When emails are received with feedback, criticism or complaints, one pastor asks that the sender meet with them to read the email aloud. They explain that they want to ensure that they read the the email with the tone and emphasis intended by the sender.
No, the World Won’t End Next Week and There’s No Such Thing as a Christian Numerologist
Every time end-of-the-world predictions resurface in the media, it is important that we ask ourselves, “Is this helpful? Is peddling these falsehoods a good way to contribute to meaningful, helpful discussions about the end times?”
Of course, the answer to this is no, they most definitely do not.
Every time.
Did the news media underplay the Tennessee church shooting? Not so fast with that criticism
On the one hand, I agree with those tired of hearing about Donald Trump’s latest tweets about the National Football League … or any of Trump’s tweets, for that matter. On the other hand, I think the real reason the Tennessee church shooting hasn’t received more coverage (and as pointed out, it’s received A LOT) is because of the death toll.
Sadly, in America in 2017, a mass shooting in which one person dies is not going to dominate the news cycle for long. Such tragedies have become too common.
Jesus, a Rescue Dog, and the Cone of Shame
So you surround your wounds with the cone. Not physically, but spiritually. You get people in place around you. You realize you cannot make it on your own. You commit to be restored by those who will speak truth into your life. Those who will walk with you.
But it is not a cone of shame. It is a cone of love. People who care. Brothers and sisters who have been there. A community of faith that is interested in releasing you from shame and guilt. A church that is committed to healing you by the grace of God.
But you may look a little different. You may have a scar or two. But one day, you realize you are not licking your wounds. You have survived. You have been healed.
Work and the Loneliness Epidemic
Today, over 40% of adults in America report feeling lonely, and research suggests that the real number may well be higher. Additionally, the number of people who report having a close confidante in their lives has been declining over the past few decades. In the workplace, many employees — and half of CEOs — report feeling lonely in their roles.
Man Who Saved the World From Nuclear Armageddon in 1983 Dies at 77
Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov was 44 years old and working at a missile detection bunker south of Moscow on September 26, 1983. His computer told him that five nuclear missiles were on their way, and given their flight time, he had just 20 minutes to launch a counter attack. But Petrov told his superior officers that it was a false alarm. He had absolutely no real evidence that this was true, but it probably saved millions of lives.
“John, it sounds like you are in a lot of economic pain and that is true across the country, and there is no question we as a country need to deal with economic inequality and make sure we have good paying jobs for everyone,” she said, her voice even. “I am committed to that and I’ll tell you that right here looking into … I can’t see your face, but looking into your eyes, I’ll tell you to blame immigrants is completely wrong and here’s why.”
Education Isn’t the Key to a Good Income
After analyzing federal income tax records for millions of Americans, and studying, for the first time, the direct relationship between a child’s earnings and that of their parents, they determined that the chances of a child growing up at the bottom of the national income distribution to ever one day reach the top actually varies greatly by geography. For example, they found that a poor child raised in San Jose, or Salt Lake City, has a much greater chance of reaching the top than a poor child raised in Baltimore, or Charlotte. They couldn’t say exactly why, but they concluded that five correlated factors—segregation, family structure, income inequality, local school quality, and social capital—were likely to make a difference. Their conclusion: America is land of opportunity for some. For others, much less so.
TSA Approves Testing for Scanners That Allow Liquids, Laptops to Stay in Bags
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has approved a test run of computed tomography (CT) scanners, which sound like something from Tron, but quite simply, will let you keep liquids and your laptop in your carry-on bag.
Trump accepts 11-year-old Virginia boy’s offer to mow White House lawn
Frank Giaccio, an 11-year-old Virginia boy who offered to mow the White House lawn, saw his dream come true this week.
Giaccio penned a letter to President Trump offering to care for the White House lawn for free.
“Dear Mr. President. It would be my honor to mow the White House lawn for some weekend for you. Even though I’m only 10, I’d like to show the nation what young people like me are ready for,” Giaccio’s letter read.
In response, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump “would love to” give him “the opportunity to mow the grass in the Rose Garden.”