The Parable of Jeremiah Steepek

The following story appeared on Facebook last week. I was deeply touched when I read it, and shared it, as did some of my friends. By the end of the day, the story had disappeared. Links to the original were broken. I consulted my good friend Google, and saw a lot of controversy over whether or not the story was true. Apparently, someone had discovered that the photograph attached to the story supposedly depicting Pastor Jeremiah Steepek was in fact a picture of a homeless man in London that was posted at flickr.com. 

People seemed upset that there might not have actually been a pastor named Jeremiah Steepek  and that the whole story was made up. Ironic, since the story discussed Christian principles in action, and Jesus most commonly taught his followers through parables (or made up stories that weren't true in order to illustrate Truth). 

I am re-posting the parable of Pastor Jeremiah Steepek, because I think it's worth reading and taking to heart. I hope it will touch your heart as it did mine.

I'm a Christian

photo by the|G|™

I'm a Christian.

No Options!

the liberator by dbking

Few weeks ago pastor Susan Allen taught a lesson on "Beating the Odds". My apologies in advance for my almost plaigiaristic post.

In the information age it is so easy to stumble over statistics, facts and figures. The odds are that a certain percentage of people will develop cancer, get the flu this season, die in a car accident, get divorced, etc. We live with an almost constant stream of negative programming from the entertainment industry, from.the medical community, law enforcement officials, the news media, even well-meaning friends and family are eager to tell us what the odds are that we cannot succeed, and they usually let us know that the odds are stacked against us. 

How do we tip the scales in our favor? 

Why?

Tears are tasteless by magyarsh

In the blink of an eye, everything can change. Often, we look at the things that happen in our lives and the lives of others, and inevitably someone asks the question...

"Why?"

For God So Loved...

adapted from "heart" by seyed mostafa zamani

God loved the world so much that he gave...  And he continues to give today.

I was thinking about God's gifts today, and about how he gives. "Not as the world giveth..."  When God speaks his word, it is "forever settled in heaven".

Reflections on Life Lived

Of course, at the end of our journey, we want that to read “a life lived well”, or “a life well-lived”.

I have spent time over the last several days contemplating and reflecting on my life thus far. I look at my birthday as a sort of personal “New Year”. The changing of the calendar year doesn’t mean that much to me, really. I’m not much into making New Year’s Resolutions. But, my birthday I take a little more seriously – not in a celebrating, let’s party kind of way. In fact, I prefer that not much is made of my birthday. Yes, I appreciate the “happy birthday” wishes, but don’t rely on a party or presents. In many ways, it’s just another day.

When You Pray

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

~Matthew 6:6

I've been struggling with the events of a week ago. Especially, I've been struggling with opinions, beliefs, cause and effect, the cultural changes that have taken place in America...