The Blog of Tom Dale

School is expensive. You probably already know that. And you probably know that most students graduate with student loan debt which significantly burdens them. For those planning on entering full time ministry like myself, it is essential to obtain as little debt as possible. Consider this  Huffington Post Article , where the author cites studies that show that the average ministry student borrows approximately $25,000 for graduate school alone. That's about the average starting salary for a youth minister!  I do not plan to make a lot of money in full time ministry. Therefore, I am trying to avoid student loans at all costs to finish my education. I am currently taking classes through Moody Bible Institute to complete a Bachelor degree (which is a basic requirement for hire in most denominations). At $285 per credit hour, I have to raise at least $14,100, in addition to miscellaneous fees and book costs, to finish undergraduate school. Therefore, the total cost will be a...

2013 was, overall, a good year for me. And God's Word tells us to be grateful to God for everything He does for us. Therefore, here is my list of favorite memories from 2013, in no particular order: Fulfilled dream of being hired as Great Oaks Camp’s Program Director Great Oaks Camp in Lacon, IL, will always have a special place in my heart. I spent five summers as a camper there, believed in Jesus for the first time there, and worked three summers as a counselor for inner city children. This last summer I had the privilege of being the Program Director. I just resigned from the position, but it was a fun and meaningful job nonetheless. Received promotion at Wal-Mart Most people look at me like I’m crazy when I mention that I actually enjoyed working at Wal-mart. Sure, the pay was terrible and sometimes I considered going to jail when confronted by certain customers, but other than that it was a fun experience. I had great managers, fun co-workers, and liked doing the ...

As I browse the Internet for articles and blogs about New Year's, a common theme recurs: pessimism. "2013 was a terrible year!" "The world got way worse this year." "2014 probably won't be any better." Have you come across any of these thoughts? Personally, 2013 dealt me some harsh blows. A few people I loved, both family and friends, passed away. I changed jobs twice. I had to go part time for school, delaying my graduation. I did not win the lottery (although to be fair, I did not play either). However, I consider 2013 the best year of my life so far. Why? Because I am one year closer to meeting Jesus Christ face to face. "...while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed." Titus 2:13 I can let all the negative events that occurred in 2013 get me down. Or, I can choose to be cured of PLOM disease (Poor Little Old Me) by focusing on the prom...

2014 is almost upon us! It's time to make New Year's Resolutions! Speaking for myself, 2013 was a pretty good year. I'll write another post about my highlights, but for now I'm in a resolution-writing mood. Here are some of my New Year's Resolutions/ Goals for 2014: Copy the New Testament by hand I know, this is a pretty ambitious one. Most people haven't even read the New Testament in its entirety. But I figured since I had the time and motivation to read through it a couple of times in 2013, I can hand write the NT next year.  Become hired as a full time youth minister This is a big one for me. I've been wanting to be a full time youth minister since I was 15. It's been almost three years since I graduated high school and I still have not been hired by a church. But I'm praying this will be the year God grants my desire.  Finish third year of college (30 credit hrs) Working at summer camp for the past two years while in school has pushed...

There's a common saying among Christians these days: "Oh, it's almost the end times! Everybody hates Christians! The liberal media, the government, college professors, my next door neighbor! I am so shocked!" I see it on Facebook all the time. I hear it all the time when I'm in church.  But this is nothing new. Jesus told his followers two thousand years ago:  And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22 The question is not, "Is the world hostile to Christians?" The answer has always been yes. The real question is, "How are you going to endure?" Let us endure by representing Jesus well. Let us endure by sharing the love of God with everyone, even those who hate us. 

Admit it. There's at least one person on this planet you hate. "But hate is a strong word." Fine then. One person you strongly dislike. So when Jesus says something radical like, "Love your enemies", we may pay lip service to him. We may say, "Yeah, I love my enemies." I've been in that boat. But deep down in my heart, there's still people I pray that God's wrath will come upon. After all, they deserve it! But before we can wish judgment upon our enemies, we must pray for mercy. For grace. And here's why: You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, while we wer...

There are three types of people:  Those who say "Merry Christmas" Those who say "Happy Holidays" And those who don't care how you greet Can you guess which one I am? I'll give you a hint: One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 14:5 ESV If you guessed the third one, then you are correct.  Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for putting "Christ" in Christmas. I love a good candlelight church service. I like singing Christmas carols that have especially spiritual themes (O Holy Night is my favorite).  But I'm not the type of person who will punch you in the face if you say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry CHRISTmas!" Believe me, I know people who will. The truth is, Christmas is important. But so is every other day in the year. Jesus Christ should be just as honored and glorified the day afte...

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NLT The other day I was in the Emergency Room for severe abdominal pain. The doctors told me it may be appendicitis, a common illness that could be fatal if not treated quickly with surgery. Thankfully, after having several tests done, one of the doctors told me I simply had the stomach flu.  But before I was released, I spend several hours in that room. The ER can be a frightening place. I overheard a conversation in the room beside mine where a man's pacemaker was having trouble operating. He could have only hours to live. In a room across the hallway, I heard a little toddler screaming for roughly an hour. From what I could hear, she had a bad fever as a result of a fever.  So all around me were people who might not have long to live. And I thought of myself as well. What if the doctors m...

He raises the poor   from the dust      and lifts the needy  from the ash heap; 8  he seats them  with princes,      with the princes of his people. Psalm 113:7-8 NIV You may have felt at one time in your life to be of no importance. Maybe you didn't see yourself as gifted as other people. Maybe you felt yourself to be mediocre or below average.  But God, the greatest Person who lives, considers you important. He looks past your faults and mistakes and shortcomings and He declares you His child. He cares for you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you so that you can live with Him forever.    Though you may feel low now, God will lift you up and seat you at His heavenly table, to have fellowship with the King of kings for all of eternity. 

Jesus loves gay people. Jesus loves Phil Robertson. Whether you agree that homosexuality is a sin or not, everybody is a sinner regardless. Let's keep that in mind. Now, while most of my Christian and/or conservative friends are crying foul over Phil Robertson getting kicked off of A&E, I actually think it's a good thing. Here's why. For the past few years, the LGBT community, although still a minority in America, has advanced their control over this country. Let's face it, when you read the evening news, don't you get the impression that anyone who disagrees with alternative lifestyles and gay marriage is automatically a bigoted, outdated, and delusional idiot? As a result, most people I know are afraid of quoting Bible verses that clearly and emphatically denounce homosexuality as a sin for fear of being labeled as a hateful, homophobic, religious nut.  Then comes along Phil. Sure, we've had people on media before who have suggested that ma...

He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name. Psalm 111:9 Two thousand years ago, God the Father sent God the Son to Earth. The fact that God became a man is astounding! When all of humanity tried to become god themselves-to be masters of their own lives and to love themselves to the point of narcissism - God did the reverse! Jesus Christ was born. This, of course, was God's plan all along. He ordained it. And because He is faithful and keeps His promises, He fulfilled it. Once and for all, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ provided us salvation for our sins "forever". Christmas is a great time to reunite with friends, love other people, and do good works like donating toys to the needy. But most of all, Christmas should be a time when we can worship God and say that His Name is holy and awesome. We remember Christ's birth, we live in the present through worship, and we look forward to the future when Chri...

1. Your trust in God will increase You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 ESV 2. You will be more motivated to not sin against God I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 NIV 3. Generally speaking, you may be more successful in life and make better decisions Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 NIV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV 4. You will be reminded of the good news that Jesus loves you and saves you Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will pond...

Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! Psalm 109:28 NLT I've been reading a chapter each morning from the Psalms for some time now. It's my favorite book of the Bible and a great way to start the day. While reading Psalm 109, I was struck by how harsh it sounds. Read it for yourself. But to sum up, King David is writing death threats to his enemies! He's saying some pretty harsh words. I thought to myself, "That doesn't sound very Christian!" But then I remembered that, yes, even Christians can sound nasty sometimes. Even I have trouble saying, "Father, forgive them" when I am seriously wronged by another person. We have to at least credit David with honesty. This Psalm is showing his true feelings. The Bible is the most honest record of human experience ever. The verse that struck out to me the most, though, was verse 28. David is saying in effect that he's not going to worry about what other people say because he knows wha...

I love to praise God. I tell everyone I meet how good He is. Unfortunately, I also have the bad habit of cursing people. People can be stupid and evil, right? Can we agree that this world would be a better place if that person did not exist? And so I tell people that I don't like that particular man. I don't like that particular celebrity. I don't like that particular "Bible" teacher who seems to know less about the Bible than a preschooler in VBS and should not be on television. Yet this is what the Scriptures say: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." James 3:9-10 NIV Here is the problem: when we say we love God but hate people, we are contradicting ourselves. As sinful as people are, they are still made in the image of God, after God's likeness, and so still retain at l...

What does a good church look like? Here is what you should look for when choosing a place of worship: Solid Bible teaching from both the pulpit and the classroom Engaging and aesthetically pleasing worship music that points your attention to the presence of God A friendly and grace-filled atmosphere where you feel welcomed and loved the moment you walk through the front doors Opportunities to develop relationships with the church members throughout the week, such as small group Bible studies Fellowship meals (I cannot stress this enough!) I can honestly say I was blessed to worship Jesus at New Life Community Church, Henry, IL since August this year, because that church family exemplifies all of the above characteristics. Sadly, I will not be able to worship there on Sundays on a consistent basis anymore.  Of course, NLCC is not a perfect church, because no church is perfect. If you are looking for a perfect church, you are going to hop from place to place until Jesus...

He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. Psalm 147:16 NIV As I write this, everything outside my window is covered with snow. Lots of it.  There is no denying that snow is beautiful. You may not like the coldness of winter, but snow is another matter. It is a gift from God. One of the interesting things about snow is that it seems to reflect whatever light is given it. The other night as I was walking toward my apartment building, the trail that is usually pitch black was illuminated by the several inches of snow on it. I did not have to turn on my flashlight at all! Just as snow physically reflects the light of the sun and the moon and the stars, so can our hearts spiritually reflect the light of Jesus Christ. As our hearts receive the goodness and beauty that His light provides, so we too can reflect that light upon our families, our friends, our enemies, our churches, our communities, and our world.  Allow yourself to receive the light tha...

So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy,    his chosen ones with rejoicing. Psalm 105:43 NLT When you read the Old Testament, you see a consistent theme throughout its pages: God rescues His people. Specifically, God rescued the Israelite people from slavery in Egypt over three thousand years ago. Yet throughout their history as a nation, the Israelites were constantly reminded of this one central event that showed God is good. They were rescued from slavery to enter the glorious freedom God offers to those who call upon Him. When Jesus came to Earth, His death on the cross replaced the Exodus as God’s central redeeming act in history. Jesus’ death set us free from the bondage of sin and the threat of eternal death in Hell. He made us dead to sin and alive to God, free to love Him in gratitude. Jesus is the greatest rescuer in all of history! Today, God still rescues people. He is able to rescue anyone from anything: addiction, depression, fear,...

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT Everything Jesus has done for us is meaningful. He created us, He died for us, and now He lives for us. Nothing He has ever done is useless or meaningless. Even though we may not fully comprehend all that He does, we can take assurance knowing that He works all things for our good and His glory. Similarly, whatever we do for Jesus is not useless, though we may feel like it at times. Jesus will reward even the smallest effort of obedience on our part. Everything we do for the Lord, if done with a sincere and loving heart, is meaningful. That is our motivation to work enthusiastically and cheerfully for the Kingdom of God. The next time you are discouraged or doubt that what you do for Jesus will not succeed, think again. Jesus has called you to faithfulness, not success. Nothing you do for Him ...

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).  Isaiah 7:14 NLT Since the Fall, mankind has always felt as if God were far away. Distant. Separated. Unknowable. This is why so many religions teach their adherents to travel on pilgrimages to the few spots where the Divine's presence can be felt. "God is at such and such a place," they say. Or, "Let's worship God at the church." Still others take it a step further and insist God only lives in Heaven or in outer space.  But God, because He is gracefully condescending and humble, sent His Son to live with humanity! Immanuel, a.k.a. Jesus Christ, came to us when we were unwilling to go to Him.  He lived and breathed and ate and slept and walked here on Earth. He died and resurrected and now sits at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. And although, yes, He is now...

Have you ever had a day where it felt like everything that could possibly go wrong did? Well, no matter how it felt, the truth is that day could have been a lot worse. That's not to say that bad days do not happen. They do. But as the saying goes: "Always look on the bright side of life." For instance, when I went on my morning walk today, I could have complained how bitterly cold it felt. Instead, I thanked God that the sun was shining and that there was no wind to make the air feel colder. I also thanked God that He provided me with several layers of clothing so I could not get frostbite. Finally, I thanked God that the snow looked beautiful on the trees I walked past.  Notice what the Scriptures say: "His mercies never cease." God is always merciful. He is merciful because no matter how badly we sin or how often we turn away from Him, He still loves us. He is faithful toward us. He will not give up on us. Truly, we do not deserve one good thing.  ...

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 It is safe to say that most of us try to not be “us” most of the time. We try to be like other people or live up to others’ expectations of who we should be. This can be good or bad. If we try to imitate good people, we can become good ourselves. If we imitate bad people, then we become bad ourselves. What does God say about this constant game of comparison with others? He tells us to be who we are in Christ Jesus: His sons and daughters. We can just be ourselves and not worry about being like other people! The truth is that you are God’s masterpiece. You are more valuable to Him than all the rest of creation, including a beautiful sunset, the stars in the night sky, and the cutest animal you can imagine. You are so valuable to Him that He sent His Son to die for you and to give you a new life in order that you can do good thing...

The heavens declare the glory of God;    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1 Do you want to feel the presence of God?  Do you want to recapture the sense of wonder and awe you may have experienced before when you realized the Almighty was near you? Perform this little experiment. Go outdoors or near a window with a good view of the sky. Then, just stare. No magic tricks. No complex “how to”. Just stare for a few minutes. The larger your view, the better. Did you experience the presence of God?  Did you feel that He was near or knew that something bigger than you existed? Whenever I look at the sky, I always feel smaller than my naturally small stature. It is as if the God shows up and takes center stage. My attention is drawn from the creation to the Creator. The big sky reveals a big God. No wonder, then, that the Psalmist writes, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

Day 11 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100:2 Some people try to serve God by doing church activities. They help collect the offering, or sing in the choir, or share the announcements. Other people try to serve God by serving others. They help distribute food at a pantry, rake leaves for the elderly, or saying a kind word to those grieving for loved ones. These are all valid ways to serve the Lord. Yet did you know you can also serve the Lord just be being glad? When you come into the Lord’s presence with a glad heart, you are honoring God. Think about it this way: if you are or were a parent, would you rather your children come before you happy or whiny, with smiles or with scowls? Granted, “faking it” is not a good indication of honesty and integrity. Yet when you meditate on who God is and the good things He has done, you cannot help but be glad! Today, come before your Father with a glad heart.

Day 10 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7 Have you ever had trouble falling asleep? Have you ever had a sleepless night, but for no apparent reason? I tossed and turned in my bed last night,trying in vain to fall asleep. Of course it did not help that I had three large glasses of caffeinated soda before retiring to bed! Yet as I lay there, a little grumpy that I had difficulty getting much-needed beauty sleep, I remember Psalm 16:7. I remembered that a good remedy for a sleepless night is not necessarily a darker room, or a fan to help drown out white noise, or setting the thermostat a little lower. A good remedy is to talk and listen to God.  If your mind is restless, why not let it find rest by meditating on who God is? Pray, or read a couple chapter from your Bible or devotional book. By doing so you can redeem a sleepless night for the glory of God and your good.

Day 9 You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:68    NLT What is the highest compliment you can give to a person?  "You are a good person." Who wouldn't want to hear that? We like to think that we are good people and that we do good things. Yes, we may know we are sinners and occasionally do a bad thing or two every now and then. But one someone tells us, "You are a good person", we blush. We may try to deny it, but deep down that makes us feel good! Similarly, God loves it when you tell Him, "You are good!" You see, ever since the Fall of mankind, God has had person after person tell Him, "I don't believe in you. I don't want you. I don't need you. Get out of my life!" No other person in history has had so many lies told about them. Satan and the world will try to tell you that God is not good and that He is bad instead.  But that is not true! The truth is that God is the best! If any...