DEATH IS CERTAIN. WHAT CAN BE PREVENTED?
CHAOS, CONFUSION, & CONFLICT can be prevented in times of crisis. Those who complete the Heritage of Hope six-part program to prepare for the end of this life will create both a plan and a support team. It is our prayer that all our alumni will complete their HOH checklists, hold meetings to build [...]
WHAT IS YOUR SPIRITUAL STATUS?
Following a disaster or critical incident, medical and mental health professionals typically do triage by making observations and asking questions referred to as a MENTAL STATUS EXAM. The usual questions are: (1) What is your name? (2) What is the date or time? Or Who is the president? (3) Where are you? (4) What just [...]
A—Z, THE BLESSINGS OF LONG LIFE
Have you noticed how often we Christians adopt our culture’s despair over aging? To verify the reality of ageism, go shopping for a birthday card! God’s viewpoint is strangely different. Scripture refers to LONG LIFE as a reward, a gift, and a blessing. To prompt our thankfulness as the birthdays accumulate, I’ve identified 26 blessings [...]
CAN YOU HEAR THE CALL TO PRAYER?
Whatever our particular hardship or concern in this season, prayer is our means of accessing God. How can we not wonder about the forces bombarding our nation? Is our sin reaping its own reward, or is our nation under attack by the enemy of our souls? Aren’t violence, division, fear, and pride some of his [...]
ARE YOU ON MISSION?
Jesus was on mission. Jesus endured radical changes during his life on this earth. Although acclaimed as a king at his birth, he grew up the son of a humble, obscure carpenter. As an adult, Jesus was again publicly commended by John the Baptist, a voice out of Heaven, and throngs who witnessed his miracles. [...]
RAISED FROM THE DEAD?
LAZZIE CAT Our family was once the recipient of a rescued cat. Her startle reflex validated the report that she had been abused, but most of the time she just slept. She was a beautiful Calico—white with large areas of black interspersed with orange all over her body. As pretty as she was, [...]
DOES YOUR FAMILY KNOW . . . ?
If you become ill, DOES YOUR FAMILY KNOW . . . who is in charge of your medical decisions? Since these important choices deserve more than quick answers, you might want to review a previous blog that discusses your decision-making power regarding your care at the end of life. https://finishlifewell.org/who-decides-when-we-take-our-last-breath. It is strongly suggested that [...]
THE END OF A THING
Solomon tells us that the end of a thing is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8). New endeavors can be so exciting and growth producing, this statement is initially surprising. Can he possibly be correct? We love babies and puppies, but we do rejoice when they are potty-trained! The first day of school, weddings, and [...]
WHAT IS YOUR STATUS IN GOD’S ARMY?
I once asked the Lord about His army. He answered me on a sunny day in October, 1997 in Washington, DC. When He spoke, I was standing by the Washington Monument looking back toward the Lincoln Memorial. The National Mall was filled to overflowing with more than a million men, both young and old. None [...]
WHAT DOES DEATH HAVE TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS?
Set in the 1950’s with capable acting, The Gathering is a nostalgic, heart-warming Christmas movie. Unexpectedly, the opening scene introduces DEATH as a life-changing force in the form of a terminal diagnosis. The recipient, Adam Thornton (Ed Asner), is a powerful, proud businessman with a strong personality and a back trail of broken relationships. [...]