Sorted by date Results 1 - 5 of 5
There is an old European story about a traveler who came upon a barn where the devil had stored seeds that he planned to sow in the hearts of people. There were bags of seeds variously marked “Hatred,” “Fear,” “Doubt,” “Despair,” “Unforgiveness,” “Pride,” “Greed,” etc. The devil appeared and struck up a conversation with the traveler. He gleefully told the traveler how easily the seeds he sowed sprouted in the hearts of men and women. “Are there any hearts in which these seeds will not sprout?” the traveler asked. A melancholy look appeared on...
As many of us look to the future, we may have concerns about what we will leave our children and relatives. What kind of legacy will you leave your family and friends? Now I know the first thoughts I think about, and perhaps you too, would be what you will be able to leave others financially. We all want to be financially sound so that we don’t have to worry about finances as we age, that we can also pass on those blessings to family, friends and others. We may also think about businesses that we can leave for others along with maybe homes or p...
This past month, July 9–13, five of our youth and four adults from Zion Lutheran Church in Alva were blessed by joining 20,000 other youth and adults in Houston, Texas, for the LCMS (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) Youth Gathering! Youth from all over the United States and five other countries enjoyed Bible studies, sessions, music, servant events and activities in the George W. Brown Convention Center, and mass events in the Minute Maid Park. (To learn more, visit www.lcmsgathering.com.) Our t...
There is a gift that God has given us that turns the corners of your mouth upwards and may make your belly shake: laughter. It is said that laughter is a great form of stress relief ... and that's no joke! The Mayo Clinic says there are short-term benefits of laughter. "When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can stimulate many organs, activate and relieve your stress response, and soothe tension." Laughter...
As we look forward to Easter this next month, we find ourselves in the church season of Lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter (not including the Sundays); a time that we remember the suffering that Jesus our Savior did in our place on the cross; dying for our sins, our faults, our wrongs so that we can have forgiveness of sins and life eternal with Him in heaven. During this Lenten time, many people may give up things … things that they really desire or want in their lives. For example, some may give up chocolate or their favorite snack, s...
