Today’s post will be a collection of thoughts of the students participating in the mission trip. I will do my best to provide context to their thoughts where needed. I will use their own words but where clarification might be needed, I will do this with the use of [ brackets]. During our mission of … [Read more…]
We have left Platteville and headed out on our mission trip to serve in urban ministries of Houston TX. Although there were some very tired people this morning, there was still excitement to hit the road. We have made it to Missouri on I-35. Now it is time to fill the van and our tummies! … [Read more…]
Here is a post from a friend of mine. It speaks volumes about what our schools are not doing to protect the children from bullies. I know some do try but there are so many that do not. Please share, maybe some administrators will stand up and say NO to bullies and YES to protection. … [Read more…]
Let me start with the easy stuff. Tuesday we have a few hours to go to the house that several of us have been working on. It is not enough time to finish but we will make another dent and a big one I hope. I understand we will get another day as well. We … [Read more…]
Our group had attended a wake for an elderly Lakota woman. I have to tell you, to have twenty non Indians (Us) just show up at the wake, seemed very strange. I was uneasy about “barging” in on a grieving communities’ wake. Sure enough, when we got there, I know I felt everyone’s staring at … [Read more…]
As I get to talk to people out here, the more and more I like their overall quiet ways. A lot can be said without words. Communication without words takes some effort at first but slowly can become natural. We all have the opportunity to communicate the gospel to others, never saying a word. When … [Read more…]
Yesterday night my fellow students and I arrived at the Presbyterian-Lutheran retreat located on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota. We spent twelve hours driving from Dubuque IA, via U.S. Route 20 and 16. It was really a nice drive on New Year’s Day going down mostly two lane highway through rural America. … [Read more…]
James 2:14 (The Voice) Brothers and sisters, it doesn’t make any sense to say you have faith and act in a way that denies that faith. Mere talk never gets you very far, and a commitment to Jesus only in words will not save you. As I began to write this particular post, my daily … [Read more…]
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV ’84) 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is … [Read more…]
It is a difficult thing indeed to determine when to tell someone that you care for, that the things that they may do or not do, are not appropriate or cause you have feelings that are hurtful. You care for someone so much, that keeping quiet, hurts and tears you up. Yet, if you tell the … [Read more…]