What’s Really Important
How do you know the difference? I heard recently from a man in his fifties. He said, “I’ve learned that the challenge of life is to find out what’s important and to disregard everything else.” Not bad advice! It’s really a shame to think about wasting your life on cotton candy, soda pop, television, and accumulating stuff while doing without what’s really important. But so many folks actually live this way, totally missing out on the important things of life. Missing the point can happen to dedicated and religious people, too. Jesus came down awfully hard on the people who spent a lot of time worrying about how to tithe tiny bits of spices but never bothered about the greater matters of the law: justice, mercy, love, and faith (Matthew 23:23-24). I guess the question is, have you learned what really counts? Do you know how to disregard the other stuff? God’s Word is a pretty good guide in that search. So is seeking after the heart and wisdom of God! Only God can help us find the path to what’s truly important! Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6). About the author: Dr. Faulkner was the very first person of note and influence who shared his content with us at HEARTLIGHT.org beginning in 1996. Paul Faulkner taught on the Abilene Christian University campus full-time for 35 years. He was honored in 1982 as the university’s Teacher of the Year. He has written several books and was a much sought-after speaker and seminar leader along with his Marriage Enrichment partner, Dr. Carl Brecheen. Dr. Faulkner mentored many ministers and church leaders, shared his loving homespun humor and wisdom through many channels, and endeared himself to thousands. Our dear friend and mentor went to be with the Lord in 2022, but his legacy lives on in the lives of those he touched and made better.
It’s Not For Everyone
Maybe the gospel isn’t for all “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29) If you think about it, this invitation by Jesus isn’t for everyone. I’m not saying that He wouldn’t receive all who wanted to come nor am I saying that His sacrifice was in any way limited. What I’m saying is Jesus is calling those who are tired. Those who feel weighed down. Those who are dissatisfied. Those who don’t like the way things are. If you’ve never gone through a hard time, if you haven’t known disappointment, if you haven’t experienced loss, Jesus’ invitation won’t be very attractive. If you enjoy war and suffering and hunger and illness and all the things that surround us in this world, you’re probably not interested in the rest that Jesus offers. If you haven’t felt the burden of guilt, the soul-wrenching weight of remorse, then a light yoke probably doesn’t sound very good. You may find it hard to appreciate what Jesus has to offer. But the vast majority of us know what it is to be weary. Tired to the bone. We know what it feels like to be burdened, be it the burden of worry, the burden of sin, the burden of illness. What we long for is rest. Rest for our souls. Even though it is a yoke that Jesus offers, it is a light one. And we’re ready. We’re willing. Show us where to sign. To us, Jesus says simply: Come. He’ll lay His yoke on us, He’ll teach us, and He’ll do it in a gentle, humble way. Come, He says. Lay your burdens down. Come. Find rest and peace. Find forgiveness and grace. Learn what it is to serve a gentle Master, one whose goal is to ease our burdens and rest our souls. No, the invitation isn’t for everyone. But I know it’s for me. And it just might be for you. If you’d like to know more, write me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog at www.hopeforlife.org/blog. (Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org) About the author: Tim Archer is the author of Church Inside Out and leads a seminar by the same name on behalf of Hope For Life, a Herald of Truth ministry.
Unveiling of Legacy
What will you have to pass on to your children and grandchildren? A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren … (Proverbs 13:22 MSG). Preparation Thomas Cahill writes about history, legacy really. In The Gift of the Jews, Cahill explores the impact of “the God of Abraham.” This Creator-God gives us a beginning and an end; he defines justice and mercy, refines our conscience. And, as Cahill states, “Most of our best words – new, adventure, surprise, unique, individual, person, vocation, time, history, future, freedom, progress, spirit: faith, hope, justice – are the gifts of the Jews,” Abraham’s legacy to us. Stay with me as we sneak a peek into our legacy – our view of life and living. For better or worse, my dad shaped my view of the world. Part of his personal story was clouded by years of alcohol addiction, but his perspective about life has become clearer and more meaningful as the years have gone by. From my dad, I learned to never throw away what could be fixed, to refrain from freeze-framing people (everyone can and will change), and to think outside the box (look for unexpected options). Over the years I have become his legacy, unwrapping the best and forgetting the worst. Legacy is the wisdom, convictions, experiences, and values that have been handed down to us from the generations before us. It shapes our worldview, providing wisdom and direction for the next generation. Legacy is powerful. It is a gift we are compelled to open, but after opening it, we are faced with challenges and choices. Will we accept the gift and find a place to display it and share it, toss it, or rebel against it? What have you done with the legacy you were given? How have your parents, your early years, your grandparents shaped your perspective on life? Then the bonus question: How much of your faith is yours and how much of it is what you inherited from others? Inspiration A few days ago I was blessed by a “holy moment.” Mearl’s body was at the funeral home; the memorial service was set for the next day, so most of the details related to death had been dealt with. Now it was time to talk. We gathered in the family room to tell stories, share memories, and unwrap the legacy of Mearl Jacobs. She had lived a life filled with stories, from the dust bowl of Oklahoma to Southern California to Abilene, Texas. Most people didn’t know that she worked for thirty years at Rockwell International and helped prepare the budget for the first space shuttle; or that even at 82 years of age, she loved the highest of the high-heeled shoes; or that although she really didn’t care much for baseball, she loved listening to Vin Scully call the LA Dodger’s games because her son, John, loved baseball. Before long, the conversation turned from stories about Mearl, to stories of how she changed and shaped the lives in the room. Her daughter, Carol, said, “Just a few hours before Mom died she said she wanted to go home. ‘I asked her if she meant back to her apartment?’ She said, ‘NO!’ I asked, ‘Home to be with Jesus?’ ‘YES!’” That did it. The legacy began to emerge. A tapestry of love and grace and service was realized that night. Mearl had lived a life that rubbed off on the young and old alike. When she rubbed off on you, you left a different person, a better person. She was gifted that way. She knew how to demonstrate the things that really mattered. She stood up for values that she held dear and she always seemed to know how to grace people, to accept them “as is.” Her grandkids talked of her perpetual, unconditional acceptance of them, no matter what. Some things have to be seen to be understood: love, forgiveness, acceptance, and faith are a few. Mearl knew how to help you see. Her life was an investment in family and church and friends – in people. The fingerprints of God were all over that room. It was a legacy celebration, and I was honored to feel the holiness of it. Mearl had seen the best in these kids before they had seen it in themselves and now they understood. The gift was unwrapped; the legacy unveiled. The next day, it was clear that Mearl was still around. We buried the body, but she lives in all those present and beyond. She is still hugging and giving and loving and smiling and if you are really in need of it, she is still giving “that look.” It’s her legacy. Motivation You have received a legacy and you are building a legacy. They are both bigger than you. Make the most of both. What is it that you want said about you when you’re gone? What rubbings are you leaving on the people in your family and in your world? Like those before you, you are shaping the worldview of those who come after you. So get on with it. Regardless of what others do or have done, YOU have the choice! Visit the i2eye page and take the challenge. Listen to the spots and see what God does with 21 days: http://www.faithteam.org/talks.htm About the author: Ron Rose has been a unique minister and friend, but he is also a noted author and leader of several ministries. Ron now makes himself available as a listener and friend as he spends time with people on the go and in coffee shops and shares grace and a listening ear connecting them with God who is always in the room!
Today’s Verse – Proverbs 21:21
He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor. —Proverbs 21:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Isn’t it sad that when we set off to find happiness, joy, significance, or meaning, we seldom find it the way we hope to find it? Instead, when we offer ourselves to serve others and give ourselves wholeheartedly to the LORD and his work, it is then that we find what we most need and what is most fulfilling. Plus, in doing this service to others, we resemble our Savior (Mark 10:43-45) and are assured that God is honored and will honor us (Philippians 2:6-11), because of how we live. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… O Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17-18), please bless me with opportunities to serve others and honor you in ways that demonstrate your grace and bring the reign of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. When, in the process of serving others, you choose to meet the needs of my heart, I thank you for this double opportunity to give grace and receive it. I pray this through your servant Jesus, and to be transformed by the Spirit to be evermore like him. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Hold My Miracle in Your Hands!
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, Before you read anything else, I want you to hear the ending of the verses below from the events leading up to and then the actual “feeding of the 5000”: Everyone eats. Everyone is satisfied. Nobody goes away hungry. In fact, when the disciples recover the leftovers, they have 12 baskets full of broken pieces. There are many things you could focus upon in the verses below: The ministry of My disciples to proclaim and demonstrate My good news. Herod’s fear of Me and curiosity about Me. The confusion over My ministry and the ministry of John the Baptist. My trying to get away from the crowds to be alone with My closest disciples. The crowd’s finding Me late in the day and needing a meal, so I feed them using only 5 loaves and 2 fish. However, I want you to focus on two key things out of this series of events: the disciples’ lack of faith and My sufficiency! No matter how many great things My disciples had already done, they — like you — still had their doubts when faced with an overwhelming problem. And actually, I created the problem for them because I wanted them to learn this lesson just like I want you to learn this lesson (John 6:5-6). When they came running up to Me with their faithless solution for the problem of so many hungry and tired people, I gave them this command: “You give them something to eat.” When they didn’t get what I was trying to help them see, notice what I did and what things happened to open their eyes: I gave them a plan. I took their meager resources. I asked the Father to bless those meager resources. I broke the fish and the bread for them to serve to the people. I had them distribute the food to organized and orderly groups of people. Everyone ate and was satisfied. There were 12 baskets full of leftovers, one for each of my doubting apostles. They each got to hold My miracle in their own hands! Years before, when a scared and shy Gideon didn’t think he was up to the challenge of liberating Our people, the Father had told him to “go in the strength that you have and save” My people (Judges 6:14 NIV). I was basically telling My disciples the same thing: You only have 5 loaves and 2 fish. No big deal. You have Me! You have faith! You’ve already done great things to bless people. So bring what you have to Me and let Me make it sufficient. Go in the strength and with the resources you have and discover what you can do with My blessing! Now they didn’t get the point at first, but they surely did after I blessed the fish and bread, told them how to distribute them, had them feed the crowd, and then had them pick up the leftovers! They held My miracle in their hands! So what’s it going to take with you? When you are faced with monumental opportunities too big for you to meet, will you bring what you have to Me? Will you go in the strength that you have and trust that I can make you sufficient? Will you get to hold My miracle in your hands? Verses to Live The following events come together to form a powerful story. It’s the see-saw of My disciples’ faith: they do great things, they face a greater challenge and doubt, I step in, and then they experience the power of God at work in them to do more than they could have imagined. But, for you, let’s avoid the see-saw: believe that I can make your efforts for the Kingdom sufficient as you trust Me and do what I ask of you! The disciples left on their journeys from village to village. They preached the good news, and they healed the sick everywhere they went. Their mission didn’t go unnoticed. The local official installed by Rome, Herod, was especially anxious about the news because rumors were flying. Some people said that Elijah or one of the other ancient prophets had been resurrected, while others said that John, famous for his ritual cleansing, was alive and preaching again. Herod: I am the one who beheaded John. So Who is this man Who is causing such a stir? Herod was curious about Jesus and wanted to see Him. The emissaries whom Jesus had sent out returned, and Jesus took them away from the crowds for a time of retreat in a city called Bethsaida. They gave Jesus a full report of their accomplishments and experiences. But soon the crowds discovered where they were and pursued Him. Jesus didn’t turn them away; He welcomed them, spoke of the kingdom of God to them, and brought health to those who needed healing. Picture what happened while in Bethsaida, where Jesus and His disciples were spending time with the crowds: The sun is low in the sky, and soon it will be dusk. The twelve come to Jesus with advice. Disciples: Send the crowd away so they can find lodging and food in the nearby villages and countryside. We’re out here in the middle of nowhere. Jesus: No. You give them something to eat. Disciples: Are You kidding? There are at least 5,000 men here, not to mention women and children. All we have are five loaves and two fish. The only way we could provide for them would be to go to a nearby city and buy cartloads of food. That would cost a small fortune. Jesus: Just do this: organize them in little communities of about 50 people each and have them sit down. They do what Jesus says, and soon groups of 50 are scattered across the landscape. Then Jesus takes the five loaves and two fish, and He looks up to heaven. He praises God for the food, takes each item,
06 Feb 2026
We should be relieved to hear that the Lord Himself is able to equip us to live in freedom in Him and to walk daily with Him. It is not an easy thing to do, but we serve a powerful God who is capable of helping us in this task. We may have seen Him doing it for others. Let us have faith that He can do it for us as well. Hebrews 13:20-21.
Chaos and Peace
We can’t forget the one while we experience the other! Chaos and peace. Evil and good. Tragedy and joy. Disaster and success. Despair and hope. Horror and delight. Sorrow and rejoicing. Ugliness and beauty. Suffering and pleasure. Such is life. All at the same time. Life seems to be falling apart! More demands on your time than you can handle, and then even more is demanded. When you think there is nothing else that could possibly go wrong something else goes wrong. Bills are piling up. Tensions are high. At the same time, a phone call calms your spirit. A sermon touches your heart. A chapter in a book or an article seems to have been written with you in mind. The Bible passage you had read hundreds of times, suddenly and even strangely makes good sense. In the midst of chaos, there is peace. Life is going great! The family is healthy. Work is good. Your golf game is better than ever. Your boss complimented you on your work. You child got all A’s. Both cars are running well. Your mail includes a rebate you had forgotten about. At the same time there’s an accident. A phone call in the early morning hours. You are dazed. In the midst of peace, there is chaos. Your ministry is going great! The church is growing. Souls are being saved. Lives are being changed. You know God is doing it and you are delighted to give Him all the glory. You are just enjoying being along for the ride. At the same time, beneath your vision, evil is lurking waiting for the right time to attack. Temptation is stronger than ever and you are feeling weaker than ever. Guilt, fear, negativity, anger, and resentment are eating at you. In the midst of goodness, there is evil. Your ministry is in the pits! Your spiritual life is dry and empty. You are questioning your call. It’s been so long since you felt like you were actually helping anyone that you are now considering leaving your post. You are discouraged and frustrated and tired. At the same time an email arrives thanking you for a kindness you showed someone. A phone call from a friend lifts your spirits. At the end of your class one of your students hangs around to say they are getting a lot out of your class and that they appreciate all the time you spend inpreparation. In the midst of evil, there is goodness. This is life. In the midst of the darkest of hours comes a flickering light to remind you to hang on until morning. In the brightest of days there is a shadow that reminds you to be grateful for the brightness of the day. In the midst of unbearable suffering there is a thought of heaven and a day when all suffering ends. In the midst of indescribable joy there is a song that takes you back to sadder days to remind you that there are those around you in great need. As Jesus prayed in the garden he was battling Satan’s evil temptations at the same time. As He visited the home of a friend who had died, He brought hope of the Resurrection. As He moved among the poor, the oppressed, and the blind, he brought riches, freedom and sight. As He taught his disciples to love, the tempter convinced one to betray him. As He suffered on the cross, He saved us from our sins. As He died, we gained life. We are alive because He died. We have life “to the full” because He became empty. We die to ourselves so that we can live for Him and so that others will follow. This is life. This is the message of the cross. Perhaps one key to life is to accept this reality – to always be aware of it, and not get so caught up in one that we forget the other is present. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. (Philippians 4:12-13) About the author: Tom Norvell is the author of “A Norvell Note” — Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately.
Breathtaking!
For God so loved us that he came to our world as a child. I slipped into the hospital room quietly. I didn’t want to wake my friend, Tubby, if he was sleeping. He was in the latter stages of cancer. Tubby had lived a rich and full life, living all over the world with his precious wife, Versie. As I entered, he greeted me with a smile. I slipped out of my jacket and into a comfortable chair, then scooted it closer to his bedside. After some small talk, I asked Tubby to tell me about some of the exotic places they had lived. Working for an oil company, they took a lot of the more difficult or distant locations because they never had children. Well, you know, Phil, we’ve lived in a lot of very unique and beautiful places, but after three months of living there, it was simply home. One place we lived in Africa was incredibly beautiful, breathtaking even. The back of our house looked out over the lush jungle with Mount Kilimanjaro rising in the background. But we forgot how beautiful it was until someone would visit and remind us of how breathtaking the world was just outside our back door! Tubby was right, wasn’t he? We grow overly familiar with breathtaking things. Until we reawaken to them through the eyes of someone else, we forget how incredible they are. We can also do this with the story of Jesus. Recently, I began reading through Matthew one chapter at a time. After reading the first two chapters, I felt as if the Holy Spirit thumped me on my noggin to reawaken my heart to the breathtaking reality of God coming to earth in Jesus. Matthew tells us that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the son of David, the son of Abraham, the Son of God, the one who took away the sin of his people, and Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:1, 16-18, 21, 23). Matthew tells us about Jesus’ divine identity as the long-awaited coming of the Jewish Messiah and Savior. We sing songs of praise about Jesus’ greatness. Proper confession of Jesus’ identity is central to the faith necessary for salvation. But does Jesus stir our hearts and take our breath away? While recognizing Jesus’ divine identity is important, the breathtaking reality for me comes in the second chapter of Matthew’s gospel. After Matthew reminds us that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-4), he drove home the breathtaking reality of Jesus’ vulnerability as Immanuel with one word: “child”! Matthew repeated this simple word for “child” (pais, paidi’on) nine times (Matthew 2:8, 9, 10, 13 [2x], 14, 16, 20 [2x]). The Messiah, the Son of God, Immanuel God incarnate, came to us as a child. Such truth should capture our hearts. The word Matthew chose was a simple word for “child” – not a word of privilege or importance, “just a child.” Of course, there is no such thing as “just a child”! In the eyes of God, who personally created each of us in the womb, we are unique and precious. From conception, God had a plan and purpose for our lives even before our mothers recognized us as a flutter in her womb (Psalm 139:13-16). In Jesus’ day, however, children were not counted among the men at the feeding of the 5,000 or the 4,000 (Matthew 14:21, 15:38). Their testimony and questions were not considered important (Matthew 11:16-17). Jesus rebuked his disciples for forbidding people to bring their children to him to be blessed (Matthew 19:13). In Greek society, a child was not considered a legitimate son or daughter unless they were wanted and named after they were born. Otherwise, they were “exposed” – left to die at the garbage dump or some wild place. The reality of being “just a child” in the ancient world, the world of Jesus, was harsh and fraught with vulnerabilities. Yet God chose to enter our world as such a child! The safety of the Messiah, the Son of God, depended upon a man who adopted Jesus as his son and a handful of stargazers from the East, doing what Israel’s God told them to do. Why? Because Jesus, God with us, came to us as a child in a dangerous world. Breathtaking. For God so loved us that he came into our world as a child. All those titles for Jesus lead us to Immanuel, God with us, the child! For me, there are at least three powerful truths I must carry with me from reawakening to the breathtaking reality that almighty God came to us as a child: Each child is precious because we don’t know God’s plans for him or her (Psalm 139:13-16). No one knew who was in the “baby bump” of Mary except God, and what inkling of the impossible they had in the hearts of Mary and Joseph. We must view each child as a person of value to God. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5). Our goal as Jesus’ disciples must not be to be recognized as powerful and important, but to be humble and serve others with our lives as our Lord did: At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-4). The Creator of all we know in this vast universe (Colossians 1:15-20), gave up all his status, protection, and power (Philippians
When Your Hero Falls
What do you do when your hero makes a big mistake? He became king at age 16. He ruled for 52 years. And he was a very good king. His name was Uzziah, and we read his story in the Bible, in the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 26. We can read that he was a religious man, trying to do what God wanted. Because of that, God blessed the king with great success, militarily and economically. Everything he did turned out well. Until he got too proud. Then Uzziah decided that his power as king wasn’t great enough, that he wanted the power the priests had as well. When he tried to go against God’s law and make an offering in the temple, God gave Uzziah a terrible disease. The king was immediately removed from public life and died in shame a few years later. Can you imagine how his followers felt the terrible day when someone said, “Did you hear about King Uzziah?” Can you imagine the heartbreak and the disillusionment? Great and powerful King Uzziah was now disgraced and dying King Uzziah. Some of you know the story. You’ve read it in the newspaper: the pastor caught in sexual sin, the church leader found to be embezzling funds, the public figure with a drug problem. Others have lived the story. Someone that you believed in failed in a terrible way. Your role model turned out to have feet of clay. A person you trusted betrayed that trust. What do you do at times like that? What do you do when it’s not a politician, but someone in the church? Do you blame God? Turn your back on religion? Leave the church? We know how one young man reacted back in Uzziah’s day. We read about it in the book of Isaiah, chapter 6: “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne” (Isaiah 6:1). I don’t think the timing is coincidental. I think it took Uzziah’s death for Isaiah to really see the Lord, to recognize who the real king was. Who is between you and God? Who are you letting be bigger than God in your life? Who keeps you from really seeing the Lord? When someone fails you, look up. When the church fails you, look up. When Isaiah did, he found a wondrous Lord who would never disappoint. You’ll find the same. If I can help, write to me at tarcher@heraldoftruth.org or join the discussion at www.hopeforlife.org. (Expressed written consent must be obtained prior to republishing, retransmitting or otherwise reusing the content of this article. Contact us at info@hopeforlife.org) About the author: Tim Archer is the author of Church Inside Out and leads a seminar by the same name on behalf of Hope For Life, a Herald of Truth ministry.
Our Safety Net
Jesus calls us to the future, not to fear. How are you doing on your walk through life? Hopefully you are walking tall and strong! However, if you are like many of us, it’s a daily struggle to keep our eyes focused on the Lord and not on the problems, fears, and struggles that Satan throws at us. A friend, Vicki, wrote these words describing her personal struggle – she compared it to Peter and his attempt to walk on the water to come to Jesus. It made me think of the tightrope I feel myself to be on at the moment. I started out on my middle-age business venture with some trepidation, but lots of hope and faith.Now that I’m 2/3 across the rope, instead of focusing on the platform of safety just ahead of me, all of a sudden, just as Peter did, I see my surroundings. I falter long enough to look down and realize, “I’m 20 feet up in the air with no safety net. The people look like ants. My legs are tired and trembling. My eyes are clouded with tears and sweat. What was I thinking?!”I lost sight of the arms of Jesus waiting for me and the safety net of His love and mercy and grace. James reminded us that we need to admit our dependence on the Lord and his ability to rescue us. James says, “When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.” (James 4:10 NLT) We have been taught by our culture that we must be self-reliant, tough, able to handle any situation that comes our way, and able to find the power to succeed within ourselves. I do believe that God expects us to plan and to try to do our best, but nowhere in the Scriptures do we find God demanding that we be self-reliant. Just the opposite is true! God wants us and expects us to call upon him! We are to call upon him when we plan. We are to call upon him as we walk down the path of our plan. We are to call upon him with faith so that he can pick us up and guide our feet as we walk our path and as we put our faith in him! He is our safety net, our Savior, and our source of strength. About the author: Russ Lawson is a former missionary to Africa and minister in Ohio. He now works with World Christian Literature Outreach and writes a weekly email devotional, Messages from the Heart. For more information about Russ, click here.