Jan 27th, 2022: Appreciating One Another


How often have we heard people talk about their marriage problems due to the lack of appreciation? We can say the same thing about business partnerships and friendships. Volunteers stop helping a specific non-profit organization for similar reasons. Appreciation is the bloodline for human relationships. What does it mean?

We have to be intentional. People feel special when we are intentional in our interaction with them. It means letting other people know how special their presence is in our lives. Many pastors have failed this test because they are so preoccupied with other things while having conversations with their members.

We have to be attentive. We have to listen more and talk less. Paying attention to others is willing to walk in their shoes at times. It is about having the freedom to identify with their feelings and embrace their thoughts.

We have to be accountable. We show our appreciation for another with our accountability. We express our appreciation for one another by our accountability. We can dream together when we are bonded by it.

We have to engage. Engagement creates a sense of belonging. The nature of appreciation is to communicate that we are on the journey together and grateful for the help we receive from others. Engagement helps us to overcome superficial interaction.

Proverbs 22:11

He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.

Matthew 6: 21

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 31st, 2024: Confession

Image
Dealing with pain sometimes affects our ability and flexibility. A physiotherapist friend gave me a set of home exercises to help with that. They are simple yet intense at the same time. Dealing with our human brokenness sometimes affects our ability to see and hear God. Our commitment to spiritual disciplines must be at the core of our relationship with God. One of the disciplines I have been trying to embrace more fully is confession. It’s not just about recognizing where we have gone wrong; it’s about how we have chosen to live our lives independently from God. It’s about whether we truly want God to be part of our lives. The absence of meaningful confession will damage our freedom to experience intimacy with God. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
Read more

Sept 4th, 2024: Praying in Images

Image
It has been a rough few days. Living in immense pain does not allow us much energy to think about anything. I ended up praying in images, and not many words came out of my mouth. Most of the images were of people I know. God knew that I was praying for them as their faces came to my mind. I did not need to mention the circumstances or situations of their lives—He knows. My heart was at peace as I ended my days with these images. He will take care of my body, and I know this because I was able to get some sleep. Tomorrow is in His hands.
Read more

Oct 1st, 2022: Be With Those Who Suffer

Image
  Listening to a young woman who shared her experience of being raped repeatedly by a family member for over four years as a teenager made my heart ache. The man who did that was a leader of a church. He was imprisoned for seven months and released. He was her stepfather. Her mother chose to pick him over her after his release. Her life has changed forever. She had to go to a foster home. Her foster parents helped her with her restoration and her faith in God. Her supervisor at work asked me to see her because someone at work was inappropriate toward her. That triggered many emotions within her. I did not expect the story I heard from her. The meeting took longer than I thought, and it was toward the end of the day. She kept talking about her anger and the pain she felt when men treated her like a subject. I knew that the best I could do was to listen. She told me she had not been able to tell anyone as much as with me. God reminded me of the true calling of being a pas...
Read more