Top o’ the Mornin’ to Ya! I just had a wonderful couple of days with my dad, who came up to Minnesota from Florida. Although it was a bit chilly for him, it was a pleasure having him here. He took care of our kids while my wife Leah and I attended a personal development retreat last week, where we learned about ourselves, our scripts, and how our past affects our behavior and choices.
After the retreat, my dad stayed a couple of extra days so we could spend time together. We enjoyed family bonding experiences like working on a unique puzzle that had a picture with elements in different arrangements than the actual puzzle box picture. It was great to have everyone, from my 8-year-old to my dad, who’s in his late 70s, participating.
Another highlight was having my dad join us for the Hermantown men’s Bible study at Valentini’s on Tuesday morning. We studied Ephesians 1:1-14, and I was really proud of my dad for speaking up and sharing his experience with God and the scriptures, even as a newcomer to the group.
The theme that stood out during the study was salvation. I believe that I receive eternal life by accepting that Jesus Christ died for my sins and washes me clean every day–that’s salvation. The discussion also touched on the Great Commission to spread God’s word throughout the world, and how we can make a difference by building relationships and helping others come to faith. While knowing it is the Holy Spirit and the other person’s ultimate decision.
My dad also brought some small books from https://plusnothing.com, which tell the story of Jesus’ life in simple, modern language. The idea is to use these books to connect with others and share the Gospel message.
In today’s attention age, connection is more important than ever. If you need someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to me at https://brian.chat. And if you or someone you know could benefit from a simplified version of the Bible, these storybooks might be just the thing.
You be blessed!
Kingdom Growing
