Tag Archives: bloganuary

Memorable Gifts and Prayers of Thanks

Posted on March 4, 2023 by Michael Summers

What is the most memorable gift you have received? When I was in my twenties, my younger brother Mark, to whom I referred in a recent post about my earliest memory, gave me a Christmas present that impressed me from … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged baptism, bloganuary, faith, faithfulness, giving, grace, love, mirror, obedience, Prayer, salvation | Leave a comment

How Do You Show Love?

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Michael Summers

How do you show love? In his 1995 book The 5 Love Languages, author and family life consultant Gary Chapman identified five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Although he identified … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bloganuary, Golden Rule, love, love languages, poetry, Prayer, service, Valentine's Day | Leave a comment

Praying for Preachers

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Michael Summers

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bloganuary, christianity, Church of Christ, encouragement, poetry, Prayer, preacher shortage, preachers, preaching | 1 Comment

Prayer and Overcoming Fear

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Michael Summers

What fear have you overcome? In November 1998, I was preaching as an Army chaplain under a large tent in the Mojave Desert to a group of elite infantry soldiers. A siren rang out, interrupting our worship. The blaring noise … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bloganuary, breathing, calm, faith, fear, Lamaze, Prayer, presence of the Lord, trust | Leave a comment

Prayer and Procrastination

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Michael Summers

What are the pros and cons of procrastination? How may we overcome the urge to procrastinate? There indeed are possible positive outcomes to procrastination. Delaying departure may result in avoiding an accident or a confrontation. Delaying response to a housing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anxiety, armor of God, bloganuary, courage, fear, laziness, Prayer, procrastination, Proverbs, sluggard | Leave a comment

Books that Changed My Life

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Michael Summers

Has a book changed your life? A few books have captured my attention and changed my perspective in ways that altered the direction of my life. I will identify them at the end of this post. None of the books … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged black history month, bloganuary, book review, chaplain, christianity, church history, Church of Christ, discipleship, leadership, missional, reading | Leave a comment

Prayer, Praise, and the Beauty of the Sunset

Posted on February 1, 2023 by Michael Summers

Where is the best place to watch the sunset near you? I like to run in the afternoon. During the winter when the days are shorter, my runs often coincide with sunset. On one of my routes, I run west … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymns of Prayer, Prayers from Psalms | Tagged bloganuary, faith, glorifying God, praise, Prayer, Psalm 65, Sunset | Leave a comment

Prayer and the Language I Want to Speak

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Michael Summers

What language do you wish you could speak? I have studied several foreign languages. Of those, I speak Spanish best and read New Testament Greek best. While I was living in Germany, a florist once refused to sell to me … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bloganuary, christianity, faithfulness, fluency, linguistics, love, Prayer, preaching | Leave a comment

Prayer and My Childhood Dream Job

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Michael Summers

What was your dream job as a child? For a time, I wanted to be a paleontologist. Paleontology is the study of what fossils tell us about the past. Intriguingly, a young girl a few years younger than I who … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bloganuary, chaplain, dream job, hope, paleontology, Prayer, vocation, wisdom, work | Leave a comment

The Songs that Speak to Me

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Michael Summers

What is a song or poem that speaks to you? Why does it reach into your heart more than others? My daughter when she was younger heard a song on the radio and turned to me after listening intently to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymns of Prayer | Tagged armor of God, bloganuary, fear, Hymns, Prayer, resilience, The Impossible Dream, While on the Sea | 2 Comments