Getting There
“You are here” were the words under the big orange dot.
I stood at the directory board examining all the stores while waiting for my friend to meet for lunch. Then I started laughing to myself… isn’t that the way I want God to communicate with me? I want a great big map with everything lined out and then a big orange dot telling me just where I am on the chart.
Where would faith be if we followed the bouncing orange ball? How could we grow in the knowledge of a sovereign God if the next steps were as predictable as those from Corner Bakery to Neiman’s?
However, we can check out our progress. “Are you satisfied with the direction of your life? Are you pleased with who you are becoming?” My Dad would occasionally ask me these questions. There was one more, but I can’t remember… these two are brain-twisting enough.
NorthPark Center in Dallas has a map which marks a walking path. I can know exactly where I am and how far I’ve gone at all times. I can tell myself when I have taken shortcuts and cheated myself out of the complete path. I can also do an extra lap or two and know how loudly to congratulate myself.
On those days when I want orange dot living, I stop and think about the wonders of wondering and wandering, even. I think about the excitement of knowing the person I want to be, but not knowing where that person is going to go in 1 year or 3 years, much less five years. I love trusting in a God who loves me and has a plan for my life – a plan which is more than I could ever imagine.
So when I stand at that directory the next time I will laugh again because He is SO MUCH BETTER than a big orange dot.
Prayer Network
by Brenda A. Smith, BWFLI.com, BreakfastWithFred.com
August is the month of return – to campus, class, friendships, and challenges. I still have a subconscious yearning for school supplies and new shoes as this time approaches.
In a recent conversation with a Palm Beach Atlantic staff member, we discussed the importance of character development as part of Christian higher education. Studies are now showing objective truth and the concept of truth telling are passe in the general society. “Misspeak,” “Spin,” and “Back pedal” are now acceptable and commonly used euphemisms for lying.
Our schools are in a battle for the hearts and minds of their campuses. There is no truly safe place from the fiery darts of the evil one. The world presses in and the pressures push against our students, faculty, staff, and administration. As they desire to build character they war against the message of irrelevance. Moral values appear to anachronistic.
This month, would you write one of our schools letting them know they are not alone? And pray in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit knowing victory is theirs in the triune God. Bless.
Far From Home
by Bob Deffinbaugh, Bible.org, BWFLI.com
“3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king’s personal service. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego. 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself (Daniel 1:3-8 NAU).”
Imagine what temptations faced Daniel and his three friends as they arrived in Babylon. They were now far from home, and likely far from parental counsel or support. They were being given a first class education in preparation for positions of power and influence, and were offered the finest foods from the king’s table. Who could have it better than that?
But in the midst of this all we read that Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food and drink, no doubt associated with idolatry. He would attend the king’s schools, and even take on a Babylonian name, but he would not compromise his relationship with God.
As our college students return to school, some will attend institutions that uphold the Word of God and promote the Christian faith. Others will attend schools where their faith makes them the target of ridicule and opposition. And both will be tempted in regard to their faith and devotion to our God. Pray for these students, that they, like Daniel, will purpose to remain pure and committed to their faith in the Lord Jesus. Pray that these students, like Daniel, would be granted others who share the same faith and commitment, to support and encourage each other.
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Selective “Selectric” Thinking
Weekly Thought – August 4, 2026
Fred “changed his address from earth to heaven” on August 17, 2007. It is one of the few times in the year of weekly thoughts, his daughter and BWF President Brenda steps out and makes personal remarks. Dad’s desire to be helpful, productive, and useful marked his entire life. The thousands of pieces of paper in my BWF files attest to Dad’s belief in writing everything down he believed worth remembering. I am most grateful for this habit, for it makes breakfastwithfred.com and the Weekly Thought possible.
Some of my most prized possessions are letters from him. A few were pages long; many others were ripped off scraps of paper with simply a scripture reference or a phrase, but all were sent to encourage me on the way .Thank you for sharing in the legacy of his God-given wisdom. Continue to stretch others and as he would say, “write it down.”
Selective “Selectric” Thinking
Writing gives one many advantages: clarity in our thoughts, precision in our words, additional tools for thinking, and organization in our presentation. A writer doesn’t have to be a literary stylist. You must decide what you need to say, how you can best do it, and of course, always determine your purpose for saying anything at all. Speaking has always come more naturally for me, although I work very hard at honing my skills. Having a message is critical to both writers and speakers. My good friend, Zig Ziglar, tells of the young man who rushed up to him almost breathless, “I want to do just what you do!” “Well, young man, what is your message?” “Oh,” he answered, “I don’t have one, but I can get one – I want to be on stage.” Writing is like that because you have to have a message.
Brevity is a beneficial byproduct of writing. In ordinary business writing we must be our own editors. Most want more space than they deserve. Rewriting is a courtesy to the reader and to us when making decisions. Concise writing indicates clear thinking. Writing it down burns the fuzz off.
I strongly recommend making notes of what you hear. Retention is better and they spur our own creative thinking. Notes are a storehouse for future reference. Over the 46 years of association with Maxey Jarman I took voluminous notes. What better source of reading than the ideas you have been impressed with enough to capture? No one has a good enough memory to recall one-tenth of all the good and helpful things we hear. Write them down.
May I say a warm word for letters? I may have written a few thousand personal letters in my life. It is my joy and curse. I probably think more letters than I actually get down for I thoroughly dislike courtesy only, fluffy ones. “Smith’s Night Letters” are typed with two fingers on my old IBM Selectric with a continuous roll of paper fed through the back. Sometimes a friend gets two inches of letter. Other times, they get one three feet long! I don’t have copies of those letters, but I have the memories of great nocturnal journeys spent in conversation pecking away.
This week think about: 1) How much clearer is my thinking when I write it down first? 2) Where do I do my best thinking? 3) What letter is in my mind that should be put to paper?
Words of Wisdom: “Writing burns the fuzz off our thinking.”
Wisdom from the Word: “David said, ‘All of this I put in writing as the Lord directed me and gave me insight regarding the details of the blueprints.’” (1 Chronicles 28:19 NET Bible)