Contributor List, Biographies, and Suggested Resources
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Favorite Quote
Everywhere is somewhere. Everybody’s somebody’s child.
—Singer/songwriter Tim EastonFive Things to Do to Make the World a Better Place
- Smile. Mother Teresa once said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is
an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” It’s the simplest
way to acknowledge that we are all God’s children. - Learn a language other than English. Many people in our communities
are isolated by a language barrier. Language is humanity’s way of
bringing order to the chaos. If you read the creation story in Genesis 1,
you’ll notice that naming—giving words to something—is part of God’s
act of creating. Instead of always expecting other people to cross the
barriers of language and culture, why not be willing to take a step into
their world? - Become familiar with the systems and resources in place in your
community. As Christians, we can always offer to pray for those in need.
But if we are familiar with the systems and resources in our community,
we can also point people in the direction of practical, tangible help.
Sometimes churches start a program or ministry to meet a need, but other
times, we can fi nd God already at work and affi rm these efforts. - Bridge the generation gaps. Western culture is age-centric. Young people
spend their time with young people doing the things young people do;
old people do the same. We miss so many opportunities to learn and
be inspired by each other. Be willing to seek out those who are much
younger or older than you are, and build relationships. - Grow something. A garden is a wonderful place to be constantly
reminded of the still-unfolding miracle of creation. If you don’t have
space for a garden (or the energy to deal with the upkeep), even a single
potted marigold will do. Growing things keep us connected to the earth
and the beautiful mystery of life.