http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=15473&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

He (Jesus) went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." -Matthew 26:42

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=No-One-Left-to-Love-Me&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=Who-Is-My-Neighbor&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

I'm constantly reminded by Jesus not to "judge books by their covers." Here's a recounting of one of those reminders, and the truths God patiently tries to teach me as I live life as an ambassador of Christ. (II Cor. 5:20)

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=What-Message-Are-We-Sending&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Thatâ??s why the attacks by some evangelical leaders on people in the LGBTQ community are so hurtful. Not only do these attacks strike at the weakest moments in some of their lives, but they often double the hurtful impact because the ambassadors of Jesus are expected to be loving. When these ambassadors are not loving, or even when theyâ??re just intentionally silent when shunning someone, it blindsides the hurting. This is particularly true for people who grew up in the church and are now pariahs in those supposedly safe havens.

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=Alone-in-an-ocean-of-trial&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

Three men and a young boy find themselves in freezing water after their plane crashes in Alaska. The three adult men are strong swimmers, and two of them successfully fight the current and make shore safely.  The third one, the father of the young boy, would also have been able to make shore, but he noticed his son was losing ground.  Swimming back to him, the father fought hard to save his son, but the current was too much for him with his son in tow. As the two men watched helplessly from shore, they saw the father make his choice:  He wrapped his arms around his boy, not wanting him to be alone in the time they had left.

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=more-than-we-can-bear&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=All-the-lonely-people&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

It's a phrase I hear repeated about as often in my work as any other, though people seldom say it directly. In a work world that values efficiency and action, that places great emphasis on busyness and productivity, that wrestles to squeeze the most out of every action, one of the byproducts is often loneliness. It's a disease as prevalent in the senior reaches of a firm as it is in the bowels of the operation. It stretches outside the workplace to our families, leaving children feeling this same gnawing emptiness that haunts adults. Always, the sentiment emerges: "I only want to matter to someone."

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=One-Last-Lesson&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

"I looked down to the field where cancer first made its effects known to us just a few short months before. Three of us were raking a field, and Francis was laughing as hard as I ever saw him laugh. As usual, I was the cause of that laughter." Saying goodbye to someone we love is among the hardest, saddest things we do in life. It was my turn, now, to say goodbye to the man who led me to Jesus, and then tought me how to live for Him. But Francis had one more lesson he wanted me to learn before we parted...

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=Is-Anger-Drowning-Hope&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

http://madetomatter.org/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=End-These-Myths&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0

We hear a lot of talk in the body of Christ about victorious living.  Christians are taught the myth, on one end of the spectrum, that God wants them to be wealthy, healthy and happy. On the other end of the spectrum, however, Christians are also taught they're supposed to find a way to be happy in the midst of trial; to celebrate in the middle of turmoil.  This, too, is a myth. These teachings are incredibly hurtful to Christians struggling to plant one foot in front of the other.