by Emily Howsden | Dec 31, 2018
The impending New Year brings much reflection. For some, 2018 was the hardest, most-trying and sorrow-filled year of their lives. For others, 2018 was filled with joy, new life, adventure and goodness.
I find that each New Year Eve I am inspired to tackle the things that fell by the wayside in the past year.
Sometimes that means making more health-conscious choices when eating, or a more consistent fitness routine. These things always seem to find their way on my list of New Year’s resolutions.
Other things on my list this year include taking the time to practice self-care. As a new mom, I have found that more often than not my general care can fall to the wayside as I focus all of my efforts on my sweet five month old.
This isn’t just because I’m a new mom, though. I will admit that even before the arrival of my son, I didn’t do my best when it comes to going to bed at a reasonable time, reading more, limiting my screen time and taking time to practice proper care techniques.
I love all of the reflections the New Year brings. I think if we would take the time to evaluate ourselves on a daily basis, like we do at the end of the year, we could more efficiently meet goals and overall be happier.
I was listening to a sermon the other night with my husband on our way back home after being with family for a week for Christmas. Ed Stetzer spoke about urgently sharing the Good News.
He talked about a time when he and his wife were in an Uber, and the driver was tastefully-yet-relentlessly trying to tell them about Jesus and what He has done for us. Stetzer even admitted to trying to redirect the conversation many times, with no success.
This made me think—Why is what the Uber driver was doing such a rarity among Christ followers, including myself?
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are surrounded by mostly strangers and you do something out of the ordinary because “I’m never going to see these people again, what does it matter if I embarrass myself?”
Maybe you haven’t, but I can assure you that I have. I’m NOT about to say that you should only share Jesus with people who you have no chance of seeing again, but what I AM saying is that sharing the Gospel with strangers should be one of the easier things we as Christians do.
We should urgently tell the lost world about the hope of Jesus Christ, to both strangers and the people we claim to know and love. It shouldn’t be another thing that ends up on our list of resolutions next to weight loss and skin care routines.
Don’t let 2019 be another year that you failed to do the one thing that we as Christians are called to do. This is what I’m telling myself as I look forward to 2019. This year, boldly proclaim the Gospel to the lost world like you never have before. Take hold of your life and live it purposefully and fearlessly proclaiming the Gospel.
I can assure you that at the end of 2019, you won’t regret having a part in the eternal life of those with whom you share the Gospel.
Happy New Year’s Eve!
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 31, 2018
For several people I know, 2018 was a rough year. An especially rough year. From job loss to disease to the death of loved ones, it has been gut wrenching to see people go through hard times.
This year had its own ups and downs for me, bringing to mind the phrase made popular by Queen Elizabeth II of England, whose own struggles led her to dub 1992 “annus horribilis,” the Latin term for “horrible year.”
When a hard year hits, it’s only natural to think, “Please bring on the New Year!” in hopes of better times. I think the same way.
Yet beyond this, I recently have come across three truths that have helped me, and may help you, through bad years.
Trust the Lord. One of my favorite verses is Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When hard times hit, don’t try to make sense of it all. Try to trust Him more, and pray more in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Count your blessings. I love the hymn that encourages us to count our blessings and “name them one by one.” When we complain, we often make lists of all that went wrong. Why not turn that on its head, and list blessings from the Lord one by one? God can use this to lift your spirit.
Never give up. In Christian terms, we call this perseverance (Col. 1:11-12). Russell Moore reminded me recently through his book, “The Storm-Tossed Family,” that the popular trope, “You are either just coming out of a storm, you are currently in one, or you’re about to be in one,” is not entirely accurate. It’s probably more accurate to say that in life, we are always in a storm of some size in life, and it’s only God who will get us through.
Whether 2018 was a great year or horrible year for you, I hope these simple truths can help you as much as they have me in 2019… and beyond.
by Chris Doyle | Dec 28, 2018
Greetings!
For my final DHD of 2018, I thought I would feature six Bible verses that I studied and committed to memory. This was part of a group study I did about seven years ago. Many in the group are good friends, and it was a great experience of taking time to go over Bible verses in a topical memory system.
If you’ve considered getting involved in memorizing Scripture, I recommend this process that was developed by Leroy Eims, one of the longtime leaders in the discipleship ministry known as The Navigators. Here’s a link to the Topical Memory System.
What I am actually featuring is my own paraphrase to these verses. One of the components to the study is writing the verse in your own words. It will help you grow in your understanding of the verse. What you may want to do is check out the verse in your Bible, if you’re not familiar with the verse, and see if you come to a similar conclusion that I did.
Thanks again for taking time to read Doyle’s Half Dozen this year. May 2019 be a time of growth and encouragement, not only for yourself but through the influence you offer others.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12
What we should realize is we have the Holy Spirit, not the world’s spirit, and that is how we can understand and appreciate the things God gives us with no cost.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
We are not the same when we are united with Christ. The characteristics of our former life are gone, and we take on new characteristics.
- Isaiah 41:10
God is constantly aware of your conditions, so there is no need to be afraid or worried about what is around you. He said He will definitely give you the strength you need and help when you need it, and you will be victorious in the battles you experience.
- John 14:21
If you love Christ then prove it by following the instructions He gave you. In return, God the Father will love you, and so will Christ who will give you an even greater understanding of who He is.
- Joshua 1:8
The Bible should be a part of your regular communication, and in order for that to happen, you need to intentionally focus on the Bible throughout the day. Then it will almost be second nature for you to apply what the Bible says to your life, and you will make good decisions and be successful.
- Romans 12:1
Please understand that, because of God’s mercy shown to you, I encourage you to live in such a way that would please Him, and not please yourself. This is just a practical way to demonstrate a lifestyle of worship to God.
by Michael Foust | Dec 28, 2018
Charlie is a talented-yet-gloomy teenage girl who can’t wait to leave her mom when she turns 18.
She hasn’t always been like this. In fact, she once was a chipper kid.
But then her father died. Each weekend, they would work together on his classic car. During the week, he would cheer her on at her diving meets.
Her mom found a boyfriend after the tragedy. Charlie, though, can’t put her father’s death behind her.
“I miss you,” she says, touching his picture.
Perhaps Charlie’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle—a gift from a relative—will bring her some cheer. She loves it.
Yet there’s something different about this car. It drives great, even though it’s a clunker. It makes strange noises, as if it were alive.
Then one night in the garage, the car does the unthinkable. It transforms into a robot.
“What are you?” she asks.
Of course, we already know the answer.
The movie Bumblebee (PG-13) is now playing in theaters, starring Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) as Charlie, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Spider-Man: Homecoming) as her friend Memo, and John Cena (Ferdinand) as Agent Burns, a U.S. military official who tries to destroy Bumblebee.
Set in 1987, the film tells the story of Bumblebee, a Transformer Autobot and a “good guy” who finds refuge on Earth after his home planet of Cybertron is destroyed. His hope is to set up a base on Earth for the rest of the Autobots, who are trying to avoid the evil Decepticons. The film is a prequel to the 2007 movie Transformers.
The Autobot-Decepticon war is but a backdrop for the story of Charlie and Bumblebee, who become friends and fill voids in one another’s lives. Indeed, when Charlie cries while thinking about her father, Bumblebee hugs her. Charlie, in turn, tries repairing Bumblebee, who was injured in a battle and has lost the ability to speak.
Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!
(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)
Violence/Disturbing
Moderate/extreme. The violence in Bumblebee is mostly bloodless, but it nevertheless has the knockdown, dragout fights between robots that made the Transformers series popular. Some of the battles end in death. The film begins with a huge battle on the planet Cybertron involving punches and laser guns. The scene then switches to Earth, where we see Bumblebee being chased by soldiers, who shoot him with guns that don’t harm him. Bumblebee then battles a Decepticon. We see Bumblebee held over a cliff and dropped; the battle causes him to lose his speech. We also see a Transformer split in half, execution style. Decepticons twice shoot humans; they turn into a slimy goo. A Decepticon talks about killing Bumblebee and another human. The film ends with a massive battle between Bumblebee and two Decepticons.
Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity
Minimal. A teen boy takes off his shirt at a theme park and is ogled by the girls. Later, another boy takes his shirt off in a car. A man and a woman get into an argument; she says he tried sleeping with her sister. A married couple share a brief kiss.
Coarse Language
Moderate. About 29 words: OMG (9), h-ll (8), d–n (5), misuse of “God” (3), s–t (2), a– (1), misuse of “Jesus” (1).
Other Stuff You Might Want To Know
Charlie is bullied several times in the film; once, the bullying involves a joke about her deceased father. “You should have your dad buy a better (car). Oh, wait,” another girl tells her, fully aware that Charlie’s father is dead. Charlie, Memo and Bumblebee later roll the girl’s yard with toilet paper. They egg her car, too. We see a child vomit.
Life Lessons
We learn lessons on mercy (Bumblebee), grief (Charlie), the importance of parents (Charlie and her family), companionship (Bumblebee and Charlie) and peer pressure (Charlie).
Worldview/Application
Bumblebee may be a movie about robotic aliens, but the film’s dominant theme is recovering from grief. Charlie misses her father. Bumblebee misses his home. Together, they form a great friendship.
For some moviegoers, the film may spark a sense of gratitude and love for their family. For others, it may lead them to reach out to those who are hurting.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ,” Paul wrote in Galatians 6:2. Bumblebee doesn’t reference Scripture, but it’s easy to make that jump with family members or friends in a discussion after the film.
What Works
It’s a Transformers movie where the story dominates and the battles are secondary. I liked it. The movie features ’80s music, too, which will attract adults (like me) who grew up during that era. Also, John Cena is impressive as a tough guy. Steinfeld is great, too.
What Doesn’t
Paramount is trying to attract a new audience to the Transformers films—perhaps even more families. Nethertheless, it contains a tad too much adult content for many parents.
Discussion Questions
- Why was Charlie’s mother able to move on with her life but Charlie unable to do so?
- Why did Charlie and Bumblebee have in common? Why did they make for good friends?
- What did the movie teach you about bullying and the harm it can cause?
- Who (if anyone) was at fault for the broken family relationship—Charlie or her mom? What was needed to repair it?
Entertainment rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence.
Photo credit: Paramount
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 27, 2018
In 2018, many well-known and significant people died.
From Billy Graham to Aretha Franklin to George and Barbara Bush to John McCain to Stan Lee to Stephen Hawking to Charles Krauthammer, the year featured a wide array of notable deaths.
Each of these individuals was recognized with a significant amounts of news coverage, and rightly so.
I wonder, though, if in 2018, you also had to say goodbye to someone you loved. Perhaps it was a parent, a cousin, a longtime friend. Many people I know had to deal with death in 2018, and often it was someone that the media did not notice. But this person was and is a treasure to you and many others.
If so, it’s you I am thinking about and writing to today. As we collectively grieve the loss of titanic figures like President Bush, we also can grieve with those who experienced an up-close loss this year. In fact, it was during President Bush’s passing and funeral we saw that family members, including his son George W. Bush, who experienced the loss on an intensely personal level.
If you are in a season of grief, don’t feel pressured to “just move on” or find distraction. Embrace the opportunity to mourn; to remember; to hope.
In my years or reading, I have not found very many good books on grief. There are, of course, well-known books like C.S. Lewis’ “A Grief Observed” and Granger Westberg’s “Good Grief.”
Yet I find that three things speak to me most during times of grief: music, poetry and finally, God’s Word.
Perhaps one of these verses from Scripture could bless you as they have me in times of loss.
- God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort (Matthew 5:4)
- The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope (Psalm 34:18)
- He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety (Job 5:11)
- We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23)
- Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 14:25-26)
Please know that I am very sorry for your loss, and that I pray the God of all comfort—the God Who Is There—will give you peace now and always.
by Caleb Gordon | Dec 26, 2018
The Book of James tells us that we should rejoice in suffering. I’m going to be honest. That’s not my knee-jerk reaction.
But I will also tell you that this is why I think it is so important that Christians immerse themselves in God’s Word, because if we are not careful, we tend to get our sights set on this life and this life alone. Scripture constantly reminds us that this is not our permanent home, and that we are just here for a few moments.
“For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come” (Heb. 13:14).
“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14).
There are several promises in God’s Word about suffering.
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Rom. 8:16-17).
Did you catch that? His Spirit will TESTIFY that we are His children, and not just children, but HEIRS of God and co-heirs with Christ IF WE indeed share in his suffering.
So when things go south in your life, don’t be shocked. This is why we MUST ground ourselves in the truth of God’s Word in order to get us through the storms of life. Because suffering is coming regardless of if you do or do not have Christ. That’s the nature of our world.
If you’re not anchored into Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word, I can promise you this, not only will the storm come, but you will have no comfort in the midst of it. You will have nothing to truly tie yourself to. Jesus is that solid ground that upon which we can stand, and not just stand, but stand firm.
And this is what I want us to see in this blog. If we share in Christ’s suffering, we are qualified to share in his GLORY. So don’t look at your problems as problems. Start looking at them as blessings to mold you and shape you into the image of Jesus Christ. That perspective changes the entire game.
Know that in the storms of life, Jesus is more than enough for any and all circumstances. Get your eyes off of your circumstances and look at the ONE who has already overcome your circumstances.