Nearer My God: November Powerlines

Give Thanks All Year Long

Dear Peter, ,

Have you ever heard of the term, Chreasters? If you have, you’re probably chuckling right now.
Chreasters is a slang word that describes people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter. These people can also be referred to as “Two-Timers,” or “Poinsettia and Lily Christians.” I bring this up in light of Thanksgiving approaching, the one time of year where many of us take turns around the dinner table and say what we are thankful for. If you’ve never done this before, I urge you to suggest it this year. Personally, I think it’s a great idea to be doing this all year long, not just once a year — just like we should be celebrating and honoring the birth and resurrection of our Savior in our hearts every day... Continue Online

For Lynda Pierce of Tucson, Arizona, the baptismal plan she laid out for herself was clear and concise, and she was going to carry it out no matter what. As a former police officer turned banker, she had the discipline needed to follow through on such a plan. At age 66, Lynda was baptized by Pastor Bobby Schuller on July 17, 2016. She decided early on to commemorate her baptism the next time July 17 landed on a Sunday. Sure enough, Lynda celebrated the anniversary of her baptism this year with Bobby on July 17, 2022.

“My baptismal birthday means more to me than my own birthday,” Lynda said. “At the time, I hadn’t found a church home in Tucson, so I reached out to Hour of Power and asked if it would be possible for me to get baptized, and Christine said, ‘Possible? Absolutely it would be possible!’ Pastor Bobby
baptized me on July 17, 2016... Continue Online

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Leaving a Legacy,
One Memory at a Time

At 93 years old, Eldon Tessman of Minnesota has an exceptionally keen memory for numbers, dates, and milestones. When he talked about a trip he took to The Holy Land during the Crystal Cathedral era, he remembered, “It was in 2007 and there was a group of 540 people on 12 buses.” As he edges closer to the 100-year mark, Eldon mused, “I’m sitting in my great grandfather’s home that was built in 1883. My great grandparents came here in 1870, so the family has been here for 152 years. I’m also the oldest living male member of my church, Brooklyn United Methodist, in Brooklyn Center MN, which was established in 1854.” Continue Online

If you’d like to learn more about how to remember Hour of Power in your will or estate plan, call us at 714-971-4111 or email us at livinglegacy@hourofpower.orgso we can connect with you!

Modeling Thankfulness

By Pastor Chad Blake

Thankfulness is an attribute my wife Hillary and I declared we desire as a core family value long before we had children. It is such a powerful force within a family. Thankfulness reframes our daily lives. Obviously, many are thankful for big milestones like birthdays, holidays and big achievements. But, our desire is to have thankfulness every day.

Now, with a bigger family than just the two of us, it is our job to teach our children how to be thankful. How is it more than just a nice pleasantry that is said in passing to be polite? How can we learn to be truly thankful for the gift of Jesus, our family, and our daily lives? I’m reminded of the words of the apostle Paul when he writes to the church in Thessalonica,

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:18. Giving thanks in all circumstances is what Scripture tells us to do, but I love that second part of the verse, “for this is the will of God… for you.”

As a pastor, one of the most common questions I am asked is, “What is God’s will for my life?” I love when Scripture gives us such a clear way to step into God’s will. As we are shaped into the kind of people that practice thankfulness in all things, God’s will for our lives takes shape. We literally are changed by the simple act of thankfulness. It’s not just scripture that says this, but modern-day psychology also agrees.

Practicing thankfulness changes a person. Hillary and I do this by reminding ourselves of the faithfulness of God, by not taking things like housing or food in the cupboard for granted, and by giving to others. We remind ourselves that even in hard times and the times that feel sad, we have a steadfast Father in Heaven that we can be thankful for His work in our lives.

I encourage you to do one simple task over the next month. Every day when you wake up, write down one thing you are thankful for. That’s it. Just one. Do it every day. Watch what happens!