St. Luke's Blogs

Unlike most of the churches that Paul started, Philippi was not started within the Jewish community. Most of the people who made up this church were Roman citizens. The church was made up of people from various walks of life. Like the city of Philippi, the church was economically and culturally diverse. It is to this church that Paul writes the letter known as Philippians.

In the letter to the Philippians, Paul writes about a great many things. Perhaps the most important topic that Paul discusses is found at the end of this great letter. Paul acknowledges that there are difficult situations in his life and the life of those to whom he is writing. However, Paul shares his “Secret” (4:12) to a life of contentment. Paul encourages the people to focus on things that are, “honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellence and worthy of praise.”

The people of London and the company KIND Snacks wanted to honor kindness in Great Britain.  They asked the people of London to nominate a person who made a difference through their kindness. Many people were nominated as a tribute to their kindness, but it was Jo Newby who was mentioned more than any other person. You may not have heard of Jo Newby, but she has had an immense impact on the lives of so many people.  Jo has, to date, been the foster mom of 92 children. WOW!

The book of James is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Filled with small bits of wisdom, this book offers significant and practical ways to live out our faith. The book of James is much like the book of Proverbs. It offers real-world teaching on ways to live out our daily lives; ways that positively reflect our faith.

There are few things more tangible to the practical living of our faith than how we speak to one another. James was aware of this and dedicates more of his writing to how we speak than just about any other subject. In the first chapter, James makes it clear that people of faith should be, “Quick to listen and slow to speak.” (James 1:19)

On November 1, Christians celebrate All Saints Day. This special day is celebrated in many ways around the world. It is a celebration of all the faithful people who followed Christ and now rest from the labors in the kingdom eternal. All Saints Day is significant because it is a reminder to us that our faith is much bigger than ourselves and our local congregation. We are part of a large body of believers, both on earth and in heaven. All Saints Day is a reminder to us that we are not alone in our faith and the people who have gone before us have helped to lay a foundation of faith that we now build our lives upon.

One important part of this day is gratitude…

Ted Cooper was a self-described agnostic. He did not profess a faith in God, nor did he believe that a person could come to know God. Ted was also an avid reader. During lunch breaks at work, he would often take a few moments to read.  Ted decided that he would read the Bible; after all, it is the most well-known and widely-sold book in the world. He began reading and in just 90 days, he was finished. He had read the entire Bible cover to cover.

Reading the entire Bible is an accomplishment all by itself, but what happened to Ted Cooper while reading the scriptures was life changing…

Fear not, for I am with you,

    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Clap your hands, all you peoples;
    shout to God with loud songs of joy.
For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
    a great king over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us,
    and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
    the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

God has gone up with a shout,
    the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
    sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the king of all the earth;
    sing praises with a psalm.

God is king over the nations;
    God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather
    as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
    he is highly exalted.

Dwayne Johnson had a rough life growing up. Even though he lived in Hawaii, a beautiful paradise we all would like to visit, his family struggled financially. The Johnson family often found themselves being evicted from their home because of their lack of money. They rarely had enough income to afford the basics. He did not let that hold him back. He began to work hard to follow his dreams. It was not until he signed his first contract with the WWF/WWE that he made his first steady paycheck. It was not long until The Rock went from poverty to one of the highest paid professional wrestlers in history, and now one of the highest paid actors in the world. Needless to say, his family no longer lives in fear of eviction.

Even with all the success that The Rock has experienced, there was something that he had not done…

One of the most beloved films of all time is Walt Disney’s Snow White. This amazing film premiered on December 21, 1937. It was an immediate success. This was Walt Disney’s first full-length film. It was also the first full-length animated film of its kind. For almost 80 years, this classic film has captured the imaginations of its viewers while teaching us to sing amazing songs like, “Whistle While You Work.”  Snow White is truly an amazing piece of movie history.

Today, this wonderful movie is considered a classic. Before it was released in 1937, many people told Walt Disney it was going to be flop…

When I read that a 49-year-old player took the field for his first game this year, it caught my attention. Ray Ruschel plays for North Dakota State College of Science.  Ruschel joined the army when he graduated from high school. He now works as a mechanic at a large factory that processes food. He works the night shift. Ruschel decided he needed more education to gain a promotion at work. He decided to earn a degree in business. When he enrolled at the small college, he realized they had a football team. He thought to himself, “why not?”

Ray reached out to the coach and asked for an opportunity…