You’ve probably seen Santa Claus; but have you ever seen the Easter Bunny?

As a small child, I enjoyed visiting Santa at a local department store at Christmastime. My parents would take me downtown to the jolly bearded man in the red suit. I felt comfortable climbing into his lap, telling him my wish list and receiving a gift along with his encouraging words. He was friendly, predictable and safe.

Imagine my excitement when one Spring I learned that the Easter Bunny would be at the same department store. Neither my family nor I had ever seen the Easter Bunny. I had seen white rabbits. Those cute, cuddly little bunnies seemed so warm and innocent. I looked forward for some time to seeing the real Easter Bunny.

Finally, the big day came. My father took me to the store that afternoon. When we reached the Bunny’s floor, I was shocked. Before me was a human-sized hare with big eyes and large, floppy ears. The creature walked on two legs like a human. He talked.

The more clearly I saw him as I approached him, the more slowly I walked. I would not get close to the furry beast. He wanted to give me a gift, but I was not cooperating. “Just throw it to me,” I suggested. He tossed his present across the room, Frisbee-style.

Much as I was confused about the Easter Bunny, many folks are confused about the meaning of Easter itself. For some, it means new clothes and a chance to show them off. Others focus on eggs, candy and special meals. Spring Break is a highlight of the season. The beach beckons and relaxing on the sand or reveling at parties defines the holiday.

Easter is also billed as a time of renewal. It may be relatively easy to renew things outwardly — new clothes, a hairstyle, a fancy party. Renewal on the inside can be more difficult. Problems from the past can haunt one’s memory. Broken relationships undermine self-esteem. Guilt over missed opportunities, pain from rejection, loneliness and anger from past hurts can sometimes create a swirling inner vortex, a psychological suction from which escape is difficult.

Where does one find inner renewal? Some look to friends or family. Counselors and self-help books provide coping skills. But maybe a look at the first Easter could also offer some clues.

Nearly two millennia ago, a young Jewish leader fell into disfavor with established authorities. He was executed, declared dead, wrapped up like a mummy and placed in a tomb. A large stone was rolled against the tomb’s entrance and an elite unit of Roman soldiers guarded the tomb against grave robbers.

Two days later, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty, but the grave clothes were still in place. The man’s closest followers, most of whom had abandoned him during his trials, reported seeing him alive again. Many later died horrible deaths for telling people that their leader had risen from the dead.

They had been transformed from the inside and it affected every facet of their lives, giving them inner strength, freedom from guilt, love for their enemies, and boldness to stand for what they believed was right. “If anyone is in Christ,” wrote one early believer, “he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Sometimes life’s challenges can seem as scary as that huge hare seemed to me when I was a child. We don’t want to get near them. Yet that first Easter still offers hope. Maybe if Jesus really did come back from the dead, then people today can find inner renewal by knowing him personally.

As we enjoy eggs and rabbits this Spring, might that be a message worth pondering?

Take a next step:
Who is Jesus Christ?
Read the Easter story
Find inner renewal

At Easter, some might wonder what all the fuss is about.

It makes all the difference in the world. If Christ did not rise, then thousands of believers have died as martyrs for a hoax.

If he did rise, then he is still alive and can offer peace to troubled, hurting lives.

Countless scholars–among them the apostle Paul, Augustine, Sir Isaac Newton and C.S. Lewis–believed in the resurrection. We need not fear committing intellectual suicide by believing it also. Where do the facts lead?

Paul, a first-century skeptic-turned believer, wrote that “Christ died for our sins…he was buried…he was raised on the third day…he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (Disciples). After that, he appeared to more than five hundred…at the same time, most of whom are still living.” Consider four pieces of evidence:

1. The explosive growth of the Christian movement. Within a few weeks after Jesus was crucified, a movement arose which, by the later admission of its enemies, “upset the world.” What happened to ignite this movement shortly after its leader had been executed?

2. The Disciples’ changed lives. After Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion, most of the Disciples fled in fear. Peter denied three times that he was a follower of Jesus. (The women were braver and stayed to the end.) Yet ten out of the eleven Disciples (Judas committed suicide) were martyred for their faith. According to traditions, Peter was crucified upside down; Thomas was skewered; John was boiled in oil but survived. What turned these cowards into heroes? Each believed he had seen Jesus alive again.

3. The empty tomb. Jesus’ corpse was removed from the cross, wrapped like a mummy and placed in a solid-rock tomb. A one-and-a-half to two-ton stone was rolled into a slightly depressed groove to seal the tomb’s entrance.

A “Green Beret”-like unit of Roman soldiers guarded the grave. Sunday morning, the stone was found rolled away, the body was gone but the graveclothes were still in place. What happened?

Did Christ’s friends steal the body? Perhaps one of the women sweet-talked (karate-chopped?) the guards while the others moved the stone and tiptoed off with the body. Or maybe Peter (remember his bravery) or Thomas (Doubting Thomas) overpowered the guards, stole the body, then fabricated–and died for–a resurrection myth.

These theories hardly seem plausible. The guard was too powerful, the stone too heavy and the disciples too spineless to attempt such a feat.

Did Christ’s enemies steal the body? If Romans or Jewish religious leaders had the body, surely they would have exposed it publicly and Christianity would have died out. They didn’t, and it didn’t.

The “Swoon Theory” supposes that Jesus didn’t really die but was only unconscious. The expert Roman executioners merely thought he was dead. After a few days in the tomb without food or medicine, the cool air revived him.

He burst from the 100 pounds of graveclothes, rolled away the stone with his nail-pierced hands, scared the daylights out of the Roman soldiers, walked miles on wounded feet and convinced his Disciples he’d been raised from the dead. This one is harder to believe than the resurrection itself.

4. The appearances of the risen Christ. For 40 days after his death, many different people said they saw Jesus alive. Witnesses included a woman, a shrewd tax collector, several fishermen and over 500 people at once. These claims provide
further eyewitness testimony for the resurrection.

As a skeptic, I realized that attempts to explain away the evidences run into a brick wall of facts that point to one conclusion: Christ is risen.

The above does not constitute an exhaustive proof, rather a reasoned examination of the evidence. Each interested person should evaluate the evidence and decide if it makes sense. Of course, the truth or falsity of the resurrection is a matter of historical fact and is not dependent on anyone’s belief. If the facts support the claim, one can conclude that he arose. In any case, mere intellectual assent to the facts does little for one’s life.

A major evidence comes experientially, in personally receiving Jesus’ free gift of forgiveness. He said, “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him (or her).”

Worth considering?

Take a next step:
Read the Easter story
Who is Jesus Christ?

©1997 Rusty Wright. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Feeling low this Christmas season?  You’re not alone.  Amid cheery songs, festive parties, gifts and good wishes, many lonely people are crying or dying on the inside.  Maybe you’re one of them.  I was.

During a horrible year, my wife of 20 years divorced me, my employer of 25 years fired me, and I had a cancer scare.  As I drove home one night, lovely Christmas music came on the radio.  Melancholy aching evidenced the deep pain of abandonment and loss that I was still processing.

No fun.

Blue Christmas

Romantic estrangement, family strife, and bereavement can make your holidays dismal.  One of Elvis Presley’s most popular songs was “Blue Christmas.”  A lonely crooner mourns heartbreaking lost love.  Performers from The Beach Boys to Celine Dion, Loretta Lynn, and Jon Bon Jovi have recorded it.

Does even thinking about that song make you depressed?  The spoofed “Porky Pig” version could get you laughing.  Google will take you there.  But please … wait until finishing this short article to search, OK?!

Several factors can produce Christmas blues.¹ Hectic activity can bring physical and emotional stress.  Overspending can produce financial pressure.  Year-end reflection and focus on loss can magnify sorrow.

McGill University psychologist Dr. Michael Spevack notes, “Overeating and over drinking combined with a decreased amount of sleep is also a formula for extreme emotional swings.”  Depression can lead to thoughts of suicide, especially among the socially isolated, he says.²

The “empty chair”

Is your family apart this season by necessity or choice?  Maybe an “empty chair” reminds you of your pain.  Does Christmas “Ho, Ho, Ho” contrast with your deep anguish?

One widow recalled how she felt during the Christmas after her husband’s death:  “Little mattered to me. I didn’t want to hear carols. I didn’t want to be cheered up. I didn’t want to look at perky Christmas cards. I wanted the same thing I’d wanted every day for eight months: the strength to force myself out of bed in the morning, to brush my teeth and to eat.”³

One possible influence, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a form of depression the medical community doesn’t completely understand.  The Mayo Clinic says genetics, age and body chemistry could be the culprits.  Mayo recommends seeing your doctor if you feel down for days and have motivation problems.  Symptoms can include changing sleep patterns and appetite, feeling hopeless, contemplating suicide, or seeking comfort in alcohol.⁴

Coping

How can you cope with Christmas loneliness?  Some suggestions:

• Spend time with people, especially positive ones who lift your spirits.  Perhaps you’ll be grateful for their cheer.
• Exercise regularly. Blood pumping can help clear your mind.
• Eat right.  Chocaholics beware.  Overindulgence can mean temporary highs followed by disappointing flab.
• Lights on!  Enjoy sunlight, outdoors if possible.  Brighten up your home and workplace.  Light therapy sometimes helps SAD.
• Budget your gift spending and stick with your budget.  Prevent January bill shock.
• Talk about your feelings.  Keeping them bottled up can mean anxiety, ulcers, sour disposition, and/or explosion.  Need a trusted, listening friend?  Try a local church.
• Give to others.  Volunteer.  Medical professor Stephen Post, PhD, is convinced that giving is essential for optimum physical and mental health in our fragmented society.  He says some California physicians give volunteerism “prescriptions” to their Medicare patients.⁵
• Seek counsel.  I used to be embarrassed to obtain professional counsel.  Now I recommend it.  We all can use good advice navigating life’s storms.
• Develop spiritual roots.  I’m glad that before my dark days began, I had a friendship with God.

Tired of friends who betray, manipulate, disrespect, or desert you?  God won’t.  He cares for you, values you, will listen to you and comfort you.  You can trust Him.  He always wants your best.

One early believer put it this way: “Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?”⁶His point: God loved us enough to send Jesus, his only Son, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our wrong, our sins.  What a demonstration of love!  I can trust a God like that.  Then Jesus rose from the dead so He could live inside us and become our friend.

Your choice

Would you like to meet Jesus, the best friend you could ever have?  Wouldn’t Christmas season be a great time to place your faith in Him?  You can tell Him something like this:

Jesus, I need you.  Thanks for dying and rising again for me.  Please forgive me, enter my life, and give me eternal life.  Help me to become good friends with you and learn to follow your lead.

End notes

1. “Christmas Holiday Depression,” 18 December 2005; www.medicalnewstoday.com.
2. Ibid.
3. Mary Cartledgehayes, “Blue Christmas – Grieving Through The Holidays,” Christian Century, December 27, 2003; www.findarticles.com.
4. “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD),” Mayo Clinic Staff, September 24, 2007; www.mayoclinic.com.
5. Stephen Post, PhD., and Jill Neimark, Why Good Things Happen to Good People (New York: Broadway Books, 2007).

God-talk has become popular among US politicians. Leaders contemplating faith-in-action would do well to look back two centuries to William Wilberforce, the famous British parliamentarian who led a grueling but bipartisan twenty-year struggle to outlaw the trading of slaves.

Abraham Lincoln acknowledged Wilberforce’s significant role in abolition.  Nelson Mandela, addressing the British Parliament in 1996, declared, “We have returned to the land of William Wilberforce who dared … to demand that the slaves in our country should be freed.”

Slavery considered ‘necessary’

As biographer Garth Lean notes, eighteenth-century Britain led the world in slave trading.  A pillar of colonial economy, the trade was legal, lucrative, and brutal.  In one notorious episode, a ship’s captain threw 132 slaves overboard because of illness and water shortage.  British law protected the ship’s owners, considering slaves property (like “horses,” opined one judge).

Many considered the trade essential to national security; it trained seamen for the Royal Navy.

Enter Wilberforce, young, silver-tongued, popular, and ambitious.  A close friend of Prime Minister William Pitt, Wilberforce seemed destined for political greatness.  Then, a profound change led him on a path that some say cost him the prime ministership, but helped rescue an oppressed people and a nation’s character.

While traveling with Cambridge professor Isaac Milner, a skeptical Wilberforce spent long hours discussing biblical faith.  His doubts receded as Milner answered his objections.  Initial intellectual assent to Christian faith morphed into deeper conviction and a personal relationship with God.  He consulted John Newton slave-trader-turned-pastor and writer of the well-known hymn, “Amazing Grace.”  Newton told Wilberforce that God had raised him up “for the good of the nation.”

Standing up, standing alone

Wilberforce considered “the suppression of the slave trade” part of his God-given destiny.  Opposition was fierce.  Financial stakeholders howled.  Some claimed slavery benefited slaves since it removed them from barbarous Africa.  The Royal Family opposed abolition.  Even Admiral Lord Nelson, Britain’s great hero, denounced “the damnable doctrine of Wilberforce and his hypocritical allies.”

Wilberforce and the Abolitionists repeatedly introduced legislation.  Apathy, hostility and parliamentary chicanery dragged out the battle.  Twice West Indian sea captains threatened Wilberforce’s life.  His health faltered.

Buoyed by friends and faith, Wilberforce persisted.  He believed God viewed all humans as equal, citing Acts 17:26, “[God] has made from one blood every nation of men.”  Methodism founder John Wesley encouraged perseverance, writing, “If God is with you, who can be against you? … Be not weary in well-doing.  Go on … till even American slavery, the vilest that ever saw the sun, shall vanish away ….”

Finally, in 1807, twenty years after beginning, Wilberforce prevailed.  Parliament erupted in cheering as the slave-trade-abolition law passed.

Outlawing the slave trade proved the impetus for a host of social improvements, including prison reforms, child labor laws, and abolition of slavery itself in 1833, of which Wilberforce learned on his deathbed.

William Wilberforce was not perfect.  He had fears, flaws and foibles like anyone.  You likely would not agree with all his political views.  But he did possess dedication to principle and to God, close friends of many stripes, a penchant for bipartisan cooperation for the greater good, and steadfast commitment to right terrible injustice.

History generally has treated him kindly.  How will history gauge today’s leaders?

In 1961, after consulting with his advisors, Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro. Advance press reports alerted Castro to the threat. Over 1,400 invaders at the Baha de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) were vastly outnumbered. Nearly 1,200 surrendered. Others died.

Top CIA leaders blamed Kennedy for not authorizing vital air strikes. Other CIA analysts faulted the wishful thinking that the invasion would stimulate an uprising among Cuba’s populace and military.   Planners assumed the invaders could simply fade into the mountains for guerilla operations. Trouble was, eighty miles of swampland separated the bay from the mountains. The list goes on.

“How could I have been so stupid?” Kennedy asked afterward. The fiasco left him feeling depressed, guilty, bitter and in tears.

When to rock the boat

Yale psychologist Irving Janis felt many of Kennedy’s top advisors were unwilling to challenge bad ideas because it might disturb group concurrence. “Groupthink” was his term for this flawed group dynamic in which decision makers are blinded by their needs for the self-esteem they get from being accepted members of a socially important insiders group. Fears of shattering warm feelings of perceived unanimity — of rocking the boat — kept some of Kennedy’s advisors from objecting to the Bay of Pigs plan before it was too late.

Presidential advisor Arthur Schlesinger, for instance, later lamented, “In the months after the Bay of Pigs I bitterly reproached myself for having kept so silent during those crucial discussions in the cabinet room. I can only explain my failure to do more than raise a few timid questions by reporting that one’s impulse to blow the whistle on this nonsense was simply undone by the circumstances of the discussion.”

Talk, debate, argue, disagree

In the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. JFK had revamped his decision-making process to encourage dissent and critical evaluation. Internal debates allowed realistic scrutiny of alternatives: bombing, invasion, blockade or negotiation. The U.S. blockaded Cuba, demanded missile removal, and negotiated feverishly. Eventually, Khrushchev removed the missiles.

Robert Kennedy later wrote, “The fact that we were able to talk, debate, argue, disagree, and then debate some more was essential in choosing our ultimate course.”

How to avoid groupthinking

Not every group succumbs to groupthink. Nor does groupthink explain every bad group decision. (Decision makers can be inept, greedy or evil, for example.) But groupthink has serious ramifications for government, business, academia, neighborhood and family.

How to avoid groupthink? Determine to stand for what is right, regardless of the cost. Jesus of Nazareth, one who stood for what he believed was right, admonished his followers to “let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Determine to speak up when situations warrant. Structure groups to avoid blind conformity and encourage healthy debate. JFK once said, “When at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us, it will ask: ‘Were we truly men of courage — with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies — and the courage to stand up, when necessary, to one’s associates?’.”

Rusty Wright is an author and university lecturer with Probe.org who has spoken on six continents. “Real Answers™” furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com. Visit our website at www.amyfound.org.

In 1961, after consulting with his advisers, Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro. Advance press reports alerted Castro to the threat. Over 1,400 invaders at the Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) were vastly outnumbered. Nearly 1,200 surrendered. Others died.

Top CIA leaders blamed Kennedy for not authorizing vital air strikes. Other CIA analysts faulted the wishful thinking that the invasion would stimulate an uprising among Cuba’s populace and military. Planners assumed the invaders could simply fade into the mountains for guerrilla operations. Trouble was, eighty miles of swampland separated the bay from the mountains. The list goes on.

“How could I have been so stupid?” Kennedy asked afterward. The fiasco left him feeling depressed, guilty, bitter and in tears.

When to rock the boat

Yale psychologist Irving Janis felt many of Kennedy’s top advisers were unwilling to challenge bad ideas because it might disturb group concurrence. “Groupthink” was his term for this flawed group dynamic in which decision makers are blinded by their needs for the self-esteem they get from being accepted members of a socially important insiders group. Fears of shattering warm feelings of perceived unanimity — of rocking the boat — kept some of Kennedy’s advisers from objecting to the Bay of Pigs plan before it was too late.

Presidential adviser Arthur Schlesinger, for instance, later lamented, “In the months after the Bay of Pigs I bitterly reproached myself for having kept so silent during those crucial discussions in the cabinet room. I can only explain my failure to do more than raise a few timid questions by reporting that one’s impulse to blow the whistle on this nonsense was simply undone by the circumstances of the discussion.”

Talk, debate, argue, disagree

In the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war over the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. JFK had revamped his decision-making process to encourage dissent and critical evaluation. Internal debates allowed realistic scrutiny of alternatives: bombing, invasion, blockade or negotiation. The U.S. blockaded Cuba, demanded missile removal, and negotiated feverishly. Eventually, Khrushchev removed the missiles.

Robert Kennedy later wrote, “The fact that we were able to talk, debate, argue, disagree, and then debate some more was essential in choosing our ultimate course.”

How to avoid groupthinking

Not every group succumbs to groupthink. Nor does groupthink explain every bad group decision. (Decision makers can be inept, greedy or evil, for example.) But groupthink has serious ramifications for government, business, academia, neighborhood and family.

How to avoid groupthink? Determine to stand for what is right, regardless of the cost. Jesus of Nazareth, one who stood for what he believed was right, admonished his followers to “let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Determine to speak up when situations warrant. Structure groups to avoid blind conformity and encourage healthy debate. JFK once said, “When at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us, it will ask: ‘Were we truly men of courage — with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies — and the courage to stand up, when necessary, to one’s associates?’.”

Need guidance on making a tough decision? Contact a mentor and they will walk through the process with you.

Hot news

I am not making this up.

Take, for instance, Vanderbilt University student Frannie Boyle.  She told CNN that, in the past, she sometimes drank to excess before parties and hooked up with a stranger or acquaintance before the night was over.

“I saw it [hooking up] as a way to be recognized and get satisfaction,” Boyle admits.  But satisfaction eluded her.  “I felt so empty then,” she laments.

So she decided to kiss casual physical involvement goodbye.

(Intergenerational translator: “Hooking up,” an ambiguous term, refers to no-commitment sexual activity ranging from making out to intercourse.)

Kissing Casual Sex Goodbye

Criticism came.  Some male friends shunned Boyle.  “They probably weren’t my friends anyway,” she observes.

“I’m respecting myself,” she affirms.  ”And I won’t waste my time with some guy who doesn’t care about me.”

Boyle is in the minority, but she’s not alone.  Of course, many students abstain from non-marital sex because of spiritual convictions.  But nowadays, even nonreligious campus groups are promoting sexual self control and commitment.

For example, CNN notes that the Love and Fidelity Network features speakers and discussions to encourage students to rethink uncommitted sex.  The secular nonprofit promotes “sexual integrity” and marriage.

Some observers, citing online dating’s campus popularity, say many students long for a return to traditional dating.

Even entertainer Lady Gaga said she’s chosen sexual abstinence “because I don’t have the time to get to know anybody.”

What’s going on here?

Sexual Revolution Backfired?

The long-term emotional links between the heart and the sex glands can be stronger than one might recognize when passion rages.  Of course, in an HIV world, health and safety also are concerns.

A longing to be close to someone or a yearning to express love can generate intense desires for physical intimacy.  Yet often sex brings an emptiness rather than the wholeness people seek through it.  When I appeared on her television program discussing this topic, one producer told me, “Frankly, I think the sexual revolution has backfired in our faces.  It’s degrading to be treated like a piece of meat.”

The previous night her lover had justified his decision to sleep around by telling her, “There’s plenty of me for everyone.”  What I suspect he meant was, “There’s plenty of everyone for me.”  She felt betrayed, devalued, and alone.

Cosmic Killjoy?

I was on her program to discuss the positive influence that faith and spiritual convictions can have on sex.  Mixing faith and sex may seem surprising.  Of course, some see the biblical God as a cosmic killjoy.  But as popular speaker Josh McDowell points out, “A God who created sex can’t be all bad!”

The biblical writers portray God designing sex for pleasure, unity and procreation.  “Let her breasts satisfy you at all times,” recommends a proverb about marital sex.  “Be exhilarated always with her love.”  Hardly prudish.

Faith can provide love, self-esteem, wisdom for choosing the best, and inner strength to follow those choices. Plus forgiveness and hope of restoration when we blow it, as we all do.  Practical stuff that affects life between the sheets and life in general.

Sex is not the key to love; love is the key to sex. Many nonreligious people are making similar sounds these days.  Might those ancient texts have some genuine wisdom after all?

Has casual sex left you numb? Are you searching for intimacy in the wrong places? Watch Erwin McManus’ video on finding intimacy

But Bethany faces a special challenge that many her age do not. She is missing her left arm just below the shoulder, lost to a shark attack while surfing in Hawaii last fall. The 1,500-pound tiger shark also chomped a huge chunk from her surfboard. She’s fortunate to be alive.

Bethany, who lives on Kauai, was the state’s top-ranked female amateur surfer before the attack. Such a loss might seem devastating. USA TODAY reports that Bethany seems undismayed. Merely three months after the mishap, she was surfing competitively again. She aims to be among the world’s best surfers.

Rather than hiding her left arm under clothing, she displays it in tank tops and calls it “Stumpy.” When her prosthetic turned out to be too light in color to match her suntan, she nicknamed it Haole Girl, slang for a non-Hawaiian. She peels tangerines by holding them between her feet and using her right hand.

How to account for her bright spirits? Determination and dedication seem part of her makeup. But is there something more?

Her dad gives a clue. “She’s not suffering,” Tom Hamilton told the newspaper. “Somehow God gave Bethany an amazing amount of grace in this. I am in awe. She never says, ‘Why me?’.”

Bethany confirms her father’s analysis: “This was God’s plan for my life, and I’m going to go with it. … I might not be here if I hadn’t asked for God’s help.”

This surfer girl’s simple faith astounds observers. She has become a media darling – with TV appearances on Oprah, 20/20 and Good Morning America. Book and movie offers have come. She threw out the first pitch for baseball’s Oakland Athletics on opening day. Through it all, her family ties remain strong.

Her optimism echoes that of an early follower of Jesus, Paul, whose life-experience log included unjust imprisonments, beatings, stoning, shipwrecks and social ostracism. He was convinced that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him.”

Life can throw many curve balls: serious illness, accidents, terrorism, domestic strife, employment hassles, theft and more. Answers to “Why me?” and “What to do?” are often complex. Accompanying feelings of fear, confusion, grief or despair should not be ignored or minimized.

But perhaps a perspective that includes God in the picture can be a starting place for coping. Maybe the surfer girl’s belief and trust have something valuable to say to a society filled with pain and risk.

During a winter New York City media tour, Bethany spontaneously gave her ski jacket to a homeless girl sitting on a Times Square subway grate, then called off a shopping spree, citing her own material abundance.

Something very significant is happening in this young athlete’s life.

Have you been waiting, hoping, longing for something significant to happen in your life? Today could be the day!

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it?

Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Living with hope

If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

“That’s easy,” you might say. “Success is … for an athlete, winning the Super Bowl, the World Series, or a gold medal: for an entertainer, winning an Oscar, a Grammy, or an Emmy; for a businessperson, being a top executive with one of the Fortune 500 companies: for a university student, being elected to Phi Beta Kappa or student government.” But is it always so easy to define?

Several years ago Ranier, a German friend, spent three months with me in the U. S. Once, while he was watching his first baseball game on TV, the batter hit the ball out of the park for a home run. The fans went wild! Ranier turned to me with a puzzled look and asked, “Why are they cheering? They’ve lost the ball?” To the hometown fans the batter was a great success. To someone from another culture, the home run was a mystery.

The meaning of success also varies with individuals. One dictionary defines success as “the satisfactory accomplishment of a goal sought for.” To be successful, you must achieve the goal and be satisfied with the outcome. With this definition one wonders if “success” that does not include personal satisfaction–a sense of well-being–is really true success at all.

Keys to Success

Several factors contribute to success. Consider a few:

1. Positive Self-Concept. Imagine that you wake up one morning and your roommate is waiting to tell you something. He or she says, “I’ve been wanting to tell you what an outstanding roommate you are. You’re so kind, so thoughtful; you always keep the room so neat. Just being around you motivates me to be the most positive person I can be.”

After you recover from your cardiac arrest, you head off toward your first class of the day. Whom should you run into but your date of the previous evening, who says, “Am I ever glad I ran into you! I’d been hoping I’d get a chance to tell you again what a terrific time I had yesterday. My friends are so jealous of me. They think that I’m the luckiest person in the world to go out with someone like you, and I agree! You’re so friendly, so intelligent. You have a great sense of humor and good looks to boot! Why, when I’m with you, I feel like I’m in a dream!”

Then you float into your first class. Your professor is about to return the midterm exams you took last week, but before he distributes them he says, “I have an announcement I’d like to make. I want everyone to know what an outstanding job this student has done on this test.” He points to you in the front row and says, “You are a breath of fresh air to me as a professor. You always do your assignments on time. You often do even more than is expected of you. Why, if every student were like you, teaching would be a joy. I was even considering leaving teaching before you came along!”

Wouldn’t that help you have a great attitude about yourself? And wouldn’t it motivate you to be a better roommate, a better date, a better student? You’d say to yourself, “Why, I’m one sharp person. After all, my roommate, my date and my prof all think so … and they’re no dummies!” You wouldn’t argue with them for a minute! {1}

Of course, some people think so highly of themselves that their egos become problems. Nevertheless, many psychologists agree with Dr. Joyce Brothers when she says, ” . .  a strong, positive self- image is the best possible preparation for success in life.”{2}

2. Clearly Defined Goals. Aim at nothing and you’ll surely hit it. Aim at a specific goal and, even if you don’t hit it, chances are you’ll be a lot farther along than if you’d never aimed at all.

The U. S. Space Program has produced many successes and, sadly, a few tragic failures. The successes of NASA help illustrate the importance of goal setting. Perhaps you’ve heard of the three electricians who were working on the Apollo spacecraft. A reporter asked each what he was doing. The first said, “I’m inserting transistors into circuits.” The second answered, “I’m soldering these wires together.” The third explained, “I’m helping to put a man on the moon.”

Which one was more motivated and satisfied? Probably the one who saw how his activities fit into the overall goal.

Without a clear life’s goal, daily duties can become drudgery. Knowing your life’s goal can increase your motivation and satisfaction as you see how daily activities help accomplish that goal.

In the early 1960′s, President John F. Kennedy set a goal of putting an American on the moon by the end of the decade. In 1969, Neil Armstrong took his “one small step.” A specific goal helped NASA achieve a major milestone in history. Someone who desires success will set specific goals.

3. Hard Work. Any successful athlete knows that there would be no glory on the athletic field without hard work on the practice field. A true test of character is not just how well you perform in front of a crowd, but how hard you work when no one notices-in the office, in the library, in practice. President Calvin Coolidge believed “nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not … Genius will not … Education will not … Persistence, determination, and hard work make the difference.” {3}

“A true test of character is not just how well you perform in front of a crowd, but how hard you work when no one notices.”

“What is success?” asks British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing … hard work and a certain sense of purpose…. I think I had a flair for … (my work), but natural feelings are never enough. You have got to marry those natural feelings with really hard work.” {4}

The heavyweight-boxing champion of another era, James J. Corbett, often said, “You become the champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round.” {5}

Success requires hard work. Of course you can overdo it and become a workaholic. One workaholic businessman had a sign in his office that read, “Thank God It’s Monday!” We all need to balance work and recreation, but hard work is essential to success.

4. A Willingness to Take Risks. Theodore Roosevelt expressed the value of this asset in one of his most famous statements: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the great twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat, ” {6}

Ingemar Stenmark, the great Olympic skier, says, “In order to win, you have to risk losing.” Consider this question: “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” That question can expand your vision and enlarge your dreams. Maybe your desire is to be a great political leader, an entertainer, a top businessperson or academician, a star athlete. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Now ask, “Am I willing to risk a few possible failures in order to achieve that goal?” Success often involves risks.

An Obstacle to Success and Satisfaction

A positive self-concept, clear goals, hard work, and a willingness to take risks … all contribute to success. But there is a major obstacle to experiencing success and satisfaction in life.

In 1923 a very important meeting was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Attending this meeting were seven of the world’s most successful financiers-people who had found the secret of making money.

Consider what had happened to these men 25 years later. The president of the largest independent steel company, Charles Schwab, died in bankruptcy and lived on borrowed money for five years before his death. The president of the greatest utility company, Samuel Insull, died a fugitive from justice and broke in a foreign land. The president of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard Whitney, spent time in Sing Sing Penitentiary. A member of the President’s cabinet, Albert Fall, was pardoned so he could die at home. The greatest “bear” on Wall Street, Jesse Livermore, died a suicide. The head of the greatest monopoly, Ivan Krueger, died a suicide. The president of the Bank of International Settlements, Leon Fraser, died a suicide. All these had learned well, the art of success in making a living, but apparently they all struggled with learning how to live successfully. {7}

Pollster and social commentator Daniel Yankelovich quotes a $100,000/ year full partner in a public relations firm: “I have achieved success by the definition of others but am not fulfilled. I appear successful … I have published, lectured, exceeded my income goals, achieved ownership and a lot of people depend on me. So, I’ve adequately achieved the external goals but they are empty.”{8}

Dustin Hoffman is an extremely successful movie actor. His film career seems almost dazzling and includes an Oscar for his performance in “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Yet consider what he says about happiness and satisfaction: “I don’t know what happiness is …. life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? I’d strike out happiness …. Walk down the street and look at the faces. When you demand happiness, aren’t you asking for something unrealistic?”{9}

Success in one area does not guarantee satisfaction in life. You can reach all your goals and still not be at peace with yourself. How can you both achieve your goals and be satisfied? And even if you feel a degree of satisfaction, could there be something more?

“You can reach all your goals, and still not be at peace with yourself.”

Successful and Satisfied

More and more psychologists and psychiatrists are seeing the need to develop the total person physically, psychologically, and spiritually–to produce real satisfaction. Often in our struggle for success, we focus on physical and psychological development at the expense of the spiritual.

Not long ago a group of counselors spent quite a bit of time in New York City interviewing some of the nation’s most successful executives. They interacted with editors of newspapers and magazines, executives with advertising agencies, banks, the TV networks, seeking to understand these leaders’ ideas about success.

One question these counselors asked involved the spiritual area: “What place do faith and spiritual values have in your fife?” In response, 75% conveyed that spiritual values were “important” or “very important” to both personal and professional development. Remarked one, “If they could be strengthened, a lot of these other things would fall into place.” Yet, surprisingly few of these leaders had clearly defined convictions in the spiritual area. As one radio broadcaster noted with a smile, “I am inspirable, but I can’t find anyone to inspire me!” {10}

Then these executives were told about someone who could inspire them, one of history’s most influential personalities, a person who stressed the importance of spiritual development as well as the physical and psychological. The life and teachings of this influential and very successful leader have made quite a positive impact on my own life, as well. Perhaps a bit of background will put my discovery in perspective.

In high school I looked for success through athletics, academics and student government. And I found it. I lettered in basketball and track … our track team was undefeated. I ranked in the top of my class academically, was involved in student government, and was attending one of the nation’s leading prep schools. John F. Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson were graduates as were playwright Edward Albee and actor Michael Douglas.

I mention these details not to boast but to draw a contrast. Success in these areas had not brought the personal satisfaction I’d wanted. I was still an introvert, sometimes afraid to introduce myself to a stranger or ask a young woman for a date. My attitudes were often inconsistent with my behavior. Outwardly I could appear very positive and loving, while inwardly I might be negative and resentful of someone I didn’t like. Guilt, anxiety and a poor self-image often hindered me from taking risks or from being vulnerable in relationships.

Later, in college, I was still wrestling with these areas. Then I ran into a group of students who had something special about them, a love, joy, and enthusiasm I found very attractive. I especially appreciated the fact that they accepted me just the way I was. I didn’t have to try to impress them with a list of accomplishments, though they were sharp, attractive, and successful. Even in dating I didn’t feel the normal pressure to display a macho image. They seemed to like themselves and they accepted me, too.

These were Christian students and I knew that I wanted what they had. They told me they had found a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I couldn’t accept all that right away, yet I kept going back to their meetings because I was curious and because it was a good place to get a date. Especially because it was a good place to get a date!

An Open Door

The more I spent time around them, the more I saw how their faith affected their lives and relationships. They told me that God loved me unconditionally, but that I was separated from Him by a condition of alienation called sin. They said that He had sent His unique Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and rise from the grave to offer new life. When I placed my faith in Him, they explained, He would enter my life, forgive me of my sin, and begin to produce the fulfillment I’d been looking for.

Finally, through a simple, silent attitude of my heart, I said, “Jesus Christ, I need you. Thanks for dying and rising again for me. I want to accept your free gift of forgiveness. I open the door of my heart and invite you in. Give me the fulfilling life you promised.” There was no thunder and lightning. Angels didn’t rise in the background singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” and I didn’t become perfect. But gradually, I began to see change. I had a new inner peace that didn’t fluctuate with circumstances. I found a freedom from guilt and a new purpose for living. I saw my self-image improve and felt freer to take risks, to love others less conditionally.

There are many examples of Christians who are both successful and satisfied: Roger Staubach, former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys; Julius Erving, star professional basketball player; J. C. Penney, founder of the department store chain; Dr. Charles Malik, past president of the UN General Assembly: Mark Hatfield, U. S. Senator from Oregon; Janet Lynn, a figure skater; Jerome Hines, Amy Grant, Pat Boone and Debby Boone as entertainers: and many more. Being a Christian doesn’t guarantee supreme success. Christians have their failures, too. But a relationship with God can enhance your self-concept, help clarify your goals, strengthen your determination and help you improve whatever you do. The personal satisfaction Christ provides can make a positive difference, too.

“What a tragedy to … climb the ladder of success, only to reach the top and find the ladder leaning against the wrong wall.”

Here’s how: Remember the earlier illustration about your roommate, date and professor showering praise on you? Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen every day. But God thinks you are very special, so special that He sent His only Son to die in your place. When you come to know Christ personally and realize the magnitude of His love for you, you can find strength to accept yourself and greater freedom to take prudent risks. You can face rejection with the security that even if everyone else turns on you, God still loves you. Knowing He wants the best for you can increase your determination to work hard for worthwhile goals.

What about you? Does your definition of success include personal satisfaction? Have you found success? Will your success be enough to sustain you through any rough times that may lie ahead? Have you found personal satisfaction?

What a tragedy it would be to spend an entire lifetime climbing the ladder of success only to reach the top and find the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. Are you willing to consider how Jesus Christ can make a difference in your life?

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Living with hope

If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

Notes

1. Illustration adapted from Zig Ziglar, See You at the Top (Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 1979), p. 46.

2. Ibid., p. 49.

3. Ibid, p. 319.

4. Prince Michael of Greece, “I Am Fantastically Lucky,” Parade Magazine, July 13, 1986, p. 4.

5. Ziglar, op. cit.

6. Hugh Sidey, To Dare Mighty Things,” Time, June 9, 1980, p. 15.

7. Adapted from Bill Bright, “The Uniqueness of Jesus” (San Bernardino, CA: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1968) pp. 14-15.

8. Daniel Yankelovich, New, Rules,p-69.

9. Gerald Clarke. “A Father Finds His Son,” “Time,” December 3, 1979, p. 79.

10. Patty Burgin, “A View From the Top,” Collegiate Challenge, 1980, p. ii.

©1986 Rusty Wright. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Christian medical student who was trying to communicate his faith for the first time was a bit flustered. He had just told the patient that God loved her, but his training hadn’t taught him how to deal with this objection. Conceived during a rape, this woman had lived 62 years with the misconception that the Bible says, “God hates bastards.”

After gathering his wits, the student continued and read her a statement written by John, a first-century believer, in the New Testament: “To all who believe Him [Jesus] and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” The patient broke down weeping and soon placed her faith in God. “And who is your father?” the student asked at the end of the visit. With a big smile, she answered, “God is my father!”

Medical personnel, like this student, often want to render spiritual assistance to their patients but fear they might confuse or offend. Yet Christian physicians and health-care workers are discovering that they can tactfully and sensitively communicate faith to patients in their hours of deepest hurt. Led by Yang Chen, MD, and his wife, Alice, the Medical Strategic Network (MSN) has coached medical professionals worldwide to be sensitive to spiritual needs.

Solid Information

MSN’s success reflects current trends. A survey of the American Academy of Family Physicians (reported in 1996) found that 99 percent of doctors believe the spirit and flesh are significantly related. Recent studies have examined possible links between workers religious practices and physical/psychological ailments and prognoses. A Time/CNN poll in June 1996 found that 64 percent of Americans “thought doctors should pray with those patients who request it.” Research conducted in February 1996 for USA Weekend showed that 63 percent feel doctors should talk with patients about faith.

Through conferences called “Medical Evangelism Training and Strategies,” or simply “METS,” MSN offers specialized training to help health professionals address spiritual issues with skill and sensitivity. METS participants learn to take a “spiritual history” interviewing interested patients about their response to illness, feelings, fears and sources of strength. Many discussions reveal a deep hunger to know God.

“As physicians, we’re trained to ask questions before we formulate our diagnoses and treatment,” Dr. Chen says. “Asking the right questions is essentially the way we get at the root of a person’s medical problems.” MSN’s emphasis is not to push but lovingly to share good news with the many who express interest.

Dr. Chen tells of one METS trainee who asked a patient, “Is there anything about your illness that has raised fears or concerns about the future?” The patient responded, “Yeah, I’m having open-heart surgery tomorrow, and I don’t know if I’ll spend eternity with God.” The startled doctor stood, mouth gape, for a moment, then realized he had a short, written summary of the Christian message in his pocket. He used it to introduce the patient to Christ.

Dr. Chen reports that during a METS conference field practicum, up to 75 percent of patients who don’t already know Christ personally (and who have the opportunity during the visit to learn how to) do indicate that they place their faith in Christ during the interview. He says the results are consistent among various types of hospitals, including veterans, county, private and university medical centers.

Lets’ Talk

Not everyone accepts Christ right away of course, but trained medical professionals can sow seeds. MSN associates Bob and Diana Mason help facilitate MSN conferences and seek to spiritually build medical students and health-care professionals at Southern California’s Loma Linda University. The Masons tell of Georgia, a nurse, and her husband, Bill, who encountered a skeptical patient. “What keeps you going through your illness?” asked Bill. “Good beer,” the patient replied. Bill then asked the man about his relationship with God. “I have a real good relationship with God,” the patient explained. “He leaves me alone, and I leave Him alone.” Sensing bitterness in the man, Bill and Georgia listened to his story of war experiences and disappointments. Then Georgia said, “Do you think your mother was bitter?” “Oh, no,” the patient said. “She was a believer. “Do you think your mother prayed for you?” Georgia ventured sensitively “Definitely.” “Would you like this booklet?” “I’m not going to read it. It’s a waste of my time.” “Would you read it for your mother?” “Yeah. You can leave it.” A seed was sown.

Another time, Dr. Chen accompanied a Tennessee opthalmologist who communicated his faith to a patient who had just been transferred out of the ICU after having his endotracheal tube removed. Seeing the patient’s sixtyish brother sitting nearby, Dr. Chen asked if he had ever heard this message of knowing God personally.

“You know,” the brother replied, “all my life I’ve been looking for the answer to that question. I have a brother-in-law who is a minister, and one day I asked him, ‘I really want to pray and get close to God, but I don’t know how?”‘ The minister responded, “Just keep on trying. You’ll get it one of these days.”

The brother continued to Dr. Chen: “I’m a truck driver. Often when I’m driving on the freeway and I see a synagogue, a church, or a mosque, I stop, get into the place of worship and contemplate for 15 minutes, hoping to get some kind of answer.” That day, both brothers found the answer.

Body and Soul

Dr. Chen enthusiastically encourages his peers to consider their spheres of influence: “Medical professionals are key influences in society by virtue of their roles and relationships. We have a unique platform for ministry. The essence of this healing ministry healed both body and soul. The Greek word sozo meant both to heal and to save. In other words, in Jesus healing and salvation were inseparable.

“Healing for Christian medical professionals cannot be merely science,” he continues, “or even humanitarian service in the name of Christ. To be authentic, we must integrate our Christian faith with our healing.”

Dr. Chen goes on to note that many Christian medical professionals feel ill-equipped to relate the message of Christ to the concerns of their patients and colleagues. Some are intimidated by a sometimes stifling professional environment.

MSN provides training, discipleship, leadership development and opportunities to serve abroad. “Our missions emphasis includes a strong commitment to the integration of spiritual with social transformation,” Dr. Chen says. “The Network seeks to work together with individuals and organizations who share the same overall vision.”

MSN personnel are convinced that health-care processionals, properly equipped, can make a lasting impact by providing clear spiritual answers, one life at a time.

Yang Chen on Faith and Practice

Physician: How can a physician balance what he was told in medical school (“don’t push your faith/religion on patients”) with what you are encouraging-completely mixing medicine and ministry?

Yang Chen: Physicians need to realize that spiritual care is an integral part of patient care rather than something extraneous to the clinician’s role. There is a sizable body of scientific literature documenting the positive impact of spiritual intervention. In fact, a growing list of medical schools are beginning to incorporate a “spiritual care curriculum” into the educational process. Multiple surveys have also shown that most patients want their doctors to consider the patient’s spiritual needs. In fact, it could be argued that failure to recognize and address these aspects in a patient who wants them and could benefit from them is a form of negligence. Clinicians who want to know how to address spiritual issues can receive formal training in this area, while those who do not feel comfortable with it should at least consider referring the patient to a colleague who is competent to deal with these issues.

Physician: What can a physician do when she is reprimanded for sharing her faith, perhaps even jeopardizing her career?

Yang Chen: In my experience, if approached in a sensitive and caring manner, most patients are grateful that their own doctor is interested in their spiritual welfare. There are non-threatening ways to identify the patient’s spiritual openness and obtain his permission before delving more deeply into these issues. Nevertheless, the physician who wants to provide spiritual care should be prepared for spiritual conflict. She should familiarize herself with the ethical principles and the importance of spiritual intervention and be prepared to present these arguments in a cogent and collegial manner if challenged.