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From the get-go of human history, one of our shared universal experiences has been cloud-watching.

Clouds are one of the few things we have in common across time, geography, culture. We’ve always had an “up” to look towards, and in that up-space, the “sky,” we’ve always seen them: wisps and blankets that wander the expanse above us. 

I often say, “Food is the love language of the Chinese people.” If you’ve ever been to a Chinese banquet, you know that we love good food and lots of it! We celebrate birthdays, weddings, memorials, and all special occasions with food. Good food is the way we share love and celebrate relationships. I’ve found this to be true in every culture I’ve experienced.

I always tell my students that tax collectors were kind of like mobsters. They weren’t your typical blue-collar criminals; they were the worst kind of traitor, getting rich off the imperial oppression of their own people.  

In ������Ƶ, we make a big deal about decisions to follow Jesus. This year, we counted 2,670 first-time decisions to follow Jesus across the United States. Discipleship with Jesus is a daily decision to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). But formal moments of decision play a key role in our lives with God too.