May 12, 2025

Let me be the last to say, "thank you moms!"   We said it yesterday and I say it again... "thank you!"   My mom is Gayna.  You probably have never heard that exact name before as her mom made that name up (her brothers are Don and Barry and sister is Cindy... so, mom is unique).  She was born on a farm in north central Kansas.  She speaks of the cold nights when you questioned whether you really needed to run out to the outhouse to use the restroom... or if you could just hold it?   She remembers when they got running water in the house - in the form of a pump on the back porch.  She remember when they got electricity.  She tells the story of eating arsenic as a young girl and nearly dying.  I tell my kids that I remember getting on the internet for the first time in 1991. . .   and it doesn't quite compare to those.  

Life has sure changed since July 10, 1941 for my mom.   If your mom is around, ask her for her stories.  What her life was like.  Changes she's seen.  People she knew.   Best friends.  
A great gift that actually goes both ways is to ask questions and listen to her stories. . . she gets the gift of an eager ear.  You get the gift of a life's experiences.   Thank your mom and listen to her. Some among us still wish they could.  Thanks mom!  

----------
As we shared yesterday, although the choosing of the new pope does not directly effect us, it has tremendous worldview implications.  It is estimated that there are over 1.4 billion Catholics in the world.  .   .  how can that not impact us?   We should be concerned for truth and doctrine and their spiritual lives.   Additionally, so often the pope can be a force for western civilization . . . either good or bad.  If the pope is liberal in his views, that will push progressive ideology along faster.  Consider this:  he is that rare individual who can request and get an audience with nearly any world leader.  What he says will carry great weight.   As we should always be, be in prayer his leadership - that his would be a conservative one.  Be in prayer that those billion-plus people will find the true Good Shepherd in Jesus Christ the only Lord!   

Last month, we looked at the first step of discipleship - we study who Jesus was and commit our life to Him.  Second... 

Young men would spend time, during Jesus’s day, investigating a rabbi to determine their credibility.  As disciples, we did this as well.  We investigated His identity to see if He was the Messiah.  After committing our life to Christ, our discipleship has only begun.  For those following a rabbi, this meant total commitment.  They would memorize what he said.  They would mimic his lifestyle.  They would choose to be with him.   They would learn from him.  They would become like him.   This is our call as a disciple.   We do not just believe in Jesus.  We also follow Him!   Disciples go deeper into relationship with Jesus; we abide in Him.  “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  Disciples of Christ, in obedience, will immerse themselves into a deep relationship with Him.  This is ongoing discipleship.  We must live this out… and help others do this as well.  Be the church!