We're getting ready for 2016. How about joining us?

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we're expecting great things in 2016. In other words, we want to do more. We want to serve: A shopper at the 2015 Treasures of Hope Christmas Store More Dallas families More men and women who were previously incarcerated or who are still imprisoned More neighborhood leaders by standing shoulder to shoulder with them to implement their dreams to transform their communities More youth who need mentors, support, and encouragement More families at the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store through our online toy shopping More of Dallas by increasing the number of our rock star volunteers and donors It's a huge prayer list, but we believe God is with us. Already we're planning for our Night to Fight event on February 18, 2016, at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. The sanctioned boxing event raises funds to benefit the Ring of Hope Boxing Club for urban youth. And of course, you're invited! (For more information about tickets and table sponsorships, contact Robert Triggs at rtriggs@dlftx.org.) Ring of Hope Boxing Club members As you can see, we want to do all we can to share the transforming love and grace of Jesus Christ with Dallas families. You can help us by prayerfully donating a generous year-end gift today to DLF at dlftx.org. What happens in 2016 will be epic!

Miracles happened at our Treasures of Hope Christmas Store

Dallas Leadership Foundation's Treasures of Hope Christmas Store has closed its doors. We're grateful for the volunteers and donors who helped us provide a special gathering for more than 800 families.  They were able to purchase an array of toys, household items, and clothing at discounted prices.

We're especially thankful for the families who visited the store last week. May the Lord make this Christmas week bright and full of miracles for each of them!

Did you miss the chance to give to Treasures of Hope? You can still be part of our efforts to transform Dallas by rallying leaders to generate a citywide impact. Donate today to support our initiatives that help youth, families, the formerly incarcerated, and entire neighborhoods. Just visit https://www.dlftx.org/donations.

Help us deliver miracles: Partner with DLF and buy gifts for Dallas families

Monday was opening day for Dallas Leadership Foundation's Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. Wow and wow. Please help us keep the momentum going as we deliver miracles for Dallas families by buying a gift at dlftx.org/events. The demand is so high we need more toys, clothing, and household items for more than 800 families we're expected to serve this week.

Every year we offer a unique experience of shopping, food, music, and Christmas devotions at Treasures of Hope. With your help, we can make this year the best so far. Treasures of Hope is open Tuesday and Wednesday.

Remember, you don't have to drive anywhere to donate a gift. Just visit our new online store by going to dlftx.org/events. After that, your gift is shipped to us!

It's a season of miracles. Help families through the Treasures of Hope online store

Every Christmas, Dallas Leadership Foundation works with hundreds of Dallas families who need help during the holidays. 

Our Treasures of Hope Christmas Store opens Dec. 14. Families shop for clothing, household items, and toys for their families at discounted prices. Dallas Leadership Foundation is able to do this because of generous supporters who want God to use them to bless others in miraculous ways. Every year our supporters donate an array of items families can buy.

If you want to get in on the gift-giving, visit the online store for Treasures of Hope. What we need the most as opening day approaches are toys. All you have to do is visit dlftx.org, choose the toys you want a special someone to have and purchase them.

See you at the store!

The miracle of hearing

Isn't it annoying when a car needs an alignment? We can't get the wobbly car to the shop fast enough because we don't want to jeopardize our safety or the safety of others. Being aligned with God is like that. The more we're aligned with Him, the deeper our relationship experience.

Source: Wikipedia - Nativity of Jesus, by Botticelli

Alignment sounds like obedience, doesn't it? Interestingly, in Hebrew, there isn't a specific word for obedience. The closest word that comes to it is shema, which is associated with hearing, heeding, and responding to what is heard. It isn't a form of blind obedience, either. (You can learn more about the word shema here, here and here.)

With that concept of hearing and doing in mind, the context of the Christmas story expands beautifully. Mary heard the word from Gabriel, and not only believed it, she got up and visited her cousin Elizabeth, who experienced a miracle birth in her old age. Joseph received a dream from God, believed it, and defied convention by boldly standing by his fiancee Mary, who had become pregnant before their marriage.

In all three cases, they heeded God, and they responded with faithful action. They obeyed. To say it another way, they aligned themselves fully with the intentions of God.

When God speaks to us, He doesn't just want us to mull over the words He has for us. He wants us to do.

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation help Dallas families during the Christmas season. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles. 

The miracle of the Light

During birthday celebrations, we light candles to symbolize our years of birth. Sometimes, we stop lighting candles because the candles become so many! The point is, we traditionally associate birthdays with light. 

The Bible does same thing with Jesus' birthday. John wrote in John 1:9 that Jesus was "the true light." His birth light was exclusive in its power and majesty. He didn't need candles -- He was light Himself!

"Adoration of the Shepherds" by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622

In Hebrew, the word for light is "or. When God said "let there be light," in Genesis 1:3, the idea could be interpreted to mean that He commanded order in the midst of chaos, according to Ancient Hebrew.org. Was John thinking about light and order when he wrote about the arrival of Jesus? 

Light was also associated with the Word of God. In Psalm 119:105 the word is called a lamp. John used that same imagery to describe Jesus -- as the Word of God made flesh.
Was John trying to tell us that the Word (Jesus) commanded order (light) to come into a darkened world?

Paul picked up a similar theme when he wrote: For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6, ESV). 

God chose an ordinary young woman to deliver the Light of the world and chose an ordinary man to protect both of them. What was it like for Mary and Joseph to gaze upon the face of baby Jesus and remember all that had been prophesied about Him? When the shepherds saw that baby-twinkle in His eyes did they gasp with awe? 

During this Hanukkah week, it's great to remember that Jesus is the light of the world. (Read about Hanukkah, also called the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights, here.) It's also critical to remember that at Hanukkah Jesus declared that "I and the Father are one." In other words, it seemed that Jesus connected the celebration of light with the Father and the Son.

When we accept Jesus into our hearts, we become mini-lights ourselves. We carry God's light with us. He expects us to share His light in every loving way we can. 

"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (Eph. 5:8. ESV).

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miraculous light to Dallas families during the Christmas season. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles. 

Can a dream contain a Christmas miracle?

Source: Wikipedia: Mengs 18th century

Sometimes we need discernment. Events we're looking at from day to day don't make sense, and we don't know whether to turn left or right, race forward or shift backward. 

Joseph probably felt that way. He was a devout man and a descendant of King David. He was betrothed to Mary, and they were promised to each other through a contractual marriage agreement under Jewish law. Then things fell apart. He learned that Mary was pregnant. 

Imagine the disappointment, the anger, embarrassment, and the sheer surprise Joseph may have felt. He didn't want to humiliate Mary, but it appeared that she had broken their agreement. Surely Joseph wondered why had she rejected him.

God understood Joseph's confusion. He knew that this man needed insight. To help him, the Lord gave Joseph a dream. In the dream, God used an angel to explain inexplicable actions that had been initiated by heaven:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:  

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they they shall call his name Immanuel” 

(which means, God with us).  When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus (Matt. 18-25, ESV).

God lovingly intervened in Joseph's life. He illumined the path He was carving out for Joseph and Mary. They were to be the parents of the Son of God! And Joseph got it. After he woke up, he obeyed the angel's instructions. Joseph faced a challenging situation, but a word from God empowered him to face it.

One of the lessons we can draw from Joseph's role in the Christmas story is that we mustn't ignore our dreams. We need to study them, pray over them, and journal them. Within our dreams could lie miraculous messages God has customized for each of us.

One footnote: on the Jewish calendar, this is the month of Kislev. During Kislev, the Torah readings (the first five books of the Bible) in Jewish synagogues include passages featuring  nine dreams cited in the Torah. 

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families during the Christmas season. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

Four words give context to a miraculous promise

Annunciation by El Greco

Four words can say a lot.

When Luke begins the story about Mary, a young virgin visited by the angel Gabriel, Luke starts off with four words. The four words give context to the miraculous promise God gave to the young woman. The four words indicate timing, purpose, and awesome beginnings.

What were the four words? In the sixth month.

Luke begins his narrative about Mary by signaling time (Luke 1:26). Scholars believe it indicates the sixth month of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, Mary's older cousin and the wife of Zacharias. When Elizabeth's sixth month actually occurred is debated, but the answer lies in tracking when Zacharias served in the temple. (Read a great discussion about this on Hebrew4Christians.)

Some scholars think Elizabeth and Zacharias's son John the Baptist was conceived during the Jewish month of Sivan (May/June) and was born on Passover, Nissan 15 (March/April). If this is the approximate time, Jesus was conceived roughly around November/December, during the month of Kislev. Interestingly, Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, falls during Kislev/Tevet. The first Hanukkah was the 25th of Kislev in 164 B.C. By the way, this year Hanukkah starts at sundown this Sunday, Dec. 6 and ends Dec. 14.

Even more interesting to note is that Kislev is considered a time of darkness in Jewish tradition. Isaiah prophesied that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus called Himself the Light of the world, and that "he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life" (John 8:12).

In other words, the time in which Gabriel came to Mary signaled a context for the miraculous birth of Jesus. Our Lord is purposeful, even when announcing His promises. He's a promise-keeping God. He wants the entire world to experience a covenant relationship with Him without the barrier of sin. 

So God chose the most intimate way to reach men and women and the most intimate and effective way to keep His covenant eternally. He kept His word to the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 22:17 and Galatians 3:29) and came as a Jewish man and offered an everlasting relationship to Jews and the entire world!

For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life (John 3:16, The Voice)

During this Christmas season of loving and giving, may we remember God's divine context. Understanding divine context can build our faith in God's promises and help us trust Him. His timing isn't just perfect. It's multidimensional in its everlasting purpose.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal.4:4-7, ESV)

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families during the Christmas season. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

Remembering the miracle of God's second chances

Lots can be said about the mistakes Samson made in his life. They were many. Those mistakes are troubling to remember because Samson was a "miracle" son born to a childless couple. God destined the miracle son to live as a Nazirite who would lead Israel. As a sign of belonging to the Lord, Samson couldn't cut his hair, consume alcohol, or touch a corpse. 

Source: Wikipedia

God intended to use Samson as a living weapon against Israel's enemies, the Philistines. God used Samson mightily to stop the harassment of the Philistines, but Samson eventually lost sight of God's purpose. Samson didn't keep his Nazirite vows, he didn't listen to his parents about marriage, and he allowed himself to be taken down by Delilah, who conspired against him with the Philistines. Delilah didn't stab or poison him. She pressed Samson until he shared his spiritual secrets about the seven locks on his head. She shaved his head, and Samson's amazing strength disappeared.

It's a tragic, but mesmerizing story. But it's not the end. Samson's hair grew back. While blinded and humiliated by the Philistines -- Samson became entertainment for them -- he rededicated himself to the Lord and asked for a second chance. And the Lord used Him! Here's what happened:

And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life (Judges 16:25-30, ESV).

Samson's story should encourage us that we may wander far from His purposes, but there's a miraculous opportunity when the Lord offers a second chance. How many of us have experienced a second chance? How many of us long for one today? How many of us will allow God to use us to give a second chance to others? 

Whatever category that fits us, let's do this. This holiday season, let's ask for a second chance. And let's not hesitate to give a second chance to others.

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families. Help us give others a second chance! Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

The miracle of believing before seeing

The story about Jesus healing the blind man in Bethsaida is an encouraging one because it's nestled within other episodes that show the pains Jesus took to build the faith of His disciples and train them to discern between light and darkness. From this story, we can take comfort in knowing that He wants to train us too. We can also take courage that He wants to send us out to boldly share our faith in faith!

Wikipedia -- Christ Healing the Blind Man by A. Mironov 

Check out Mark 8. Do you see how Jesus warned the disciples to beware the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. Leaven was an element used in baking, so the disciples thought He described ordinary bread. But Jesus used the picture of bread to warn the disciples about allowing elements of the Pharisees' doctrine to infiltrate their spiritual understanding. 

The disciples didn't "see" what Jesus was warning them about, however. When they went to Bethsaida, the hometown of Peter, Andrew and Philip, Jesus received a blind man brought to Him for healing. Through this event, He would steer everyone toward unrelenting faith in Him. 

Before He healed the man, Jesus took him out of town. He spat on the ground and used the paste to touch the man's eyes. At first, the man saw men as trees. Jesus touched him again, and the man saw completely.

There's a lot to chew on in this passage. The usual question is why didn't Jesus heal the man instantly? Perhaps the better approach is to meditate on the context.

Jesus wanted the disciples to view spiritual things from His perspective, and it was taking them minute. Bethsaida was the home of at least three of the disciples. Bethsaida also was one of the places Jesus later rebuked in Matt. 11:21 for its unbelief. 

Could that be why Jesus took the man outside of town? Sometimes God isolates so that unbelief doesn't soak the atmosphere. Jesus took that approach when He healed the dead girl in Matt. 5:35-43. He kicked out mourners who ridiculed Him for saying the girl was only asleep.

Jesus may also have allowed the blind man to be healed after two touches to demonstrate divine patience. God holds all power, so the hold-up wasn't with Him. The man from Bethsaida, a community with a faith problem, may have had to undergo an inward transformation in some way -- at the discretion of Jesus. Perhaps the man had to submit to leaning on Jesus for his healing, and not himself or others.
  
Likewise, the disciples had to learn to trust Jesus implicitly, even if they didn't understand immediately. They had to hunger for the pure bread of heaven instead of the corrupted religion the Pharisees offered. And, like the blind man, their spiritual healing was taking time.

If God puts us into a quiet place this Thanksgiving week or during the Christmas holiday, perhaps it will be His chosen opportunity to build our faith at deeper levels. He may present object lessons that reveal His desire for us to believe in Him without any reservations.

Get ready.

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

A miracle birth announcement that can change your life

Imagine leading a church service. You’re the pastor leading the sermon. Or the choir director. Or the deacon explaining a church program. Suddenly, an angel appears. You’re terrified. Heaven is for real-for real at that moment. No one else sees the angel, who tells you that God has answered your impossible prayer.

Medieval view of Gabriel: Source: Wikipedia -- Mestia Museum Georgia

Do you believe what the angel tells you? Do you believe more in the human obstacles you’re used to seeing? In other words, if the angel told you would bear a child, and you’ve had your AARP card for 20 years, would you believe? If the angel said that God had healed you, would you believe the heavenly message or your doctor’s prognosis?

Every day we wrestle with unbelief. It’s something that’s common to human beings. So we should feel the human tension in the story of Zecharias and Elizabeth described in Luke 1. The couple was elderly, childless, devout, and Zecharias served in a spiritual leadership role as a priest. According to BibleGateway.com, Zecharias would have been among about 18,000 priests. He served twice a year. Then, after being chosen by lot, he got a chance in a lifetime to serve in the holy place of the Temple. 

As crowds waited outside the temple, Zecharias, who was offering incense, saw Gabriel, who announced to the priest that his wife would bear a son. Gabriel announced a miracle of life and the destiny for a baby named John. God would fill John with the Holy Spirit while he was in the womb, and, one day, John would turn the hearts of Israel to the Lord.

Stunned, Zecharias reverted to unbelief. “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years,” (verse 18). Is that an echo of pain and resignation in Zecharias's voice? What if his words reflected a longstanding prayer in his married life or the isolation he and Elizabeth felt?

Gabriel’s reply is telling:

“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:19, 20).

If one word summed up Gabriel’s reply, it would be perspective. Gabriel saw things from heaven, not earth, where age and childlessness sought to trample Zecharias and Elizabeth’s faith. Gabriel also knew his name, which in Hebrew means “man of God” or “God is my strength.” The angel knew the Person who possessed the ability to perform miracles and knew His character.

Maybe we should tape Gabriel’s words to the bathroom mirror when our prayers of faith seem dry, lifeless, and useless. The Lord can surprise us and refresh our faith by supernaturally announcing that He has answered our "impossible" hopes. 
  

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

God uses our collaborations to create His miracles

The story of four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing is an inspiring story about God's miracles. Matthew, Mark, and Luke recount the story and offer unique details from their perspective. Read together, the story offers major spiritual themes. Here are a few:

Source: Wikipedia: Christ healing the paralytic at Capernaum by 

Bernhard Rode1780

• Authentic friends have faith in Jesus He can heal a chronically ill friend
• Authentic friends overcome obstacles to get their friend to Jesus
• An eternally authentic Jesus sees the faith of the four friends
• An eternally authentic Jesus sees the need the paralyzed man has for physical healing and forgiveness
• An eternally authentic Jesus calls out unbelief in the religious leaders
• An eternally authentic Jesus links the miracles of forgiveness and healing as within His authority
• The eternally authentic power of God is present for healing
• The authentic miracles Jesus performs lead to authentic worship by the eyewitnesses 

Of course, there are more themes to pull from this amazing story. But the determination of the four friends, their faith in Jesus' authority to heal their friend, and Jesus' authority to forgive and heal miraculously mean something special to us at Dallas Leadership Foundation. 

As we prepare to open the doors of the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're thankful for the collaborators who have helped us over the years. We're also thankful for the new friends who will come our way this Christmas season. Everyone who partners with Dallas Leadership Foundation through prayer, volunteerism, financial giving, and a million behind-the-scene efforts, are like the beautiful friends who pushed to get their friend to Jesus. 

Every year we've been able to help Dallas families shop at super discounted prices because of the gifts from our network of friends. We hope to help more families with our new online store. The feature allows our friends to donate toys, clothing, and other essentials without having to drive to find one of our donation boxes. 

Most of all, we're prayerful that God's power to heal the spiritual needs of families will be present when families shop with us. While our Christmas gifts may meet physical needs, we pray that God will miraculously heal the hidden places in the hearts of families-- as He did with the paralyzed man. Please pray that Jesus will also see our faith!

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas Store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan or #Miracles.

God's miracle-working power can show up when least expected

Source: Wikipedia -- John Everett Millais' Victory O Lord! (1871)

One of God’s spectacular names is Jehovah Nissi – the Lord My Banner. It’s an awesome name, and it’s the name Moses attributed to God in Exodus 17 when Israel defeated the Amalekites. Moses knew God had protected them and that under His power and authority – the banner of a mighty God – Israel had overcome its enemies.

Scholars say Jehovah Nissi also means the Lord My Miracle., and the Lord is my refuge in the Septuagint. Because we’re discussing God’s miracle-working power as we count down to Dallas Leadership Foundation’s 18^th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store on Dec. 14, we can draw several nuggets about God's miraculous power.

Both meanings of Jehovah Nissi offer an interesting context to this passage in Exodus. Early in the chapter, the Israelites were thirsty as they camped in Rephidim, which means rests or stays. Even though they'd witnessed God's deliverance at the Red Sea, the Israelites weren’t restful at all! They were focused on their need. You know the story – the newly freed Israelites “complained against Moses” (v.3) about their thirst. God responded by telling Moses to strike the rock with his rod. Then water flowed (verses 5 and 6).

After the need for water, the Israelites faced another crisis. The Amalekites initiated a conflict with Israel (v. 8). Moses used his rod again, a wonderful picture of fervent intercession, as Israel fought against this unprovoked attack. Verses 11-13 says:

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Sometimes, we can’t perceive the miracles before us. The Israelites initially viewed Rephidim as a place of dryness and need. But there was hidden water and rest in that location. Are there situations you’ve declared hopeless? Consider taking a second look. God can provide a miracle where you least suspect.

The story in Exodus also shows us that it’s a privilege to participate with Jehovah Nissi to bring deliverance. As God did with Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua, God designates roles for us. Moses, Aaron, and Hur watched the battle from a hilltop while Joshua and his soldiers fought the Amalekites. In the end, the victory, the miracle, all came from God.

As we prepare for this Christmas season, let's not miss opportunities to discover miraculous provision in places that may seem barren. Let's ask God where the miracles are! May we also complete the assignments God gives us. When we accept His invitation to serve, we get to view His wonders first hand. And who wants to miss that?

Help Dallas Leadership Foundation serve as a conduit for God’s miracles to Dallas families. Sign up to volunteer or browse our new online Treasures of Hope Christmas store at dlftx.org/events and purchase a gift for someone special. Share this post on your social networks with the hashtag #WebelieveGodcan.

Why we're drawing inspiration from a 'miracle' movie

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we’re excited to get another chance to serve Dallas families Dec. 14 at our annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. We’re keeping the 1940s theme that inspired our successful gala in October. The can-do spirit, the perserverance, the style and wit of the era hasn’t worn off for us!

We’re drawing inspiration this holiday season from the classic film “Miracle on 34^th Street.” The 1947 movie is one of several popular Christmas movies from the 1940s, including “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Christmas in Connecticut,” and “Penny Serenade.”

We chose "Miracle on 34^th Street" because it centers around miracles and believing the impossible. The movie teaches a compelling lesson about the power of belief and the bondage of unbelief. Sometimes, when circumstances disappoint people, they struggle to hope again. They play down their hopes and expect little from life. Something inside them feels crushed.

"Miracle on 34th Street" uses Kris Kringle as the route from unbelief to faith. But in truth, only God can achieve what appears humanly impossible. Only He can be trusted like that because only His miraculous power can transform a life. 

We know this from experience at DLF. It’s Him who blesses 600-900 families and nearly 1,800 children every year through Treasures of Hope. It's Him who connects specific gifts to specific needs in specific families at critical moments in time. DLF creates the physical setting with prayer, food, music and a decked-out store, but God delivers the miracles.

The Bible urges us to cling to hope because hope doesn't disappoint! God invites us to believe in Him, to trust in Him who gave His only Son Jesus for our sake, once, and for all time. The more time we spend time with God, the more we experience His trustworthiness. We learn that we can count on Him and that He can accomplish the unusual, the miraculous. 

The psalmist describes God's miraculous ability in Psalm 77:14: “You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples” (ESV). This holiday season, ask the Lord where He wants to work His wonders in your life!

If you’re interested in helping us help others in a Jesus-centric Christmas celebration, learn more about Treasures of Hope at http://www.dlftx.org/events. Please share DLF blog posts on your social platforms and include the hashtag, #WebelieveGodcan.

Jesus is the reason for the season at Treasures of Hope

Stick around Dallas Leadership Foundation (DLF) long enough, and you’ll learn that Christmas isn’t about snowmen or snowflakes, or finding the coolest holiday color palette. Sure, dedicated volunteers trick out our Treasures of Hope Christmas Store with ribbons, trees, and ornaments. We play Christmas carols, serve food, and offer all kinds of gifts from dolls to toy trucks to pajamas. We want the store’s setting to inspire warm holiday for the 600-900 Dallas families we serve every year.

All of these trimmings play second to Who is most important at Treasures of Hope. Jesus is the reason for our Christmas store. The holiday get-up sets the stage, but the central focus is Him. Treasures of Hope is another opportunity for DLF to share Jesus. Our prayer always has been that they experience His love through us.

Because this is our point of view, it’s interesting to read Christmas-related chatter this past week on social media. Concerns about commercializing Christmas reached new highs it seemed. The controversy revolved around whether the Christmas spirit is preeminent enough on coffee cups or kept sacred enough on T-Shirts.

To us, celebrating Jesus with Dallas families at Treasures of Hope is deeper than that. Or, to say it another way, we discover a far more eternal perspective of Christmas by putting Jesus first and serving others. When we remember the smiles of the shoppers, their stories of struggle and triumph, and how we introduced some of them to Jesus for the first time – we’re thankful for the chance to share the sweetness of celebrating the Lord Himself.

If you’re interested in helping us help others in a Jesus-centric Christmas environment, learn more about Treasures of Hope at dlftx.org.The store opens Monday, Dec. 14!

A L.A. meeting during the 1940s that lit revival fires around the world

In the 1940s, a young Billy Graham gained attention around the world by using the media platforms available at the time. His willingness to try new technologies to reach people for Christ is inspiring as Dallas Leadership Foundation remembers the can-do attitude of the 1940s for its 20th-anniversary gala Oct. 1.

According to the Randall Balmer for the Encyclopedia Britannica, Graham sought "to dissociate himself from the image of the stodgy fundamentalist preacher. He seized the opportunity presented by new media technologies, especially radio and television, to spread the message of the gospel."

In 1949, according to Britannica, after a spiritual retreat in southern California, Graham "decided to set aside his intellectual doubts about Christianity and simply 'preach the gospel,' " Balmer wrote.                                                                                                                                                      
   .                 

Biography.com describes what happened this way:

It did not take long for people to identify with Billy Graham's charismatic and heartfelt gospel sermons. In 1949, a group called "Christ for Greater Los Angeles" invited Graham to preach at their L.A. revival. When radio personality Stuart Hamblen had Graham on his radio show, word of the revival spread. The publicity filled Graham's tents and extended the revival for an additional five weeks. At the urging of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, papers around the nation covered Graham's revival meetings closely."

Graham, the founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, has been a fixture in America for multiple generations. Through the association, according to its website, Graham started the "Hour or Decision" radio program, which was heard around the world for more than 60 years, developed television programming, wrote a syndicated newspaper column, penned 33 books, and published a magazine. 

The choice Graham made during his early years of ministry carved out a path to fulfill his ministry call -- with the contemporary platforms tools he'd been given. Graham reflected over what he learned in life during a 9/11 message he gave in 2001:  “I’ve become an old man now. And I’ve preached all over the world. And the older I get, the more I cling to that hope that I started with many years ago and proclaimed it in many languages to many parts of the world.”

Support Dallas Leadership Foundation's gala as we celebrate 20 years in Dallas with our "Help Us Do More" theme inspired by the 1940s. Visit http://www.dlftx.org/ to purchase tickets or tables. You can also invite others to support DLF by sharing our posts on your favorite social networks and using the hashtag #Give2Transform.

The world listened when C.S. Lewis commanded audiences during WWII

Before Aslan roared his way into the hearts of children (and adults), the author of "The Chronicles of Narnia" books featuring the majestic lion king was a comforting voice on British radio during World War II. The author was C.S. Lewis, and he enthralled audiences on BBC Home Service radio as his country faced war. 

From Wikipedia

As Dallas Leadership Foundation prepares to commemorate 20 years of service with a 1940s-inspired gala, Lewis is a figure no one can forget. One of his famous broadcasts during the war was "Right and Wrong:  A Clue to the Meaning of the Universe," a program that lasted nearly three years. The program started in 1942 in Great Britain and ran as "The Case for Christianity" in the United States starting in 1943. He also presented other radio programs. (Listen to Lewis in this recording of this 1944 broadcast "Beyond Personality.")

In a scholarly discussion on Lewis' role in World War II in 2011 at Seattle Pacific University, the Rev. Palmer praised Lewis for his four-talk series, "Right and Wrong: A Clue to the Meaning of the Universe," according to writer Jeffrey Overstreet:

 "The first of his BBC broadcasts on faith that ran for almost three years. Lewis did not start by condemning Nazis or by evangelizing, said Palmer: "He begins by describing common quarrels, like two people fighting over a bus seat." Lewis revealed, carefully and strategically, that "every human being knows of a durable, a real, a permanent rightness," Palmer added. "What is the sense in saying the enemy is wrong unless right is the real thing?"

From Wikipedia: jschroe from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA - Lewis' House

Historians also say Lewis entertained guests at the Kilns, his home in Oxford. As Lyle Dorsett wrote in C.S. Lewis: A Profile of His Life: 

Writing, to be sure, is a lonely enterprise. This Lewis understood. And even though he felt called by God to write, he likewise felt it was required of him to counsel those who made the pilgrimage to The Kilns, his home on the edge of Oxford. Frequently he believed it was his calling to explain the Christian faith to people over BBC radio, and to the airmen at the RAF bases during World War II. 

Lewis understood making a leadership difference when and where he could. In the book "Weight of Glory," Lewis wrote: “Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment ‘as to the Lord.’ ” 

Support Dallas Leadership Foundation's gala as we celebrate 20 years in Dallas with our "Help Us Do More" theme inspired by the 1940s. Visit http://www.dlftx.org/ to purchase tickets or tables. You can also invite others to support DLF by sharing our posts on your favorite social networks and using the hashtag #Give2Transform.