In 1964, the award-winning musical group The Temptations released “My Girl,” the single that became their first number-one hit. The upbeat love song, which includes lyrics like, “I’ve got so much honey the bees envy me. I’ve got a sweeter song than the birds in the tree,” begins with the memorable line, “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.”
I know people, on the contrary, who can find the cloud on a sunny day.
The prevalence of cynicism, sarcasm, and skepticism can make you sad and make you sick. Prophets of doom and purveyors’ gloom seem abundant. They echo the sentiment that Buck Owens and Roy Clark sang about: “Gloom, despair, and agony on me.”
If not careful, even followers of Jesus can find themselves in a ditch of desolation. We are not, however, destined for despondency. We are not obligated to follow the death march of the world. We have instead an invitation to go in a very different direction.
Our alternative is not grounded in a rationale that is understandable to many. It is grounded in the gospel—the good news—that Christ is risen! He is risen indeed.
Living in the power of the resurrection leads disciples of Jesus to engage with the world and bless others in various ways. We can impact people with Christ’s transforming love, which helps address spiritual, mental, physical, and social needs, and more.
The contributors to this volume share insight into how believers can exemplify hope and healing when living in the power of the risen Lord. While some people focus on what is wrong in the world, people of faith in Christ live with such confidence that they can join with Julian of Norwich in saying: “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
David Emmanuel Goatley, President
In 1964, the award-winning musical group The Temptations released “My Girl,” the single that became their first number-one hit. The upbeat love song, which includes lyrics like, “I’ve got so much honey the bees envy me. I’ve got a sweeter song than the birds in the tree,” begins with the memorable line, “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.”
I know people, on the contrary, who can find the cloud on a sunny day.
The prevalence of cynicism, sarcasm, and skepticism can make you sad and make you sick. Prophets of doom and purveyors’ gloom seem abundant. They echo the sentiment that Buck Owens and Roy Clark sang about: “Gloom, despair, and agony on me.”
If not careful, even followers of Jesus can find themselves in a ditch of desolation. We are not, however, destined for despondency. We are not obligated to follow the death march of the world. We have instead an invitation to go in a very different direction.
Our alternative is not grounded in a rationale that is understandable to many. It is grounded in the gospel—the good news—that Christ is risen! He is risen indeed.
Living in the power of the resurrection leads disciples of Jesus to engage with the world and bless others in various ways. We can impact people with Christ’s transforming love, which helps address spiritual, mental, physical, and social needs, and more.
The contributors to this volume share insight into how believers can exemplify hope and healing when living in the power of the risen Lord. While some people focus on what is wrong in the world, people of faith in Christ live with such confidence that they can join with Julian of Norwich in saying: “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”
David Emmanuel Goatley, President
Through the work of his Spokane-based nonprofit, Mark Finney desires to see refugees and their communities flourish.
