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Aim at Nothing, Hit It Every Time
Focus, God's guidance, Direction Dana Rongione Focus, God's guidance, Direction Dana Rongione

Aim at Nothing, Hit It Every Time

I've heard it said that if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. I laughed the first time I heard that line. Then I cried a little, because it described me perfectly in more ways than one.

Here in Wales, Jason and I have spent years trying to convince our community that Christians aren't the uptight, joyless folks Hollywood loves to portray. We've tried to show them the difference between true Christianity and "religion." We want people to see that we're normal. Fun, even. So we've done what any well-meaning, slightly overzealous missionary couple would do: we've planned community events. Lots of them!

A ladies' luncheon in the spring. A carnival game day in the summer. A Holiday Bible Club in the fall. A "Soup and Singing" in the winter. And that's not counting the "let's throw something together" gatherings and special chapel services squeezed in between. We've invited everyone in the community: believers, skeptics, the curious, the couldn't-care-less. Our flyers practically shout, "Come one, come all, no strings attached!"

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Stop Changing the Message, and Start Changing the Method
Ministry, Reaching Out To Others Dana Rongione Ministry, Reaching Out To Others Dana Rongione

Stop Changing the Message, and Start Changing the Method

I've been watching birds from my bedroom window long enough to know the regulars. There's the suet ball crew of sparrows, blue tits, and starlings as loyal as a Tuesday morning prayer meeting. Then there's the odd assortment of birds ranging from pigeons to chaffinches, who show up on the driveway every morning like clockwork when the birdseed hits the pavement. They're sweet. They're faithful. And I enjoy studying them from the sliding glass door of my office.

Recently, Jason hung a new seed feeder out by the clothesline post. It's a little farther from the house, but still in a good enough spot to watch from the kitchen window. For a while, absolutely nothing happened. The birds ignored it so completely that I was starting to feel personally offended. We put the same seed in there! What's the problem?!

Then, one cautious little bird swooped in to investigate.

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