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Prayer
By Mary Abrahamson Today at work I was unexpectedly asked to join two of my coworkers in praying with them. A man who just started working at our facility a week ago has a son who experienced a medical emergency last week, and his condition is ongoing. So this man, a brand new employee, understandably has his mind and even sometimes his whole self, elsewhere than his new job. What a situation! Imagine the combined worry of your son’s health and the tenuous nature of a new job! Because my coworkers are both Christian people, they wanted to pray together for this man and his son. And because they knew…
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When Thanksgiving Disappoints
By Vanessa Rasanen This week I’ll be taking the turkey out of my freezer to thaw. I always try to do this earlier than recommended so as not to repeat the great disaster that was Thanksgiving 2011 when I discovered a still frozen turkey in the fridge, leaving our family to dine on a holiday meal of side dishes and no bird. Thankfully, there were only three of us around that table that year, one of whom has no lasting memory of my mommy disaster due to his being only two at the time. Yet this upcoming holiday holds its own shares of disappointment for that kiddo, now a when-did-he-get-so-big six…
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3 Tips for Resolving Conflict in the Church Family
As with any family, our church families may be riddled with tension, drama and hurt-feelings. Whether it’s a disagreement over the VBS curriculum, general butting heads in a board meeting, or merely some incompatible personalities within the congregation, conflict may arise. Navigating these situations within the church can be challenging for a multitude of reasons, but these are challenges worth facing for the sake of our neighbors. Here are 3 tips that may help: 1. Pray Our initial reaction may be to complain and vent, to seek those who understand our hurt feelings and can commiserate. I’m not saying venting is necessarily wrong, as friends can help us see things more…
