Helping Others
Psychologically, when you help someone, your thoughts turn away from your own problems—if only for a short period. That’s the beginning of your own healing and a healthier lifestyle.
Grateful, after all these years!
Grateful, after all these years, serving our Lord! Do you keep a grateful journal? It’s a critical tool for good thinking and spiritual health. But it’s been tough this past year. I’ve tried, but skipped many days. Pondering this Thanksgiving Newsletter, I reviewed my journal. I use the Five-Minute Journal app and find it very…
Words for Turbulent Times
We need the Word for turbulent times. Today, so much animosity exists in the world, the country, in the church. Faith seems to have become politicized, legalism reigns, and a “win” justifies any means necessary. I pray that we all heal, unify, and find inner peace. One way is simply to follow Jesus and do…
Pray for Peace and Reconciliation
Prayers today and always for Ethiopia. On June 30, an unknown assailant assassinated a popular musician, Hachalu Hundessa, known for his political songs.
Lord, here I am, help me!
So, what is the first thing you think of when you gain consciousness in the morning? The D60 book shares a “first light prayer.” It is a simple and important way to begin each day. Train yourself each morning to first pray: “Lord, Here I am. Help me.” Such as prayer, as the writers say, is “short, simple, humble, potent.” It
The power of prayer
The Importance of Healing Prayer I focus my heart on two dear people who appear close to death through illness. In both cases it is a malignant cancer. I feel called in this writing to ask for group prayer for these two people–one in a very close relationship with Jesus, the other perhaps not close…
Prayer for the Yemenis
Aisha al-Juaidi is my imaginary friend who has suffered in life, and whom I want to save physically and spiritually. This young Yemeni girl is the antagonist in my newest suspense novel, The Terrorist’s Redemption. When I picture her face, I see the face of one of my fifth-grade students at the School of Tomorrow in Addis Ababa, a Yemeni girl taken out of class five years ago and disappearing, most likely home to Yemen.
As I read that Yemen has had its first coronavirus case (April 10) my heart goes out to the Yemeni people and send a prayer to the people to this war-torn country.
Income Security Needed for This Struggling Mother
Our goal is to assess how she can increase her income security. The cost of a rental storefront is prohibitive and out of our budget. She cannot use her home—a mud and stick one room “apartment” in a one level row of such “apartments”—for commerce. While she has electricity, all the “apartments” share one meter and thus she could not use the facility as a sustainable commercial cooking business.
We will continually assess the situation and come up with a plan for this hardworking woman and her good-natured daughter. They need help for a step up.
Helping Through Job Training
We began a short-term mercy program of money for food and clothing and other necessities. But the major plan was to work with Hirut to counsel her to improve herself, strengthen her mind and attitude, and move forward into a better life. We gave her an opportunity for job training, and she jumped on it.
Belaynesh’s Family Is Feeling Empowered
When we heard Belaynesh’s story and investigated the situation, we became committed to helping empower this single mother and her family of three girls and one boy. She was a seriously abused woman (broken arm, leg and teeth and psychological trauma) trying to get back on her feet.
A Place Where Life Isn’t Always So Sweet
Please keep Debretu in your prayers. This widow is in her mid-70s. She says she has had 16 children of which only three survived into adulthood, the rest dying from illnesses related to the harsh environment. Of the three surviving children, one is mentally disabled and the other two have abandoned Debretu for unknown reasons.