All Things New with Jeff Ackenback

Everyone fears loss of some kind, but we often deny it...even run from it.  It's hard to appear helpless...but the longer we deny that fear, the worse it gets as it goes from loss, to doubt, to even losing hope.  Be willing to share, to talk, to help...and to accept help.

There will be times in our lives where it feels like the odds are stacked against us, like it's not worth it to even try.  However, trying is succeeding, and as long as there is life there is hope. 

Hardly anyone admits to hating someone else, but our actions and words often betray us.  In order to truly know God, we must know His love, AND also show that love to everyone.  Seriously.  Literally everyone.

One of the most common fears is the fear of the unknown.  We fear what might happen, what people might do....what's out there "in the dark."  There is always a way through, though...a way to continue going forward...as we accept help, then help others to do the same.

The baseline for our faith should be to treat others as we want to be treated, but we live in a world where that doesn't happen as often as it should.  As Christians, we should do our best to follow that, to treat others with kindness, with respect, with love...and the impact will amaze us.

I have no idea if people ever read these, but I want to take the time to finish the Beatrice anecdote.  I missed her first birthday, BUT a couple of weeks later, I was able to see her first steps on zoom. 

Often, we look for ways to "pass the buck" and avoid responsibility.  However, as a great philosopher once said, "with great power, comes great responsibility." If we claim to follow Jesus, then we accept His power...giving us a huge responsibility to make a difference, not to pass the buck.

We live in a world where many people feel like the ends justify the means, even if it comes at the cost of other people.  Sometimes, there are even negative consequences to doing the right thing, which makes it even harder to not just go with the "short term happiness" mindset.  However, even when it's difficult, it's best to do what you can to help others, to be kind, to treat others as you'd wan...

Everyone feels like the central character in their own story, because we all see things, literally, from a first person point of view.  However, there's a huge difference between being the central character and being a hero.  Our lives connect with others in many ways, and how we treat them can go a long way in how their own lives go, as well as how those lives connect with others, and on and on a...

Unconditionally love everyone.

How you feel is how you feel, and what makes you sad makes you sad.  Don't let anyone shame you for grieving or rush you, but always be willing to accept love, help, and doing what you can to take the time you need in moving forward.  As hard as it is to lose someone or something you love, as long as there is life, there is hope.

We all have worries, stresses, things that seem to constantly eat away at our mind throughout the day.  There's no way around having them, but it is possible to learn to handle them better, to seek help, to do your best to think of a "best case" for every "worst case" scenario running through your mind.

We all feel pressure from temptation, but sometimes even moreso from our peers.  It's important to remember two things: 1. If/when you mess up or give in, that doesn't end your life.  Learn from it and move forward, better than before. 2. Anyone pressuring you to be someone else or do something you're not comfortable doing...they're not you.  They won't live your life or deal with what you deal wi...

Often when we feel doubt, whether it's in our faith, ourselves, or something else entirely, we feel shame or even pull away from whatever it is "until we are better."  But in doubt, we have a chance to seek answers, to find our way forward...to listen to and share with others, building something truly special and standing. 

No matter what people say, no matter what obstacles you face, don't give up.  Have hope and look for the way forward, accepting help along the way.

Everyone get's angry sometimes.  The key, though, is understanding why, working on it, taking the time and effort to not bottle things up...and doing our best to move forward in peace with everyone we meet.

The road back is never without opposition or danger or problems...whether they're from our own making or not.  When we are recovering from grief, starting a new life, or returning from an exile...the important part is not "being seen as right" or "having things how we want," but instead to love God and love others, to live that out in the way we act, the way we treat others, the way we live.

Often, we are told (or tell others) how, when, and how long to grieve...but it's something that is different for everyone and every situation.  More than that, it's an important time to come to terms with yourself, with what you're grieving, and to learn from God.

As much as I wish I could say otherwise, you WILL face tragedies, defeats, failures, and heartache along the way.  However, hitting "rock bottom" is not an end, but a chance at a new beginning.  It may take time to deal with it, to mourn, to re-plan, but as long as there is life, there is hope.

Even after witnessing so many amazing miracles of God, the Israelites still turned from Him when it became too hard to wait.  In our own lives, we often live in an "out of sight, out of mind" way, too...but even when God isn't in our sight, we are in His...completely and totally loved.

We each have a limited amount of time on this earth, but more than that we have a limited amount of time in other people's lives.  Since we don't know when either of those "times" are up, we should all do our best to always seek to make a difference FOR GOOD.

We often feel like what others receive (or even have) diminishes what we already have...but that's not the case at all.  Instead of focusing so much on the lives of others, focus on how you can be more like Jesus in your own life, helping others to see the way towards heaven.

Forgiveness is a difficult concept for most of us, because we tie it so closely to "forgive and forget" and "you have to earn it." Forgiveness, though, means that you are letting yourself off the hook of holding grudges...beginning the process of healing.  It doesn't mean letting people run all over you, just that you are moving forward.  

The thing most missing in the world, not just today but throughout time, is often the ability to put ourselves in other people's shoes.  It's vital that we treat others as we'd want to be treated, to help those who need it, and to always stand for what's right, regardless of what it means politically.

God loves everyone, regardless of race, belief, sex, etc....everyone.  And nothing can ever separate any of us from that love.  For those of us who accept it, who believe and follow Jesus, it's vital to show that love to everyone, whether or not we agree with or like them.  Love God. Love Othersr.