Summer is coming and kids will soon be out of school for the summer. I remember the times when parents and kids had to adjust to the new normal. That inspired this How to Increase Your Prayer Life cartoon.
There is nothing like a crisis to increase our prayer lives. It can be a minor, annoying crisis like boisterous kids that are trying to entertain themselves. Or we can experience major crises that bring us to our knees. Both types of situations make us reconsider increasing our quiet time.
Last Sunday, I had several kids who wanted me to play games with them. They like it when an adult takes an interest in them. Several years ago, such an incident inspired this “down to our level cartoon.”
I’ve learned that when I’m consistently in a classroom, and I take an interest in what the kids are doing, they naturally want me to participate in their activities. To me, it’s common sense. But how often do we do just that? How often do we set aside our agenda for a moment and focus on the other person?
Being quiet has its advantages. When we slow down and listen to others, we can be perceived as knowledgeable without saying a word. This concept and a proverb led to this wisdom and talking cartoon.
There are several Bible verses that speak about this. But for me, James 1:19 has helped me greatly over the years. If only it was easy to apply to everyday living! Social and traditional media encourages us to spout off whatever comes to mind. After all, a blog with no content isn’t very compelling, is it?
When it comes to students, nothing inspires a love and respect prayer like a hard test! This cartoon was inspired by one of my classes.
It reminds me of the quip, “As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools.” That quote has been around at least since 1964 when the US Supreme Court ruled in Engel vs Vitale that organized prayer in public schools is unconstitutional.
Yes, I’ve had a few tests like that. It’s amazing how our priorities change when we come upon a test, isn’t it? Tests and promises seem to go hand in hand!
I have heard some lamenting over the past year when it comes to workers in the church. This cartoon I drew about volunteers and donuts in 2013 reminds me that volunteering has changed dramatically since the pandemic.
While some teenagers may still be as enthusiastic as the guy in the cartoon, it has been a challenge to recruit volunteers. This article from Christianity Today illustrates the challenges many churches are facing.