Author: markhopperdb

My Space

 My Space
 
Many years ago we built a new classroom building at our church in Tucson. The church was growing and we needed more space for the nursery and young children. In addition, we planned to launch a new preschool when the new building was completed..
 
We hired an architect to draw up the plans and submitted them to the Pima County Building Department. The new building was designed to meet the building and safety requirements for a licensed preschool too.
 
We hired a local contractor to do some of the work and we did a lot of the construction ourselves. We begin to spread the word about the opening of the new preschool. My wife and two other women were the first faculty. Classes met on Tuesday – Friday from 8:30 to noon. I think there were a dozen students in the first class.
 
The new building was very helpful for the Sunday School classes too. Teachers were delighted to have larger classrooms for the children and a new nursery for Sunday mornings and the mid-week programs.
 
However we did not foresee a problem would emerge between the preschool teachers and the Sunday School teachers. Both groups expressed frustrations with the other. Preschool teachers complained that the Sunday morning teachers were using their materials and the Sunday morning teachers were frustrated that the preschool teachers were taking up most of the cupboards and storage space.
 
The solution was to change their perspective. Both ministries were important. One was not more important than the other. I suggested the teachers to look for ways they could help the other ministry. Don’t complain about the supplies and storage cabinets. Start asking what each of them could do to help the other ministry succeed.
 
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). If you are experiencing conflicts with other people in your family, work or school let me encourage you to put their interests ahead of your own. They will be glad you did and they will too.

You can read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. There is a story for every day of the year. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is only $20 per book plus $5 shipping.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Recently my flight to Arizona was delayed for two hours because of a huge summer thunderstorm in Phoenix. The pilot announced there was a ground stop. Since it was uncertain when I might get to Phoenix, I encouraged my relatives to not come pick me up at the airport. I would just take an Uber ride to our condo.

We finally landed two hours late. The airport was packed. Apparently many other arriving flights were delayed and they finally arrived in Phoenix at the same time. It took a while to get my luggage. When I used my phone to schedule an Uber ride I was surprised the price was over $65 for a 20 minute ride to Scottsdale! That was more than a one-way plane ticket. But it was late and I needed to get to my destination.

I was determined to not spend as much money getting back to the airport at the end of the week. Although several people offered to give me a ride I was confident I could do it myself. I called the Metro hotline and a nice lady told me where and when I could catch a bus in Scottsdale and connect with the Metro in Tempe. She reminded me to ask for the senior discount rate before I purchased my ticket.

I packed my bags and walked to the nearest bus stop. I was pleased to see that my first bus arrived on time. When I offered to pay and mentioned my senior discount the nice lady said that the Scottsdale “Trolley” was free – no charge regardless of age. That sounded good. I was saving money already. I rode a short distance to a transit center where I needed to find Bus 81 going south to Tempe and the Metro Rail line. I was encouraged to see my bus waiting when we arrived. When I offered to pay the bus driver he said his machine was broken and I didn’t need to pay anything. Wow – more money saving!

When my bus arrived at the Metro station in Tempe I purchased a one-way ticket on a machine and made sure I noted I was a senior. The ticket cost a total of $1 for the ride to the airport and no one even bothered to see if I had a ticket. The savings were adding up! One dollar from the condo to the airport in contrast to over $65 with Uber. However the Uber was air conditioned and only took 20 minutes. The buses and Metro Train took two hours and included standing outside at the bus stop and metro station in the 107 degree weather. I guess saving money does have its limitations. Which would you choose – 20 minutes or two hours? Comfort or climate change? Let me encourage you to consider your options carefully and don’t forget to ask for your senior discount!

You can read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase a copy online for only $20 plus $5 postage. Order your copy today at Markh@efreedb.org,

Pray for your Kids & Grandkids


 
University of Arizona baseball Coach Jerry Kendal shared a wonderful story at a Men’s Conference I attended in Prescott, Arizona. When Jerry was a young boy he burst into his grandfather’s bedroom while Jerry was playing hide and seek with his siblings. He was startled to find his grandfather kneeling by his bed in prayer. When Jerry tried to apologize his grandfather told him to not worry – he said he was just praying for Jerry.   
 
I’m sure that every parent and grandparent prays for their children and grandchildren. I always prayed for their health and safety.  And I prayed for their faith, their friends and their future.
 
I prayed that they would have a vibrant personal faith in Christ. Each generation must decide for themselves if they will become followers of Jesus. Parents and grandparents can sow the seeds of faith in the next generation but each child and grandchild must decide for themselves who they will follow. The Old Testament leader Joshua said he and his family chose to follow the Lord (Joshua 24:15).
 
Friends are a vital part of a child’s development. This is true for young children and teenagers, too. Friends have a large influence in a child’s development. Teenagers are impacted by peer pressure too. Friends also provide encouragement and reassurance during those formative teenage years. Friends can draw your children closer to God or steer them away from Him. I prayed for good friends with a common faith.
 
I also prayed for their future. I prayed God would help them in their studies and guide them in their choice of careers. I also prayed they would find a spouse who shared their faith and values.
 
Author Tim Kimmel wrote a book titled – Extreme Grandparenting. In his book he emphasized how important grandparents are in the lives of their grandchildren. One of the most important things they can do is to pray for their children and grandchildren. The Apostle Paul instructed older men and women to live lives that younger generations would follow (Titus 2:2-4). I’m sure this included prayer. Let me encourage you to pray for your children and grandchildren every day. Pray for their faith, friends and future. Pray for their health and safety too. You will be glad you did and they will too.

You can read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The cost is only $20 plus $5 shipping. Order your copy at markh@efreedb.org.

The Loss of a Loved One

Some of the happiest things about being a pastor were weddings and babies. I enjoyed spending time in premarital counseling with the young couple. And I enjoyed leading the ceremony too. Another happy part of being a pastor were the new babies. I always went to the hospital to celebrate with the parents and meet the new family member.

Some of the harder parts of being a pastor were death and divorce. I was sad to learn when a married couple told me they had decided to end their marriage. I spent many hours in counseling trying to help them. And, it was also sad when someone died in our church family. I was honored to lead a memorial service but it was sad to see the heartache people experienced losing their loved one.

Recently my wife Jeanne died. She was only 71 years old. We had celebrated our 50th anniversary less than a year ago with our family in Maui.  That was our final wedding anniversary together.

I am thankful for all of the support I have experienced from friends and family members. I am thankful for our faith in Jesus that sustained us through the sixteen years she battled breast cancer. I believe we will see each other again one day in heaven. But there are some things that are frustrating about the death of a loved one right now.

I miss the discussions and conversations we shared together. The house is quiet now and I don’t have anyone to talk to. Sometimes we talked about everyday things and sometimes they were much deeper. She always asked about my day and she loved to tell me about her day too.

I miss her help making decisions. Typically we would talk together and come to an agreement about something we might want to do. Should we drive or fly to Arizona? When should we go? How long should we stay?  I miss her thoughts, opinions and perspective.

I also miss sharing dreams and making plans together. We usually had something on the horizon that we would like to do. She dreamed about some new home improvement projects. I dreamed about traveling to some new destination together. Now those dreams are gone.

Let me encourage you to value every day you have with your spouse and loved ones. Share what is on your heart and listen to their dreams and thoughts. You will be glad you did and they will too.

You can read more stories about Jeanne’s life and our family and our adventures in my book – Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The price is only $20 plus $5 postage. Order you copy at markh@efreedb.org.

One Life Lived – Many Lives Touched

One Life Lived – Many Lives Touched. These words were printed on the cover a sympathy card that I received after my wife died. It was sent by someone who had been a student in her sixth grade classroom over twenty years ago. I believe it accurately summarized Jeanne’s life. The inside of the card added these words – Your loss will be felt by many hearts.

This was evident when almost 500 people attended her Celebration of Life service in southern California. In addition many more came to services in Scottsdale and Tucson. Jeanne touched the lives of many children, teens and adults throughout her life.

The notes and sympathy cards reflected this theme as well. People shared how Jeanne had touched their lives in many different ways. She hosted wedding showers and baby showers. She opened our home to neighbors and church friends. We often had extra people at a holiday dinners who did not have family in the area. She had a special love for widows and liked to invite them to join us for dinner at a special restaurant on Valentine’s Day. She sent meals to widowers who were isolated and discouraged during the Covid19 pandemic.

She also loved children and enjoyed teaching their Sunday School class at church. She made Sunday School fun and made an extra effort to help new students feel welcome and comfortable in her class. She also made her sixth grade Social Studies class at Chaparral Middle School interesting with special hands-on activities like creating an archaeological dig on the school campus and embalming chicken legs when they studied Egypt.

Adults were also impacted by Jeanne’s life. She taught a Women’s Bible study class at our churches in Diamond Bar and in Tucson. She also led a Cancer Support group in our home for many years to encourage men and women dealing with the disease.

There is a passage in the Bible where the Apostle Paul said followers of Christ were the living proof of his ministry and message. He said, “Your lives are a letter anyone can read by just looking at you. Not letters written with ink but lives that have been changed by God’s Spirit. (Second Corinthians 3:2-3 the Message Bible). Let me encourage you to use your life and abilities to serve God and encourage others. You never know how your one life can touch many others. As the card said, “One life lived – many lives touched“.

You can read more stories about Jeanne’s life in Mark’s book – Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The price is only $20 plus $5 postage. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day
 
Recently I came across this photo that was taken at our daughter’s wedding. It reminded me that my wife was a special mother to our three girls and how they have become such great mothers themselves.
 
From time to time I hear our daughters say that they are just like their mother. Jeanne loved children and launched preschools at our church in Tucson and Diamond Bar. She enlisted the help of other mothers as these preschools grew. She also taught the young children on Sunday mornings in Sunday School at our church.
 
One of the things that made Jeanne an effective teacher was her willingness to do outlandish things to keep the attention of her young students. One time when they were studying about the birth of Jesus and the Christmas story she invited these little ones to participate in the lesson. One child was Mary and another was Joseph and several other children were shepherds. Jeanne played the role of an Angel. She wrapped a white sheet around herself and stood on a chair towering above the children to announce the birth of Jesus. She said she was the angel Gabriel and had come to announce the good news to the shepherds. But one of the young students objected. He said, “You’re not an angel – you are Jeanne Hopper!”
 
Many years later, one of our daughters was teaching a class of young children and she stood on a chair to keep the attention of her students. Then it dawned on her that she was just like her mother – doing outlandish things to capture the attention of her audience.
 
Someone said that imitation is the highest compliment. When your children or students do the same things you have done it reveals how much they have learned from you. Over the years I have enjoyed watching our daughters become wonderful mothers. They had strength and fortitude to make it through sleepless nights when their children were young. Now I marvel as I see how they encourage and guide their children through various stages and into their teen years.
 
I believe our daughters are wonderful mothers today because of the example they saw in their mother’s life. Several times in the Bible, the Apostle Paul told his readers to follow his example (First Corinthians 11:1). Let me encourage you to follow the example you saw in your mother’s life and become a mother your children will want to follow too.

You can read more encouraging stories about Jeanne’s life the book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The price is $20 plus $5 postage. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.

Prison Fellowship

 
I recently read an article in the LA Times (Jan 10, 2022) about prisons in Argentina that had segregated evangelical Christians from the rest of the prison population. The long article highlighted the fact that the Christians in the prison behaved differently than the rest of the inmates. They were not involved in fights or drug trafficking. They cooperated with the prison guards and worked together to improve conditions in their part of the prison. They even had local pastors working with the inmates in the prison. Churches in the community contributed financial support and personal counseling for the inmates.
 
Some people were critical of Argentina for segregating prisoners and allowing the evangelicals special treatment. But prison officials replied that problems and unrest were dramatically reduced in the parts of the prison that were populated with Christians. In addition, prison officials carefully screened other inmates that wanted to transfer to the area where Christians were being held. They wanted to prevent new prisoners from intimidating inmates and spreading drugs and violence.
 
There are a number of examples in the Bible where people of God were in jail or prison. Joseph was thrown in prison in Egypt (Exodus chapters 37-40). Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea and Rome (Acts 23-28 / Colossians 4:10 / Philemon 23). Peter was held in prison in Jerusalem.
 
Many people would think of spending time in prison as a depressing experience. But there are numerous examples of how people were changed and their faith deepened during their time in prison. The Apostle Paul used the time while he was imprisoned as an opportunity to tell prisoners and jailers about Jesus (Philippians 1:12-14). In addition Paul used the time to encourage fellow believers in prison and write letters to Christians on the outside.
 
Chuck Colson went to prison for his part in the famous Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration in the 1970’s. After he completed his sentence he launched a ministry called “Prison Fellowship” to minister to men and women in prison. He spoke in prisons around the world and shared the message of hope and forgiveness in Christ. Let me encourage you to contact “Prison Fellowship” or a local church and find out how you can become involved in a ministry to inmates in a prison near you. You can also minister to children who have a parent in prison. You will be glad you did and they will too.

Read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Mark Encourage You by Mark Hopper. Purchase a book for only $20 plus $5 for postage. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.

Out on a Limb

Many years ago my wife and I traveled with a team of adults to eastern Europe. Our church had developed a partnership with a several churches in the area. We appreciated our hosts and their faithful ministry in a small village about an hour outside a large city.

Our team used a variety of activities to connect with children, teens and adults in this small village. We worked together with church friends to provide daily Bible classes for the children and recreational events for the teens. Participants also enjoyed music, crafts and snacks.

At the end of the busy week our hosts drove us to a nearby river for an afternoon of swimming and relaxation. I brought my swim trunks and a towel so I could join the others in the refreshing cool water. There was no place to change clothes so I walked a short distance into some trees and brush to put on my swim trunks. I carried my clothes back to our campsite and jumped in the water.

Later when I was relaxing with others on the riverbank I realized something was missing. I always wore a Fanny Pack around my waist when I traveled overseas. However, I had removed it when I changed clothes in the bushes and hung it on a tree branch. Suddenly I realized I had left the Fanny Pack where I had changed into my swim trunks. Did I mention that I was carrying all of our team’s passports, paper plane tickets and cash in my Fanny Pack? I had a sinking feeling that I had lost all of these valuable items.

I casually left the picnic site by the water and walked back to the place where I had changed clothes. My mind raced with questions. What would we do if the Fanny Pack was gone? How would we replace the passports and plane tickets? I had heard people walking through the area and imagined someone might have discovered the Fanny Pack I had left hanging on the tree branch. I prayed a quick prayer. It took a few minutes to find the place where I had changed clothes. What a relief to find the Fanny Pack still hanging on the limb. I quickly inspected it to see if anything was missing. Thankfully everything was still there. A catastrophe had been averted. What a relief.

There is a passage in the Bible where a woman lost a valuable coin in her house. She searched and searched until she found it. She was relieved and very thankful (Luke 15:8-10). Let me encourage you to keep track of your important documents especially when you are traveling in a foreign country. You will be glad you did.

Read 365 more stories (one for every day of the year) by the in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The price is only $20 plus $5 postage. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.    

A Javelina at our Door

 
The Arizona Sonora desert is a remarkable ecosystem. There are many plants and animals that are unique to this area of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. The Desert Museum in Tucson provides an excellent display of the plants and animals that live in this beautiful desert.
 
Some of these include the stately Saguaro Cactus and the tenacious desert Tortoise. One of the creatures that may not be as well-known is the Javelina. This wild pig is actually found in various places around the world and they are well known in the Sonoran Desert. They are larger than most pigs weighing up to 80 pounds and four feet high. They can be aggressive and should be treated with caution.
 
You might expect to see a Javelina in the wild but you wouldn’t expect to see one on your doorstep. On a recent visit to Arizona I had an unexpected encounter with a wild Javelina. I was walking on a sidewalk in our condo complex when I heard a noise behind me. I thought someone was walking up but when I turned to look I saw a Javelina less than ten feet away. He did not appear to be threatening but I wasn’t sure what his intentions were. I slowly backed away to give my furry friend a clear path and stepped through the door. I told my wife about my encounter and we stepped out on our enclosed patio so she could see the Javelina for herself and to take a few pictures.
 
We decided to call the local police to alert them to the presence of our wandering friend. He seemed confused and not sure which way to go. We didn’t want him to try to cross the busy street and get hit by a car. However the police said they don’t respond to calls about wild animals in the neighborhood. They said the Javelina were here first and told us to leave it alone. An hour later my furry friend was gone.
 
I smile as I look back on my close encounter with this wild creature. We forget that the Javelina and many other wild animals were here first. The suburbs have encroached on the home of hawks, skunks, snakes, squirrels, coyotes and Javelinas too. We have the privilege of seeing these amazing creatures in their habitat. But we need to do all we can to preserve and protect their lives and offspring.
 
Let me encourage you to respect and protect the wild animals in your neighborhood. Enjoy them at a safe distance. You will be glad you did and they will too!  

Read 365 more stories by the author in his book Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. The cost is only $20 plus postage ($5). Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org.

My Wonderful Wife

I met my future wife during our freshman year at Scottsdale High in 1964. She was elected the freshman class secretary and I was elected freshman class president. We worked on a variety of school projects and attended many school activities with a large group of friends. We didn’t start dating until the end of our senior year and got married after I finished college in 1971. We were twenty years old.
She was a wonderful mother to our four children and a special grandmother to our grandchildren. She loved children and launched preschools at both our church in Arizona and here in Diamond Bar. She also taught children’s classes on Sunday morning and taught Vacation Bible School in the summer.
Our grandchildren loved to come to Grammy’s house. She always had songs to share, new games to play and new activities to enjoy. Their favorite activity was having a Tea Party with Grammy.
Jeanne loved people. She earned her college degree in special education at ASU and her teaching credential at Cal Poly. She also loved God and enjoyed teaching the Bible. She started the Women’s Bible study program at both of our churches. She was actively involved in our missions program and traveled around the world serving people and encouraging missionaries.
She taught in public schools in Dallas, Texas while I was in grad school and she taught sixth grade here in Diamond Bar for fifteen years. Jeanne retired in 2006 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. She continued to undergo treatment for her cancer and launched a cancer support group in our home to encourage other women and men who were dealing with cancer.
I have always said Jeanne was the better half of our ministry. She touched the lives of young children, teens, college students and young adults. She hosted baby showers and wedding showers in our home. She made meals for new mothers and cared for older widows, too. She truly was a remarkable wife, mother and grandmother. She died on April 11, 2022. We will miss her so much.
Let me encourage you to express your love and thanks to your wife and family.  You will be glad you did and they will too.

The Memorial Service for Jeanne will be on Saturday April 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Vantage Point Church – 8500 Archibald Avenue in Eastvale, California.