I found a reason why moving is good:  In the frenetic post-earthquake like destruction of our apartment, Hannah and I have begun to find things we forgot we had.  For example, I found the very first directory the congregation that I grew up at published.  The congregation (then Union Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis) had several hundred members and were blessed to be able to listen to G.C. Brewer as their preacher.  They published this directory in 1929: 81 years ago.  Right now I am fascinated with the directory.  Since beginning graduate school in history, I have learned some more critical research techniques, and so this book that I forgot that I had has become a valuable possession.  G.C. Brewer was a well known preacher for the gospel, and coming from Freed-Hardeman – where his name was mentioned a lot – I am glad to have some of his original anecdotes and bulletin articles.  There was one thing that he stressed in some of his articles in this 81 year old document that I really appreciated: the need for giving.  In Brewer’s context, he stressed the importance of monetary giving: the congregation was 30 years old or so and had just completed a HUGE building phase and needed to pay the debt off.  He described the uses of monetary giving and the prescriptions given by Paul and the other disciples and how it was of the utmost necessity to continue giving in such capacity.  I think that we need to remember that the issue of giving has always been important.  It was important 2000 years ago, it was important 81 years ago, and it is important now.  It is critically necessary to give not just what money we have/can, but we also need to give (i.e. devote) our time; our hobbies; our lives…

We should not be stingy with what we have, even if we don’t think we have enough physical possessions to “give away”.  Whatever we have, be it time or leather interior, we should remember that it is for us to enjoy, but for the Lord to use.