The Good News Blog

The Hugging Judge
‘Don’t bug me! Hug me!’ – Bumper Sticker

Lee Shapiro is a retired judge. He is also one of the most genuinely loving people we know. At one point in his career, Lee realized that love is the greatest power there is. As a result, Lee became a hugger. He began offering everybody a hug. His colleagues dubbed him “the hugging judge” (as opposed to the hanging judge, we suppose). The bumper sticker on his car reads, “Don’t bug me! Hug me!”

About six years ago Lee created what he calls his Hugger Kit. On the outside it reads “A heart for a hug.” The inside contains thirty little red embroidered hearts with stickums on the back. Lee will take out his Hugger Kit, go around to people and offer them a little red heart in exchange for a hug.

Lee has become so well known for this that he

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength)” -2 Corinthians 12:10, AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

No matter what weakness you think you may have, no matter what inadequacies or setbacks you’ve encountered, God wants to give you His divine strength! He wants to make up the difference and put you further ahead than you ever thought possible. One time in the Old Testament, God simply multiplied the sound of four men’s footsteps and caused them to sound like a mighty army.

When their enemies heard them, they took off running. There were thousands of enemy troops running for their lives, scared to death, thinking they were being attacked by a massive army when, in fact, it was just four people! What happened? God made up the difference.

Friend, God can make you seem bigger than you really are. He

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind” – Proverbs 21:5, The Message

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It’s amazing how taking a few minutes at the start of each day to plan and set your thoughts in the right direction can help you get ahead and empower you to accomplish so much more.

But too often, people get so caught up in the activity of life that they tend to just “go with the flow” instead. Of course, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be flexible, but when it comes to your life, you should be the one setting the flow. Of course, unexpected things happen. Our days won’t always go according to plan, but if you’ll take time each day to set your heart and mind in the right direction, you’ll be equipped for whatever comes your way!

Today I encourage you, make

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory…!” -Judges 4:14, NLT

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and go into another year coasting on auto-pilot, expecting the same thing: same problems, same struggles and the same income. But God is a God of increase. He wants us to rise higher and continually grow and reach new levels.

What I sense in my spirit is that 2011 is going to be an exceptional year; a year for you to see promises come to pass; a year for you to accomplish your dreams. It’s going to be a year of surprises, and God is going to amaze you with His goodness!

Maybe there’s an area in your life that you’ve struggled with for a long time. It seems like you just can’t get ahead. You need to get ready. This is the

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” -Galatians 6:9, NKJ

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

This year, I believe, is going to be a year of great harvest for many people. Maybe you’ve been facing some difficulties. Remember, great difficulties lead to great victories. Maybe you’ve felt like the storms of life have been blowing against you, trying to hold you back. I believe this year that the winds are changing direction, and now they are going to start propelling you forward.

Due season is coming. It’s not time to sit back. It’s not time to let up. It’s time to press forward. It’s time to rise up! Don’t grow weary while doing good. Keep doing good and don’t lose heart because it’s your time, and it’s your season!

By faith begin to declare, “2011 is my

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” -Galatians 5:6B, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

So often, it’s easy to get caught up in our to-do lists of life. You might even have a spiritual checklist in your mind of all the things you think you need to do in order to please God. And we should have the desire to please Him and follow His commands, but pleasing Him starts with our heart condition.

Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians that only faith, hope and love will last into eternity. We can’t have faith unless we first have hope, and our faith won’t work without love. The point is that we have to remember to adjust our focus and make sure that we aren’t just going through the motions in our spiritual walk. We can do a lot of “good” things, too.

But if we

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life…” -Proverbs 21:21, NASB

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever noticed that righteousness and loyalty go together? In other words, if we’re not being loyal — to our family, friends, country, job — then we aren’t going to experience God’s best. Loyal people are honorable people.

When you’re loyal, you stick with someone through thick and thin. When you’re loyal, you keep your word — even if you get a “better” offer. Loyal people are respectful of their leaders. They honor their parents and defend their family. When you’re loyal, you are a person of integrity. You build trust and security in others.

Is this an area where you can rise higher? Can you be more loyal? Are you faithful in the things you’re committed to? Don’t let the distractions of everyday life keep you from pursuing loyalty. Look for ways to

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“…Love is kind…” -1 Corinthians 13:4, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

You may have heard this verse many times before, but one translation says that “love looks for a way to be constructive.” In other words, kindness isn’t just about being nice; it’s looking for ways to improve someone else’s life. It’s bringing out the best in others.

When you start your day, don’t just spend time thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better. Think about ways you can make someone else’s life better, too! Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today? Who can I build up?” You have something to offer those around you that no one else can give. Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them. We are responsible for how we treat the people He’s placed in our lives. He’s

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how long you’ve been a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It’s measured by the love you allow to operate in and through you.

1 Corinthians 13 gives us a picture of what love looks like. When we are walking in love, we treat other people with courtesy and respect. In other words, are you kind to the person at the checkout counter that may be moving too slowly? Are you gentle when you are driving down the highway and someone cuts you off? Are you patient with your family and coworkers?

These are all characteristics of love. The Bible tells us that love

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife…” -Proverbs 20:3, AMP

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Oftentimes, challenges are merely distractions meant to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone in the office isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbor who always parks in front of your house and blocks your mailbox.

Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture. You can’t allow the little things to open the door to strife in your life.

In the Bible, just before David fought the giant Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength.

He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. He simply “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was