By Miles Patrick Yohnke

It hurts me to write this story. But I must write it. I live in Canada, which is seen as a rich country. The country to the south of us, the United States, also falls into this category. As a writer I've been blessed that my work has touched so many lives in so many corners of the world.

I receive many letters. An enormous amount of them come from places where it isn't as good as we have it here. Yet these letters are filled with hope and optimism. Terror and fear are daily occurrences in countries like Africa, India and Papua New Guinea [PNG] just to name a few. Yet when I read the letters from people living in these and many more places, their passion is overwhelming. You also have a great respect for their rich, individual heritages.

You look at Papua New Guinea and discover it has over 800 languages. Each province has more than 20 different languages. Not all of them have the same dialect. The only language that they all can speak and understand is called "Pidgin English." 800 languages means that they also have this number of different customs and traditions. All just loaded with culture and character.

North America is the richest of nations, yet, for the most part, our culture is one of excess and excuses.

Excess: We eat too much. We drink too much. We spend far too much.

Excuses: We point fingers. We blame others. We dwell in dysfunction.

We are rich with excess and excuses. For so many we have a hard time speaking one language. We have bigger houses and bigger broken homes. Divorce is the norm. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We've learned how to make a living but not a life. It's time that we stop our spoiled, self-centered ways.

Time we look in the mirror at our fat selves. Weak with character, high with cholesterol. Time we wake up. Time we learn that life isn't about 'things'. Time that we use our rich resources for positive change. Time we give back. Help others. Time our lives are filled with purpose. In that we will have a real reason to live.

Meditation: But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:20-21

You will succeed because Jesus loves You!

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