Psalm 131 – The True Contentment – Part 3

I remember a time when my friends and I would go to a street and improvise a soccer field so we could play. We would organize tournaments with teams from other streets. We did not have a proper field on which to play; we did not have the proper equipment, uniforms, and anything that kids […]

Small decisions that can make a big difference – Ready? Go!

See? It did not hurt you a bit. It was just a small click and here you are, reading this text. This is repeated every minute in our lives, just a simple click, and a new window of opportunities is opened right in front of us. Some of us are struggling with this fast paced […]

Small decisions that can make a big difference – Be thankful

Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”Most of us are used to thanking God only when a miracle or a great deliverance happens. But small things should also move us to thanksgiving. Gratitude should be part of our daily life. If you decide to express your gratitude to God in […]

Small decisions that can make a big difference – Pray for your pastor

You probably saw these numbers somewhere on the Internet. They reflect a sad reality about pastors. Here are some of them compiled by Pastoral Care Inc.: Statistics in the Ministry 90%of the pastors report working between 55to 75hours per week. 80%believe pastoral ministry has negativelyaffected their families. Many pastor’s children do not attend church now […]

Give Thanks! (Part 2)

Maybe you do not know, or are not aware, or are not sure, or you just cannot see, but there is an invisible hand over you and behind you to protect, to guide, and to help you on your journey. 1. Give Thanks For What God Does In the Scriptures we find this sentence repeated […]

Give Thanks! (Part 1)

In a time when people believe that they are entitled to almost anything, it is hard to cultivate a thankful heart, not only for people that do something for us, but principally for God. On top of that we can add the daily struggles that each one of us is facing, such us unemployment, illness, […]

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Where Everybody Knows Your Name Probably some of you remember the 1980s sitcom Cheers. The music theme, written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, was “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”. It goes like this: Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries, sure would […]

When God Calls Our Name

Abraham, Moses, Samuel and Paul are among those people who heard the voice of God in a special way. God called them to a different place and life, to a mission, to become a prophet and judge, and to become an apostle of the new community of disciples. We could mention many others but these […]

People who missed a great opportunity to serve

In the early 80s I was the pastor of a midsized church in the capital of a very important state in Brazil. My church with other churches partnered with Youth for Christ to organize a special event for young people. It would be on a Saturday afternoon. Because we wanted a high quality event, Youth […]

C’mon God, Give Me a Break! – Conclusion

“Everybody has a story of sorrow to tell.” This is what a Brazilian friend and colleague used to say. We all have. We live in a broken world, and we are broken too. The prophet Isaiah puts it in a beautiful way: “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man […]