As a kid growing up in rural Alabama, I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to travel broadly. For us, making the journey from Anniston to Eastwood Mall in  Birmingham  was like a mini-vacation.

 

Going to an exotic location, like Hawaii, seemed out of the question.  However, in 1995 I made my first trip to Hawaii, and of course, Pearl Harbor was high on my list of sites to visit.

 

I was raised near Pelham Range and Fort McClellan in Calhoun County.  Seeing military convoys traveling the highways and hearing artillery fire from the range was a routine part of life.  Later, when I served as an associate minister at the First Baptist Church of Weaver, near the army base, and even later, as I taught on the adjunct faculty at the college on the base, I developed significant friendships with military personnel.  As long as I can remember, I have had a deep sense of gratitude for veterans and profound sense of gratitude for all of our military personnel.

 

I think anyone who visits Pearl Harbor is overwhelmed with emotion.  As I watched tourists and veterans alike walk around the monument reading the list of names with reverent silence and then gaze in the water at the rusted vessel, I thought about the families who never saw their young men and women return home.

 

Mostly due to a missions partnership we had developed through our church, I made subsequent visits to Hawaii in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. My most memorable visit occurred in 1999.  That year I had the privilege of taking my friend, Mack Jones of Corbin, Kentucky, on his first trip to Hawaii.  Mack’s brother, Edward, died January 5, 1944 in the aftermath of the attacks on Pearl Harbor and is buried at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as “Punchbowl.”

 

On a prior trip, a group of us, including Mack’s wife, Wylene, had visited Punchbowl, located the headstone for Edward W. Jones, taken a few photos, and then did a pencil tracing of the gravemarker to take home to Mack.

 

The next year, we were privileged to return, and this time Mack went with us.  First we traveled up the hill to Punchbowl and visited Edward’s grave.  Then we traveled to Pearl Harbor to visit the memorial.  As a group of us stood alongside our friend, whose brother never returned home to Kentucky, we were even more aware of the sobering reality of war, and even more appreciative of the sacrifices of those paid the price of our freedom with their own blood.

 

Since I have moved to Pensacola, I have conducted over 100 services at Barrancas National Cemetery located at the Naval Air Station here.  As a minister, I am honored to share words in memoriam for veterans of all ages.

 

And today, as I think about that memorable visit to Pearl Harbor and Punchbowl, and my many other visits to Barrancas, Eisenhour, and Arlington National Cemeteries, I am also praying that the Christmas “peace on earth and goodwill to all humankind” will become our global reality.

 

(Barry Howard serves as the senior minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

Today we have an opportunity to exercise our civil liberty by going to the polls to vote. Tom Brokaw reminds us that we will go freely and “not at the point of a gun or a tank” and that is still one of the greatest expressions of democracy in the world.

To put it succinctly, as people of faith who are called to be responsible citizens, we have an opportunity to think, to vote, and to pray.

Think!  Think through the issues. Think about the challenges and opportunities facing our nation and our world.  Think about the values of the candidates.  Think for yourself and don’t let anyone…your mother, your father, your minister, your favorite news personality, or your favorite rock star, do your thinking for you.

Vote!  Voting is our civic responsibility and is still one of the most significant privileges afforded citizens of these United States.  Don’t let any poll or prejudiced prediction persuade you that your vote doesn’t count.  Until the last ballot is counted, every vote counts, and your single vote becomes a part of the collective voice that chooses important leaders for this crucial season.

Pray!  Of course it is important to pray before or for the election.  However, once the campaign rhetoric has grown silent, the ballots have been counted, and the winners have been announced, it is imperative that we pray for whoever is elected because the winning candidate will have a tough, tough assignment. The challenge of unifying our nation and navigating the maze of decisions nationally and globally is almost impossible.

Late tonight or early tomorrow, winners will be announced for every public office in the country, and we will know the name of the next president of the United States.  Bipartisan cooperation is not only needed in Congress; it can begin in our public discourse.  A presidential election is not like the big rivalry game between your favorite team and their nemesis where afterward you praise the winner and taunt the loser, or vice versa. It is the election of an imperfect human being to lead our great nation.

Today, think, vote, and pray!  And tomorrow let’s call on ourselves and our leaders to engage in constructive public dialogue and to begin a new era in bipartisan leadership that tackles the tough issues with fresh vision and courage.

(Barry Howard serves as the senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of Pensacola.)

This summer while visiting various sites in the ancient Roman Empire, I tried to brush up on my knowledge of the history of Western Civilization.  Just to make a full disclosure, the only “D” I made in college was in the “HY101: A History of Western Civilization.” And I’ve been trying to improve my understanding of that part of the world ever since.

Our tour started in Istanbul, Turkey, continued through the Greek isles, and culminated in Athens, Greece. We visited three of the sites of Wonders of the Ancient World: The Temple of Diana, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Mausoleum.

All along our tour we saw monuments and statues with tributes to the provincial governors and to one of the many Caesars. After dinner each evening, when I returned to our room, I would try to catch up on the news of the day by watching BBC or reading an online paper from the U.S.  As I read about Caesar by day, and read about the upcoming U.S. election by night, the simple but daunting reality dawned upon me that citizens in the ancient Roman world had no voice in choosing their governmental leaders, but we in the U.S. do, and that is still a rare and treasured privilege, even in today’s world.

Across the history of eastern and western civilizations, only a small percentage of the world’s population has ever had a voice in choosing government officials.  Even today when more nations than ever enjoy some form of democracy, only a fraction of the world’s citizens have any say in choosing their elected leaders.

How would life have been different if citizens in the ancient Roman Empire had been given the opportunity to vote on their government leaders? In a crucial election year, characterized by inflammatory rhetoric and partisan polarities, it’s important to remember that choosing leaders by “voting your conscience and conviction” is a privilege and responsibility afforded to only a few individuals.

I returned home from my summer travels with a greater awareness of my national and spiritual heritage, and a greater appreciation for our many freedoms.  However, as a pastor and as a citizen of these United States, this year I am weary of partisan propaganda-driven politics by both major parties.  I am disturbed by the rumor-mongering, name-calling, and urban myths that are “shared” on social network pages, blogs, and circulating emails.  And I am bothered that many in the name of faith are attacking the personal character and the religion of candidates they have never met, all the while avoiding serious dialogue about the most pressing issues of our day. Maybe more of our time and conversation should be aimed at developing constructive and rational strategies for addressing our national and global challenges.

As the election approaches, here are my perspectives on how we exercise responsible citizenship in times like these, regardless of our party affiliation or religious conviction:

• Do your homework.  Research the candidates and amendments.  Do the hard work of wading through the propaganda. Don’t let anyone else tell you how to vote…not your mother, not your father, not your favorite superstar, and certainly not your preacher.
• Practice civil discourse.
  Elections are a time to speak your conscience, vote your conviction, and engage in civil discourse.  Evaluating and critiquing the issues is much harder work than assailing and attacking a candidate. Dialogue with trusted friends about the pros and cons of a candidate’s track record, leadership style, and long-term vision is constructive. Spouting verbal graffiti about the opposing team is immature and childish, and it diminishes the electoral process.
• Vote for your preferred candidate.  Discern and determine which candidate best represents your values and your vision, and then cast your ballot.  Do not be deterred or dissuaded by polls that talk about which candidate is leading on a given day. The election is not complete until your vote is cast. Realize that neither candidate is the devil or the messiah, and that each candidate’s position has strengths and weaknesses. Running for public office is demanding and exhausting.  Be grateful for those who are willing to run, even those with whom you disagree. It is difficult for those of us who have never campaigned to identify with the personal toll that is exacted on a candidate and his or her family
• Pray for whoever is elected. On the morning after the election, someone will win and someone will lose. As a person who is learning to walk by faith, I am convinced that we need to pray for whoever is elected, whether they are my candidate of choice or not.  In a partisan culture, I find it disdaining that often the losing party declares that their mission is to defeat the elected candidate by subverting all attempts at his or her successful leadership.  The person who is elected will soon discover that the job requires more than a campaign slogan. I find the words from the Bible to be relevant to the way we respond to our elected leadership: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Savior. (I Timothy 2:1-3)

Yes, we do live in uniquely perilous times. However, the dilemma and the debt our country faces were not created by leaders of one party but by both.  The resolution and resolve to correct our course will not be provided by one party or one leader, but by courageous and visionary leaders and responsible citizens from across all party lines.

The upcoming election is important but the election itself will not repair the state of the union, no matter which candidate is chosen.   My Bible does not say, “If my people who are called by my name shall elect the right president, I will heal their land.”  The Bible does say rather emphatically that, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)

If as followers of Jesus we began heeding these powerful words, we could ignite in our country a movement toward real recovery.

(Barry Howard serves as the Senior Minister of the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

When describing our church family at First Baptist Pensacola, I usually tell folks that we are a “multi-mission partner, multi-worship service, and multi-generational congregation.”

Each of those “multi” dimensions presents a unique set of dynamics. Offering multiple worship services means that we need to be intentional about being one church with multiple styles and opportunities for worship. Being a multi-generational congregation means that we are attempting to equip and minister to different age groups with each group being of equal importance.  Being a congregation with multiple mission partners requires a new level of networking that demands discernment from both the ministry staff and congregational leadership.

I am especially interested in the proliferation of missional partnerships in recent years and the specific challenges and opportunities that proliferation presents.  Multiple mission partnerships seem to be the new norm among many churches, and especially churches who network with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.  A quick survey of the list of CBF churches indicates that far fewer than 10% are exclusively identified with CBF.  Over 90% of churches who partner with CBF are networking with multiple mission partners, and the vast majority are supportive of missions through both CBF and SBC.

Is it worth the hassle of additional meetings and extended conversations to develop a missions portfolio that supports these multiple missional partners? A growing number of Baptist churches are re-visioning what it means to be “cooperative” and reconsidering exactly who needs to be in our portfolio of partnerships. 

The concept of multiple mission partnerships is not a new reality, just an expanded one. All of the Baptist churches I served early in my ministry had multiple mission partners.  Back then, however, the largest portion of a Baptist church’s mission budget went to one central clearinghouse called the Cooperative Program.  Partners receiving additional mission gifts included the local Baptist association, the Baptist Children’s Home, campus ministry organizations, the Gideons, and the American Bible Society, only to name a few. 

Across the years, the number of partners requesting to be in the church’s missional budget has grown dramatically.  I have observed at least four reasons for that increase:

1. The number of missional organizations, institutions, and societies has grown exponentially.
2. The Cooperative Program has undergone a significant process of reallocation.  A majority of Baptists continue to contribute to this unified portfolio, but the included entities and the leadership of those entities have been re-aligned. Agencies that were important to many Baptists were defunded.  For example, for many years the Baptist World Alliance was included in the Cooperative Program budget.  A few years ago the BWA was eliminated from the unified portfolio, but not without considerable dissent.  Therefore, those churches who choose to send missional support to the BWA must do so through an additional partnership. This is one of many examples of reallocation.
3. The economic recession has compounded the requests for partnerships.  For example, more missionaries in cooperative networks, including SBC and CBF, are required or encouraged to raise a portion of their financial support independently from churches and individuals.
4. There is a growing sense of independence and autonomy among Baptists that is reflective of American culture.  For example, individual Bible study groups want to choose “their” curriculum and individual churches want to choose who is in “their” missions budget.

After serving churches with a growing number of mission partners for the past few years, here are a few insights that could help those navigating the course:

1. Have strong laity-led committees and teams, especially the Missions Committee and the Finance Committee, and keep them informed about the work of all mission partners.
2. Invite representatives from your major mission partners to speak to your congregation.  For example, at our church we intentionally invite speakers from BWA, CBF, and SBC, since those are our major partners.
3. Establish accountability with all mission partners, learning their missional objectives up front, and requesting reports of how funds were used to evaluate and determine future support.
4. As a pastor, show fairness and balance to all partners, accenting the strengths of each partner, while realizing that each partner will also have weaknesses.
5. Determine which partnerships are short-term (annual) and which partners will be long-term (multi-year commitments).
6. Lead the congregation to provide prayer support, financial support, and ground support through short-term mission trips.  Those who work with our missionaries on site become our strongest advocates for missions.
7. Create a culture of call wherein teenagers and adults are challenged to consider whether they are called to “go” to the mission field or to “support” those on the mission field.

The process for creating and assimilating the mission portfolio of a local congregation has changed across the years, and in some ways is more complex.  However, what has not changed is Baptists’ love and passion for missions.

To advance the kingdom, Baptists must learn to network in a world where communities of believers have a common core faith but diverse understandings and practices.  A spirit of cooperation propels missions.  A re-hashing of tired conflicts subverts missions.

In the movie, “Field of Dreams,” the thematic phrase about the construction of a baseball field is, “if you build it, they will come.”

When it comes to Baptists and missions, if you provide the information and the opportunity they will “give” and they will “go.”

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

Caregiving is a ministry.  A caregiver is usually defined as an unpaid friend or family member who provides caring assistance for someone who suffers a long term physical or emotional illness.

As my wife and I have journeyed alongside members of our own families in their battles with cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease, we have both experienced firsthand the benefits of caregivers and caregiving organizations.  And we are too well- acquainted with the personal toll of being a caregiver.

The NationalCenter for Caregiving says that “nearly one out of every four U.S. households (23 percent or 22.4 million households) is involved in caregiving to persons age 50 or over.

Those who need caregivers include persons suffering from diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer patients, accident victims who are in therapy or rehabilitation, the elderly, and those with mental disorders.

A recent survey by the National Family Caregivers Association, an organization dedicated to helping family caregivers, found that 48 percent of caregivers cared for spouses, 24 percent for parents, and 19 percent for children.  The survey also revealed that 85 percent of all home care is provided by family and friends.

In addition to becoming extremely tired or physically exhausted, caregivers often become anxious, distressed, or depressed.  If the friend or family member for which care is given declines in health or dies, the caregiver may go through a compounded or extended season of grief.

Caregivers need care also.  Caregivers must care for themselves and they must allow themselves to receive care and encouragement from a friend, from a support group, or from their church.

Various caregiving organizations offer suggestions for assisting individuals and groups in caring for caregivers.  One organization offers the following tips which may be helpful to caregivers:

• Choose to take charge of your life, and don’t let your loved one’s illness or disability always take center stage.
• Remember to be good to yourself.  Love, honor and value yourself. You’re doing a very hard job and you deserve some quality time, just for you.
• Watch out for signs of depression, and don’t delay in getting professional help when you need it.
• When people offer to help, accept the offer and suggest specific things they can do.
• Educate yourself about your loved one’s condition. Information is empowering. 
• There’s a difference between caring and doing.  Be open to technologies and ideas that promote your loved one’s independence.
• Trust your instincts.  Most of the time they will lead you in the right direction.
• Grieve for your losses, and then allow yourself to dream new dreams.
• Stand up for your rights as a caregiver and a citizen.
• Seek support from other caregivers. There is great strength in knowing you are not alone.

Caregiving is an appreciated ministry.  But taking care of the caregiver is also a valuable and necessary ministry.

(Dr. Barry Howard serves as senior minister of the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

Often I am asked, “What can I do to grow as a Christian?”  There are several things that may help you grow in your faith but one of the most important things is to read the Bible everyday.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  But developing a daily discipline of reading the Bible can be challenging because it requires changing our daily habits.  However, you are never too young or too old to start.

Over the past couple of years, I have worked on a study team of pastors and scholars who have been investigating the impact of “The Bible and Your Life.”  Responses to our survey indicate that reading the Bible privately once a week or more is the “game-changer” in putting faith into practice. Those who read the Bible privately on a regular basis are much more likely to look to the Bible for guidance in making life decisions than those who read the Bible seldom or never.

In analyzing the responses to our survey which indicate a strong correspondence between Bible reading and faith application, Dr. Penny Marler, professor of sociology at Samford University, surmises that, “In a world that presents us with many options and distractions, what we choose to spend our time doing says a great deal about what is important to us and the more we engage in a particular behavior, the more important it becomes.”

Consider some of the advantages of reading the Bible daily.  Daily Bible reading increases our knowledge of God’s word.  Regular Bible reading gives us a more intimate and personal acquaintance with the biblical text. It helps us to discern God’s plan for us. This daily discipline encourages us to integrate the teachings of the Bible into our daily lifestyle. Daily Bible reading confronts our personal sin and affirms God’s forgiveness. This practice inspires us toward faithfulness and consistency in all of our tasks. Reading the Bible daily helps us to understand the contextual meaning of passages whereas those who read the Bible only occasionally or who read only a selected verse or two are more likely to superimpose their own presuppositions on the text.  And finally, daily Bible reading helps keep your life and faith in focus.

Years ago, Lord Tennyson wrote, “Bible reading is an education in itself.”  Here are some helpful strategies to develop a daily Bible reading plan: 

¨      Begin by using a companion devotional guide.  Our Daily Bread, Open Windows, and the Upper Room are just a few examples of devotional booklets that include both a daily Bible reading selection and a few inspirational comments and stories. There are also a growing number of online devotional sites, such as www.d365.org, that provide relevant daily devotionals, and other sites that you can subscribe to that will send daily devotional readings directly to your inbox.

¨      Try reading the Bible book by book.  Some suggest alternating your reading between New Testament and Old Testament books.

¨      Read a chapter a day from the New Testament and the Old Testament plus a Psalm and one chapter of Proverbs.  This approach provides a balanced diet of biblical perspectives. And because Proverbs is divided into thirty-one chapters, it makes for good systematic reading because of its compatibility with our monthly calendar.

¨      Read the Bible in one year.  Many Christian publishing companies offer printed schedules for reading the Bible through in one year. The assignments for daily reading may prove challenging to slower readers but the rewards of knowledge and inspiration are definitely worth the challenge.

If you want to grow in your faith there are many practices that will enhance your spiritual maturity: daily prayer, regular worship participation, ethical decision-making, and ministry involvement.  But one of the best places to begin your journey of spiritual growth if you are a new Christian, or to deepen your faith if you are a maturing Christian, is to develop the discipline of reading the Bible daily.

In extolling the significance of Bible reading, Billy Graham proposes that, “The word of God hidden in the heart is a stubborn voice to suppress.” If you really want to put faith into practice, resolve to spend quality time reading the book every day.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister of First Baptist Church of Pensacola.)

A Pastoral Prayer for September 11, 2012

God of grace and God of justice,

On this anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

We remember that horrific day, a day filled with images that we cannot forget.

 

O God we confess our ongoing need of your emerging grace

For this date still provokes us,

            Its memory incites our anger,

And too easily our thoughts still trend toward vengeance.

 

As we attempt to apply your words to life,  

And to live by faith as we hold to your promise of a better future

We confess that our anger and grief from that fretful day are not nearly resolved

And that retaliatory impulses of vengeance and hate incubate deep within.

 

And yet we acknowledge that our hurt does not compare to the pain

of those who were touched more directly

through the unexpected and unfair loss

of family members, friends, and co-workers.

 

We shudder at the memory of atrocious images of death and destruction,

We fret over the ongoing armed conflict that seems to be unending,

We grieve over the deaths of the sons and daughters of our nation,

   as well as the subsequent and tragic casualties

   among our allies and our adversaries.

And we long for a civilized and lasting resolution

   So that our sons and daughters may return home safely and soon

   And that those who have longed for liberation from tyranny

            Might govern and be governed with civility and integrity.

 

Rather than being consumed by our grief,

            And controlled by fear

                       And contorted with anxiety,

    Let us set our minds to addressing the injustices that enflame hostility,

    Let us direct our souls to living out our moral conviction,

    Let us aim our hearts to loving the poor,

               and the disadvantaged,

                           and the disenfranchised.

   And let us determine to fight terror,

   Not with our own terroristic threats,

   But with a responsible and courageous exercise of freedom,

   And with a proactive and authentic faith.

 

And though it swims against the current of our deepest instincts,

You continue to teach us to love our enemies,

so that we do not become like them.

 

Today, especially today, we pray for first responders,

             those who answered the call on that day,

                        and those who continue to respond when crises arise:

For emergency medical personnel,

             for firefighters,

                        and for law enforcement officers.

We pray for their safety,

            we are thankful for their service

                         and we are indebted for their sacrifice.

 

Today, especially today, we pray for the leaders of our nation and our world

            For the leaders of our state and our community

To act and react with wisdom and discernment,

           And to maintain a disposition that will defuse conflict

                        and promote reconciliation.

And we pray for the leaders of our churches and synagogues

            And for people of diverse faiths

  To act and react with transformative grace and eternal hope,

           To discern truth from propaganda,

                         And to advance the cause of peace.

 

Forgive us our sins,

            As we strive, yet again, to forgive those who sinned against us.

 

We offer our prayer according to the One who came to introduce real peace on earth and goodwill to all humankind.  Amen

by Barry Howard

Throughout the seasons of life, most human beings are going to be engaged in dynamic human relationships.   Home, the classroom, the workplace, recreation, and church all present diverse opportunities for acquaintance and interaction.  Among the thousands of people we encounter, a few will move beyond the realm of casual acquaintance, and we will share more profound experiences, we will communicate on a deeper level, we will cease striving to impress, and we will refine each other’s character.  These individuals will be in our circle of friends.

 

This week I am cleaning up the contact list in my computer, which happens to be synced with my I-Phone, which is also synced with my I-Pad.  As I eliminate the obsolete data, I am also deleting a few folks who are now deceased or whom I have lost contact with.  This exercise has caused me to think about the blessing of long-term friendships.

A wise teacher once said, “A man that has friends must first show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”  (Proverbs 18:24).

In a highly competitive world where individuals can quickly become dominated by self-interest, how do you keep relationships healthy and growing? Sustainable friendship is a gift from God.

What is a friend? One writer answered this way:  Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. When you are with them, you feel as a prisoner feels who has been declared innocent. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely. You can avow your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks, your meannesses and absurdities, and in opening them up to friends, they are lost, dissolved on the white ocean of their loyalty. They understand. You do not have to be careful. You can abuse them, neglect them, tolerate them. Best of all, you can keep still with them. It makes no matter. They like you. They are like fire that purges to the bone. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all–and underneath–they see, know, and love you. A friend? What is a friend? Just one, I repeat, with whom you dare to be yourself.

Churches are built on both faith and friendship. Members of a congregation are actually diverse friends from a variety of backgrounds who stick together in tough times, who bring out the best in each other, and who collaborate in missional effort, despite their differences, out of obedience to a common faith conviction.

Maybe, the Quakers have it right in referring to their faith community as “The Society of Friends.”

As we continue to learn to bring out the best in others, treasure the friendships you have, and look forward to making new friends in the days ahead. Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, “So long as we are loved by others, I would almost say that we are indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend.”

Maintaining a good friendship requires grace, mercy, patience, and perseverance.  E.C. McKenzie observed that “some people make enemies instead of friends because it is less trouble.”  I contend that true friendship is worth the labor.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister of the First Baptist Church of Pensacola.)

The last Monday in May is a unique holiday, a day which is more of an observance than a celebration. Memorial Day does not usually generate as much holiday enthusiasm as Christmas, Easter, or Independence Day. However, we should be careful that the meaning of the Memorial Day does not become lost in the busyness of our festivities.

This important holiday is not just another “day off” but a day to remember those who have lost their lives in the military service of our country. This is a day to remember those who, according to Henry Ward Beecher, “hover as a cloud of witnesses above this Nation.”

In a culture that is increasingly attention-deficient, remembering is a painful but necessary discipline.  Remembering historical facts should help us to remain consciously aware of the harsh realities of global conflict.  Revisiting stories from the battlefield may enable us to learn from both the successes and the failures of our national ancestry. When we remember the fallen we keep alive the individual and corporate legacies of valor and courage that inspire and challenge us to be responsible citizens of the free world.

To fail to remember is to develop a convenient amnesia that eventually robs succeeding generations of acquaintance with our national heritage.  To fail to remember creates a contagious apathy that leads to a neglect of both our freedom and our citizenship.   To fail to remember can produce a false sense of protection and a perceived exemption from future warfare.  A loss of memory eventually leads to a loss of national identity.  Remembering is a painful but necessary discipline, a discipline that forges vision from memory, and a discipline that extracts wisdom from knowledge.

In The Roadmender  Margaret Fairless Barber suggests that “To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward.”

This year take time to observe Memorial Day.  And make it a day to remember the past with gratitude and to look to the future with hope and faith.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister at First Baptist Church of Pensacola.)

by Barry Howard

In 1859 Charles Dickens published A Tale of Two Cities, a historical novel set inLondon andParis detailing the social and economic challenges experienced during the French Revolution, a conflict that impacted most ofWestern Europe. That era was marked by political upheaval and transition, a growing disparity between the haves and have-nots, and industrial and vocational reformation.  Dickens’ novel, however, emphasizes the recurrent theme of resurrection, chronicling how several individuals faced the challenges of those days with perseverance, determination, and resilience.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.   –Charles Dickens

Though we are definitely not living in the worst of times, we are certainly experiencing the toughest economy in recent years…a challenging time to keep your business afloat, a challenging time to be searching for a job, a challenging time to make ends meet.  But the worst of our times can bring out the best in us.  Challenging times can fortify our courage, strengthen our character, and deepen our faith.

Your faith and your attitude can determine whether you view your problems with pessimism, desperation, and despair, or whether you muster your courage and confront your challenges with perseverance, determination, and resilience.  If your attitude is positive, you can face the challenges of coming days with a firm faith and a proactive perspective.  But if your attitude is negative, you will likely face these days with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness.

This year is an election year. Will we emerge into a more healthy economy or sink into a more turbulent one? Will we move toward resolution of global conflicts, or will those conflicts intensify?  Will there be a genuine restoration of trust in our national leadership, or will trust continue to deteriorate?  Will we notice a resurgence of authentic faith-based decision-making, or more of a trend toward moral and ethical ambiguity? No one knows for sure what the future holds, or the severity of the obstacles that will arise during the coming year. One thing is for certain: Your attitude when dealing with your complications will determine whether you approach life as a victim or an overcomer.  If you find yourself in need of an attitude adjustment, why not begin now?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord  (Romans 8:37-39 NIV.)

(Barry Howard serves as Senior Minister ofFirstBaptistChurchinPensacola,Florida.)