumpkins, especially carving them and decorating them. I teach that just as a pumpkin with a candle inside shines with light from one end of the neighborhood to the other, we can shine with the light and love of Jesus. He lives in us and that means his love radiates from us into the lives of all the people we see every day.

CTA has some wonderful resources to help reinforce this theme. Check them out on CTA’s Fall Festival pages or look for G.L.O.W. or S.H.I.N.E. products.

Happy autumn!

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Oct 20 2009

Breathing Deeply

Today’s devotion is the third in a series adapted slightly from Serving in His Steps: Focused Scriptures and Prayers for the Fast-Paced Life. It’s one of CTA’s newest products—an accordion-fold booklet with daily devotions and a pedometer to use while you walk. It makes a great thank-you gift for church professionals and volunteers who want to grow in the grace of caring for the health God has given them.

As you walk or run today, think about the Scripture below. Ask yourself the questions. Talk with Jesus about your answers. Enjoy your time with your Savior!

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us. (Romans 8:26 NIV) 

† When do I “breathe in,” spiritually speaking? When do I “breathe out”?

† What will I ask Jesus to do for me, personally, today?

† What will I ask him to do for those I serve?

Lord Jesus, you once said, “I . . . enabled you to walk with heads held high” (Leviticus 26:13). And you have! Because of your cross and the grace poured out there, I walk with my head high—in forgiveness and hope! 

Help me as I breathe in your love today. Help me sense the aroma of heaven, and let it remind me why I do what I do for your people. Especially right now . . .

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Oct 13 2009

Just Do It!

Today’s devotion is the second in a series adapted slightly from Serving in His Steps: Focused Scriptures and Prayers for the Fast-Paced Life. It’s one of CTA’s newest products—an accordion-fold booklet with daily devotions and a pedometer to use while you walk. It makes a great thank-you gift for church professionals and volunteers who want to grow in the grace of caring for the health God has given them.

As you walk or run today, think about the Scripture below. Ask yourself the questions. Talk with Jesus about your answers. Enjoy your time with your Savior!

 Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV)

† What motivated me to get out of bed this morning?

† How is my service today a reflection of the mission my Savior has given me?

† How happy am I with my answers to these questions?

† What do I want to say to Jesus about this?

 Thanks, Lord, for the path you’ve marked out for me and for saving me, making my service possible. Keep me moving forward in your love, step by step. Show me today . . .

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Oct 08 2009

We Want Your Feedback

wesemanntim_144sqWhile speaking to a large group, I always get a bit nervous about walking near the sound speakers on stage. I don’t like feedback. That squeal. Fingernails on a chalkboard x 7! Everyone shudders. It’s unproductive.

But when presenting a new product to a large group, I welcome feedback–not the screechy kind, but helpful, honest, constructive feedback. It’s important.

CTA appreciates getting feedback from its customers. That feedback helps our product development team. Feedback makes us think. It reminds us of our mission and vision. It encourages. It glorifies God because we all want to do our best work for the sake of his kingdom and building up the body of Christ. Email, comment here on the blog entries, comment on Facebook, leave a remark on our youtube videos, tweet on Twitter, respond on our Share.CTAinc.com site, or simply sit down and take up the seemingly ancient art of letter writing (CTA, Inc. PO Box 1205 Fenton, MO 63026)!

It will only take a couple minutes. It’s important. It’s helpful. It doesn’t have to be long. You don’t even have to use complete sentences. u don’t even have to punctuate if u dnt want 2

And the best part is that it doesn’t screech!

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Oct 08 2009

On a Treadmill?

With all the accent on health care and healthy lifestyle changes worldwide today, we thought you might enjoy this brief devotion. It’s slightly adapted from Serving in His Steps, one of CTA’s newest products–an accordion-fold booklet with daily devotions and a pedometer to use while you walk. It makes a great thank-you gift for church professionals and volunteers who want to grow in the grace of caring for the health God has given them.

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 

As you walk or run and pray today, think about these questions:

  • When am I most likely to soar as I serve God’s people?
  • When am I likely to find myself feeling like I lead a treadmill existence?
  • What do my answers reveal?
  • What could I do today to make my frustrations in serving less frequent?

Lord Jesus, forgive my shallowness of faith and vision. Teach me more and more how to hope in you, how to soar in faith, and how to walk and run in your strength. Especially today . . . 

 

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