Tag: hope

A Hope and a Future (Part Two)

There are several examples of suicide in the Bible. None of them are good. Judas was the disciple who betrayed Jesus. When he realized the terrible thing he had done, Judas took his own life (Matthew 27:5). A wise man named Ahithophel killed himself after David’s rebellious son Absalom rejected his advice (Second Samuel 17:23).

The Apostle Paul prevented a Roman soldier from killing himself. Paul reassured the guard that he and all of the prisoners had remained in the jail after a powerful earthquake opened the doors. Paul’s quick action and words stopped the soldier from killing himself (Acts 16:28).

I continue to read and hear about the declining mental health among teens and adults during the Covid19 pandemic. Reports of attempted suicides and self-inflicted harm is increasing among students at an alarming rate. What can parents and peers do to help those who are struggling and at risk of taking their own lives?

First, pray for the hearts and minds of students and adults around you. Ask God to give them hope and help to face these uncertain times. Pray that God would lift the darkness in their hearts and minds and prevent them from hurting themselves.

Second, be alert to conversations and conduct that might signal a person is considering suicide. My son is now an Assistant Principal at a local high school. He launched a program with the staff and administrators to do a mental health update every Monday of students on their campus who might be at risk of harming themselves.

Third, provide hope and encouragement through your own words and actions. Offer to spend time with those who are struggling. Offer to connect them with a local pastor, counselor or mental health professional. Ask the person to make a commitment to you that they will call you before they take any steps to harm or injure themselves.

Fourth, don’t let them dwell on the negative but focus on the positive things in their life (Philippians 4:6-9). When a person takes their own life they leave a trail of pain and heartache in the lives of others. If you or someone you know are in a dark place, let me encourage you to get help right now. Make a call or get to someone’s office or home right now. Don’t wait until it is too late. You will be glad you did and your friends and loved ones will too. (continued)

You can read 365 more stories (one for every day of the year) in the author’s book – Let Me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. Purchase one copy for only $20 or two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Order your copies today at markh@efreedb.org.

A Hope and a Future (Part One)

I have often said that some of the happiest things about being a pastor are weddings and babies. It was a privilege to meet with a young couple in premarital counseling and hear about their dreams and hopes for their future together. And I always went to the hospital when I heard that a new baby was born to one of our church families.
 
But some of the hardest things about being a pastor were divorce and death. I was always willing to meet with a married couple who were going through difficulties in their marriage. I always shared with them the things that I believe cause problems in a relationship – selfishness and a critical attitude. I also shared with them some of the things that I believe can improve their relationship. (See my story about “The Man in the Mirror”).
 
Death was also one of the harder things I dealt with as a pastor. It was an honor to lead a memorial service and celebrate someone’s life. It was also important to provide support and encouragement to those who had lost their loved one. Maybe the most difficult thing to deal with was suicide. There were a few occasions when someone in our church or community took their own life. Parents and loved ones were devastated and heart broken.
 
One day my son Tim called to tell me that a high school friend took his own life. I didn’t know his friend well but I had given him a ride to work at a grocery store near our house. I never imagined he would do something so drastic. The friend’s father was a Viet Nam war veteran. He was very strict with his son. One day Tim’s friend violated one of his father’s rules. Instead of going home to face his father, the friend drove to a local college campus and jumped out of the seventh floor window. I was not asked to lead the memorial service for Tim’s friend but I did share some of my thoughts with our church the next Sunday. I warned the students and adults that suicide is not the answer to the problems they were facing. I tried to help them understand how devastating suicide was to the surviving family and friends.
 
There is a verse in the Bible that says, “I know the plans I have for you – plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). God wants to give you a future and a hope. Let me encourage you to call me or a trusted adult before you injure yourself or take your own life. I will be glad you did and you and your family will too.  (continued)

Start reading 365 more encouraging stories (one for every day of the year) in Mark’s book, “Let Me Encourage You” by Mark Hopper. You can purchase one copy for $20 or two copies for $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and give one to a friend. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. You will be glad you did!

A Week Without Water (Part 2)

I launched into my re-pipe project on Monday morning. I knew when I cut the main water pipe in the attic there was no turning back. Each step took longer than I expected. Several times I had to start over when pipes leaked or when the connections were not sealed properly. It was a slow process with many setbacks. On several occasions I was ready to give up and call a plumber to finish the work. I wondered what a seventy year old guy like me was thinking when he launched into this project? I was climbing up and down ladders. I was working in the attic above our garage. I was driving to Home Depot, Ace Hardware or Ferguson’s Plumbing Supply several times a day. But I pressed on and didn’t give up. My wife encouraged me with words like “You can do it”. I certainly had my doubts but I didn’t want to give up.
 
One of my favorite Greek words in the Bible is “proskartereo”. It means persistence, tenacity, never give up. It was used in a historical reference to describe the siege of a city when the attacking forces laid siege to a walled city and refused to give up until they overcame the enemy. Several times the word is translated “devote” yourselves to prayer.in the New Testament (Acts 1:14 & 6:4). But I think the word “be devoted” seems a little weak. I think it could be paraphrased – be relentless and never give up. Jesus taught His followers to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking (Matthew 7:7-8). The Apostle Paul also encouraged people to pray and not give up (Romans 12:12 & Colossians 4:2).

I suspect it also relates to plumbing. Keep pressing on and don’t give up! I did a lot of praying while I was working on the plumbing.. Praying God would protect me while I used a flaming torch to solder pipes together. Praying for safety as I climbed up and down ladders. Praying for strength when I got tired and discouraged.
 
On Thursday evening I thought I had finished the project. I had assembled the last pieces of pipe and turned on the main water valve. I brought my wife out to the garage to see the finished work. We decided to take showers and run the dishwasher now that the water was back on. However, about an hour later as I was cleaning up in the garage I heard a hissing noise and saw water dripping from the pipes.

We shut off the water again and went to bed tired and discouraged. The next morning I tried to solder the dripping joints but could not stop the leak. I decided to disassemble some pipe above the hot water heater and rebuild that critical section. I bought more materials and reassembled the pipes. On Friday evening I held my breath as I turned the water back on again. It worked! No leaks! I kept checking throughout the evening – still no leaks. It was a crazy week without water.

Let me encourage you to never give up praying for yourself and others. Call on God for help with the personal problems you and others are facing.  And you might want to call a plumber for help with your water problems. You will be glad you did and he 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. During our holiday sale you can purchase two books for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give to a friend. Order your books today at markh@efreedb.org.