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State Missionary Rick Lance is executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.

Other Recent Blog Entries:

The Caleb Spirit in 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
In my mind, Caleb is the Barnabas of the Old Testament. When others seemed to lose hope, he offered encouragement to them.

A Year to Remember
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we allow the Christ of Christmas to guide us through the experience. Rather than being caught up in the routined frenzy of long lines at stores shopping for gifts and the endless social gatherings during the season, we can focus on what is called the Advent.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Thursday, December 8, 2011
This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we allow the Christ of Christmas to guide us through the experience. Rather than being caught up in the routined frenzy of long lines at stores shopping for gifts and the endless social gatherings during the season, we can focus on what is called the Advent.

Finishing Strong
Monday, November 21, 2011
I do not pretend to be a football coach, but I do believe this "sports experience" translates into our everyday lives, most notably in our Christian lives. There are times when we have seemingly given our all and we feel spent, emotionally, physically and even spiritually.

Be Encouraged!
Thursday, October 28, 2011
In periods of history like the one we now face, Christians have often done some of their most effective service for Christ. But in order to be an effective servant, we must find our source of encouragement in the face of these discouraging situations.

SBC Today: An Interview
Thursday, October 16, 2011
Managing ourselves means more than controlling the calendar, staying morally and ethically pure, reading the latest books, keeping family time balanced, and running things smoothly in one's ministry. I am convinced this means staying in touch with Lord and with yourself in such a way that you make the right decisions and lead in the right direction.


December 2006

A Prayer for the New Year

Submitted: Tuesday, December 26, 2006; 1:22 p.m.
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Lord, as we your children embrace the prospects of a New Year of ministry in your name, I pray that each one of us will ask for wisdom like daily bread to be consumed for nourishment. The opportunities before us are unknown to us and, that in itself can cause concern and anxiety, but knowing that you never leave us or forsake us, offers immeasurable assurance for the challenges we face.

Father, we need the wisdom that only you can give to us. We need the wisdom that comes from walking with you daily and learning from you through the experiences of life. This wisdom can teach us to be patient when life seems to be moving to slowly in terms of our own agendas. Your wisdom afforded to us can also give us courage to change our behavior when it is not Christ-honoring.

As the New Year faces us over the horizon of time, help us to see it in the bite size pieces of daily living and not in the chunks of time we call weeks and months. Teach us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom. Remind us to ask in faith so that your daily dose of wisdom can come like a helpful prescription from the divine pharmacy of heaven.

As we walk in wisdom through the opportunities of 2007, may we understand that life is a journey to be lived in fellowship with You and others who know You and love You. Let this experience be an act of daily worship of You and an act of daily fellowship with Your people. Although we are not promised tomorrow, we trust for the gift of life as we have it in Jesus. It is in His name we make this prayer, amen.


Christmas Wishes and Christmas Prayers

Submitted: Wednesday, December 6, 2006; 11:29 p.m.
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A pastor friend of mine once told me about a time early in ministry when his children were very young and excited that Christmas was fast approaching. My friend saw his daughters in the living room floor eagerly examining magazines featuring the attractive new toys popular for the gift buying frenzy of the season. As a young pastor and father, my friend knew that his modest budget could not possibly support the ambitious agendas of his daughters. This led him to offer a few words of realism about the financial resources available this year. One of the daughters spoke emphatically at him with a gleam in her eye, "Oh, Daddy, we are just wushing." Wushing is the sentiment expressed by older children and adults when they form a wish list for Christmas.

Somewhere along the way, my Christmas wishing turned into more of an exercise of Christmas praying. This reminds me of another anecdotal account of how wishing and praying can match well in this season. There was a little girl who knelt by her bed with her Mom to say her prayers. This child was a fervent pray-er. On this occasion she prayed about the usual concerns and then offered thanks for the memorable blessings. But then her volume was raised to the intensity of a shout when she made one last request. "Dear Lord, you know I have asked for a new bicycle this Christmas and you know the good things I could do for You with it. Please give me a new bike for Christmas." She closed the prayer with an amen, and then her mother asked, "Honey, why did you yell out your request for a new bike? The Lord is not deaf." "I know He is not deaf, Mom, but Grandmother is and she is in the next room."

Wishing and praying during the Christmas season can become one. However, I have formed a prayer list for Christmas filled with personal concerns, and not one of them is material in nature.

There will be gift buying, but this Christmas my main prayer is that I will not just buy a gift for my loved ones, but I pray that I will be a gift to my loved ones. The giving of the material things can veil the real desire of our hearts which is to give ourselves to those we love, especially The One-- Jesus Christ the Lord!

When Christ came at Christmas He received gifts of value from a few admirers and worshippers, but most notably Jesus was the Gift in the truest sense of the word. Following in His footsteps I hope I can be a gift to someone this Christmas. That desire is more than a wish, it is a prayer. It is the mission of my Christmas experience. Do I still wish? Yes, but I enjoy praying more. Do I still buy gifts? Yes, but I want to be sure I am packaged well to be a gift to Christ and others.