I Believe

A prescription for joyful living includes something to hope for, something to do, and someone to love. Being slow to criticize and quick to forgive is a good way to go. Everything we really need, we already have.
Faithfulness is our guide to salvation and an anchor for eternity. God forbids favoritism of any kind except His word.
God is the one who defines sin (disobeying His Word). He will make the ultimate judgment. God loves each one of us equally.

Having a child to improve the marriage relationship is a poor reason to embark upon parenthood. How we perceive ourselves marks the ceiling for what God can do for us. In God’s eyes, none of us is a failure without hope. In our world of plenty, it seems easier than ever to lose sight of what is truly important. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into it.

It is possible, if we focus on it, to find fault with just about anything or everyone. It seems that a majority of people today ignore to whom they owe allegiance regarding life. Life is like an onion: we peel it off one layer at a time. Love is why, when, where, and how much we give. Most of the greatest good in the world has been done by the fewest people.

Most of what we worry about never comes to pass, but most of us still worry. Mourning in the night becomes joy in the morning. One way to serve those in need is through day-to-day charitable giving. Our self-concept is our impression of ourselves – we are what we think. Our self-image determines how we use our time, talent, knowledge, skills, and experiences. Partial obedience is not considered obedience. Quitting is not an option for “believers.” Scripture informs us repeatedly that true and everlasting joy does not result from material wealth. “Soul-winning” (in one’s own way) should be the main pursuit of every believer. Stand up for what is biblically right. Suppressed anger is often at the root of depression.

Self-reflection is always a good exercise. What I believe is a work in progress, not limited to these statements and subject to change. What do YOU believe?

Daniel Taddeo

Longtime Parma Hts. resident and educator in the Parma School district.

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Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 7:34 PM, 08.04.2020