For one of my Seminary classes, I read the book Religious Education in the Family by Henry Frederick Cope. The book was written in 1917 but has a lot of insight for today’s families. Here’s my summary of the book and some of the quotes I highlighted.
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I’ve had this picture in my Bible for a long time. One of my Cuban friends gave it to me while I was there a long time ago. It sits there for me to remember to pray for Cuba and others around the world.
The caption says, “Our prayers will break the chains.”
My Cuban friends really believe in the power of prayer, and they should! The stories that they tell me about their parents, grandparents, and even their own lives are a testament to the power of prayer.
But the statement, “Prayer breaks chains,” isn’t just for them. It is for me and you, too.
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Last week in Havana, my friend Jeremy and I were walking home from our usual breakfast spot, Cafe Fortuna, when we walked past a very cool old pink convertible. A young man walked out and asked if we wanted to take a taxi ride around Havana in the car. We were leaving for the airport, soon, we explained, as we declined his invitation.
He asked how we had enjoyed our trip. We responded about how great the weather was compared to the snow back in Kentucky. I said, “We’d rather be here than there,” referring to the weather. He quickly responded, “I’d much rather be there than here. Snow, rain, whatever. There is better than here.”
Earlier this week I was reading about our heavenly citizenship and how we long for our true home. This story of the young man in Havana reminds me of my longing for God’s Kingdom. No matter how blessed we feel here; no matter what temporary pleasures we experience here on earth, “There is always better than here.” May we always remember the blessings of belonging to God’s true Kingdom and seek to introduce others to the King.
A few weeks ago, I started studying for my doctorate, and the first course was called, “Christian Formation of Children and Adolescents.” One of the topics of discussion was whether children should attend the worship service, sitting with their parents, or if the church should provide age segmented programming for them. This topic obviously interests me because I have three elementary aged children.
I think both have their pros and cons. I’m not arguing either way. I just want to put this out here as I think through the topic.
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These last few weeks have been very difficult for me. My mentor, friend, and youth pastor Joe Gauthier had been battling pancreatic cancer for 6 months now, and on February 8, he was called home. While it was great for him, it was painful for the rest of us.
I have been thinking about Joe’s legacy for some time now, and I thought of the things he has taught me, mostly by his example. I wanted to write them down so I wouldn’t forget them.
I figured I’d put them here so we could all be reminded of how important these things are.
