Everyone I know is tired, even people who are retired are tired. Our society lives at a fast pace, so we are going to be tired doing something. This even extends to the ministry. In 2 Corinthians 12:15 the Apostle Paul said it like this: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you.” We need what Paul had—a healthy sense of the reality that this is the only life we get.

When you begin your Thanksgiving gratitude list, what do you include? Most of us probably begin with God’s gifts of salvation, family, church family, and friends. We then move to tangible gifts such as shelter, clothing, vehicle, and financial provision. If we stay at our list long enough, we add events and highlights of the past year.

Before time began, God wrote the story for your life. He wrote you into His Master plan and purpose and gave you a role that only you can fulfill. So, how can you be sure you are living out the STORY God has written for you? Here are five decisions every Christian should make:

King David had his share of trouble from his enemies. In Psalm 143, he is at a breaking point. Tired of being hunted down like an animal, he is despondent, discouraged, disillusioned, desperate, and depressed. Not even his mighty men could bring comfort or consolation to his soul.

I have freedom—to vote, to speak, to travel, to live. We enjoy a level of freedom people in repressed nations cannot even fathom.

As you learn the language, you won’t just be learning how to express yourself, but how the people of your country express themselves. As you do this, you will understand their mentality. Culture and language are inseparable. Therefore the faster you do this, the easier your transition will be.

Luke 17 gives the account of Jesus healing the ten lepers. One of the most convicting statements to me in that passage was Christ’s question to the man who returned to give Him thanks: “Where are the nine?”

When I was a boy, my dad would give me summer chores to accomplish while he was at work—anything from cleaning off the work bench to weeding the garden. I had all day to fulfill his requests and also had some time for my own enjoyment. But I knew that when Dad got home from work I would have to answer to him for what I had gotten done that day.

A few years ago, Amanda and I were privileged to meet some American missionaries to the Philippines, and they became very good friends of ours. They told us about an animated evangelist they saw try to communicate to a Filipino audience—through a less-than-animated translator.

One of the great blessings of being part of a local church that is reaching people with the gospel is the combined efforts that result in fruit. One plants, one waters, and God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). It is, of course, a joy to be part of any of those stages, knowing that all make a difference.