Dan Bolin's Blog, page 6

Restoration Project

Nº 326

October 29, 2024

The message at Catie’s funeral came from the 23rd Psalm and from the heart of a godly friend and mentor.

The church was packed with somber faces and loving friends. I remember being surprised by how much strength I felt in that weak moment. With so many people there to support us, I felt strangely secure and wonderfully loved. The standing-room-only crowd assured me there were many people willing to provide the support I needed in that dark hour. Some drove several hours to attend the short memorial service; their deep concern lingers, still meaningful today.

The picturesque and reassuring words of Psalm 23 have provided comfort at untold funerals, encouraging many starving and parched souls in need of green pastures and quiet waters. But for me, the four words that provided hope for my hurt are found in verse three, “He restores my soul.”

I believe those four words – He restores my soul – are the hope of the Bible. Our souls are broken. Life is tough and filled with painful, disturbing, destructive storms. But there is hope. God, and only God, can provide the restoration our souls desperately desire. Whatever the crisis, cling to the truth: He restores my soul.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Pour Out the Water

Nº 325

October 22, 2024

The Philistines had David surrounded. He and his men were outnumbered and in a terrible predicament. We know there is a happy ending, but for David and his soldiers, life was hanging in the balance.

In this dangerous quandary, David thought back to his childhood, to the carefree days as a shepherd boy in the hills outside Bethlehem. He just wanted his life to go back to normal.

The Bible records, “David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” So, three mighty men broke through the Philistine line, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it poured it out before the Lord.” (2 Samuel 23:15-16)

David was not disrespecting the valor of his three friends nor was he being flippant with their courageous act of love. He was powerfully saying goodbye to his past.

We cannot go back. Like David, we must pour out the past and focus our efforts on loving and caring for those who stand with us as we face the storms of life together.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Weep With

Nº 324

October 15, 2024

In honor of Dan's latest book release, the remainder of October will feature excerpts from October Storm . This week is taken from the chapter titled, "Make the Call."

The dual command, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) is one of the most challenging directives in scripture.

Rejoicing with those who rejoice means we express genuine joy for those who win a new car, earn a big bonus, lose weight, bake the best pie, or hit a hole-in-one. When our tendency toward envy and jealousy gives way to a true sense of joy for our another’s success, their joy ripples through our lives as well.

Weeping with those who weep is also tough. Feeling the pain of others is easy for most of us. When we hear of a fire, flood, car wreck, or cancer diagnosis, we hurt for whoever is suffering. The difficult part is the WITH.

Mourning WITH someone requires that we do something; write a note, stop and talk, visit the hospital, make a call. In some way, make an effort to connect with the one in pain.

Our mind tells us, I’m not trained. I don’t know what to say. They don’t want to hear from me. But we are the hands and feet of Jesus, and the clarion call commands us to weep with those who weep.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Strategic Love

Nº 323

October 8, 2024

In honor of Dan's latest book release, the remainder of October will feature excerpts from October Storm. This week is taken from the chapter titled, "If we love, we will weep."

The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.”

Fully divine yet fully human, Jesus understands pain. Jesus wept because His friend, Lazarus, had died. His pain was deep, personal, and flowed from a loving heart.

Thirty verses earlier, John introduces the story with a simple foundational declaration: “Jesus loved Martha, her sister (Mary), and Lazarus.” (John 11:5) Jesus loved each of the siblings, but He expressed His love differently to each, depending on what they needed and what was best for them. Mary He taught. Martha He gently rebuked. And Lazarus He let die.

This love is hard to grasp. It is difficult to comprehend a love that could move Jesus to allow Lazarus to experience death, burial, tomb-bound isolation, and an amazing return to life. However, Jesus knew this painful path was best for Lazarus and all concerned.

We all feel pain. We all feel loss. We all shed tears. But greater than the storm is God’s strategic love for us. This amazing drama demonstrates God’s multifaceted expression of love. The painful pathway for Lazarus, his sisters, and their friends flowed from Jesus’ heart of love. Jesus feels our pain, and Jesus loves us in ways we may never understand.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Damaged Goods

Nº 322

October 1, 2024

Several years ago, while visiting the grocery store, I noticed a shopping cart filled with dented cans, jars without labels, crushed boxes, and scarred packaging. The handwritten sign read: Damaged Goods!

Wow! That summarized the human condition. We all enjoy a measure of goodness due to God’s image imprinted on our lives. But at the same time, we all carry dents, wrestle with identity issues, feel crushed, and hide scars. Too often we allow the damage to define us, and we fail to cultivate a life of goodness.

Fortunately, God is in the reclamation business. He can take our damaged and crushed hearts and restore them to better than new. In His perfect timing, He will “provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3)

In God’s own time and in His own way, He will repurpose and repackage us for His glory and our good. We cannot restore ourselves. By faith we must trust His grace to do its redemptive work and restore our souls.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Next Level Up

Nº 321

September 24, 2024

I don’t know much about video games, but the attraction seems to be tied to level upon level of successful accomplishment.

The Apostle Peter never played a video game, but he knew a little about levels of accomplishment. He wrote, “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to your goodness, knowledge; and to your knowledge, self-control; and to your self-control, perseverance; and to your perseverance, godliness; and to your godliness, brotherly kindness; and to your brotherly kindness, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Peter’s stairway guides us, level by level, to where God wants us to be. Goodness (moral excellence) is foundational. We need solid biblical knowledge. We need both self-control and perseverance to help us avoid harmful activities and to keep us doing things that are significant. We need godliness, a life that worships well. We need the friendships of brotherly kindness. And ultimately, we need committed love.

Fortunately, the Christian life allows us to work on several levels of growth simultaneously. Wherever you are on the stairway of faith, go to the next level; keep striving upward. Unlike video games, these qualities “will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive...” (2 Peter 1:8)

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Trifecta

Nº 320

September 17, 2024

Ezra got it right. The Bible records, “Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his rules and statutes in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

Ezra hit the trifecta! First, he studied God’s word so that he had a solid foundation. Second, he obeyed God’s law so that he would avoid hypocrisy. And third, he passed on to others what he had learned.

Many of us skip part one. We spout our opinions without taking the time to study God’s Word to ascertain His truth and how it applies to the challenges we face. Others of us avoid the second part. We know what we should do, but we rationalize or compromise, failing to obey God’s Word. And others of us miss part three. We are happy to study and conform our lives to God’s Word, but we fail to pass along to others what we have learned.

Follow Ezra’s example. Take time regularly to study the Word of God. Find the courage to align your actions and attitudes to obediently follow God. And look for opportunities to share what you have learned, passing along the truth of God’s Word to others.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Lost Bullet

Nº 319

September 10, 2024

On September 6, 1901, William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, visited Buffalo, New York to participate in the magnificent Pan-American Exposition. During a public reception, an anarchist shot McKinley twice at close range.

One bullet ricocheted off a button on McKinley’s jacket. The other lodged in his abdomen. Surgeons searched diligently but were unable to locate the second bullet. McKinley recovered quickly and his doctors were optimistic. However, the lost bullet created a devastating infection that reversed the initial prognosis. McKinley died on September 14th.

Ironically, on display at the Pan-American Exposition was one of the first X-ray machines. Had the surgeons been aware that this radical new resource was available, the bullet may have been found and McKinley’s life might have been saved.

We tend to overlook the spiritual resources available to us and miss the benefits they can provide. David reminds us, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits---who forgives all your inequities.” (Psalm 103:2-3a)

God’s resources are always available. He provides forgiveness for all our iniquities. Don’t allow sin to hide and fester deep within. Remember the amazing benefit of God’s forgiveness that is always available.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Lazy River

Nº 318

August 27, 2024

I spent an afternoon with my grandchildren enjoying a local water park. Besides a giant slide and a splash pool, the key feature was a lazy river. The lazy river looped around an island with water jets forcing the flow in a strong clockwise direction. I could stand up allowing the current to run past me, but if I relaxed, I’d easily drift away.

The writer of Hebrews probably never spent time in a lazy river but was aware of the dangers of drifting away. “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (Hebrews 2:1)

The writer of Hebrews understood the powerful and seductive force of a spiritual lazy river. If we do not stand against the flow of this world, the currents will quickly move us away from safety and into dangerous undertows.

So, how do we fight the tendency to drift away? We must pay more careful attention to what we have heard. Safety and security are found as we go back to the simple truth we have heard – that God loves us despite our selfish rebellion, died in our place, and offers us a forever relationship with him.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries

Sunshine or Rain

Nº 317

August 27, 2024

Every day I check the weather forecast. There are two general themes – good weather and bad weather – with not much in between. Some days are filled with sunshine, others with rain. The weather always changes; beautiful days can give way to storms, and rainclouds can roll back creating brilliant rainbows.

So, what do we do when it rains? And what do we do when the sun shines?

James, give us a simple formula. “Is any of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? He should sing songs of praise.” (James 5:13)

Both prayer and praise keep us connected to God. We can pour out our troubled hearts to God in prayer when the storms buffet our lives. And we can pour out our hearts to God with praise when they overflow with joy on warm, sunny days.

Whether our foul day is merely overcast and threatening or a full-blown storm, pray. God may not always answer us the way we want, but we can trust Him to hear our prayers and to do what is best. And on the good days, when all is sunny and delightful, sing songs of praise to the Giver of good gifts.

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries