Tag Archives: Mark Hopper

A New Grandchild

By Mark Hopper

Recently I received an invitation to attend the opening service of a new church starting in Redlands, California. It is called Portrait Church and will be meeting at an event venue in the downtown area.

What makes this church special is the fact it will be a grandchild of the Evangelical Free Church in Diamond Bar where I served for 30 years. Many years ago, a small Bible study began in the home of Greg and Carol Crawford in a new community called Eastvale. This group began meeting in January 2003. We sensed this was a unique opportunity to launch a new church. Two members of the Diamond Bar staff stepped up to lead this effort. Additional people from Diamond Bar joined with the Eastvale Bible study to launch a new church in 2007. They called the church Vantage Point.

The first weekly services began in February 2008, with 200 people attending. Over the next decade Vantage Point met in the local Middle School and High School. The church grew along with the community. Eventually they were able to purchase 10 acres of land and construct a building on Archibald Road near the Santa Ana River in Eastvale.

The church now has over 2,000 people attending Sunday services. They are supporting missionaries around the world and serving their local community too. They have helped start several more churches.

Now in 2023, people from the Vantage Point Church in Eastvale are launching the new Portrait Church in Redlands. In other words, the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar is having a grandchild. The small beginning twenty years ago has resulted in many lives being impacted and many people becoming followers of Jesus. And now Redlands will have a new church too.

I will never forget the day one of my daughters called to tell us she was going to have a baby. My wife and I were going to be grandparents. It was amazing. I was in awe when I heard the good news. I felt that same sense of awe when I heard our church was going to have a grandbaby too. The Book of Acts records the history of the early church. Many new churches were started by the Apostles across the Roman Empire. These new churches started more churches. It was a chain reaction which continues around the world today. Let me encourage you to help plant a new church in a community near you.

You can read more encouraging stories by Mark Hopper in his books “Let Me Encourage You More” and Let Me Encourage You Again” or by visiting his website: Letmarkenccourageyou.com

Lazy Dad

By Mark Hopper

When our kids were young we enjoyed camping in the beautiful White Mountains in eastern Arizona. We had a Coleman tent, a Coleman stove and a Coleman lantern. We camped along a bubbling mountain stream in the Upper Log Creek campground. The bathroom facility was a rickety wooden outhouse. It was pretty primitive but we have a lot of good memories of the times we spent there.

We also enjoyed camping with other families. One had a motor home and another had a pop-up tent trailer. We had the leaky canvas Coleman tent. Our kids enjoyed playing with the other kids. The older kids watched over the younger kids. The mothers liked to enjoy time together and the dads liked to fish in the beautiful mountain stream.

One day one of my daughters asked if she could try fishing. I was busy trying to catch my own fish and we didn’t have any extra fishing rods. But one of the other dads found a stick and put a hook and fishing line on it. Then he put some bait on the hook and helped my daughter to carefully climb out onto a dead tree limb so she could put her fishing line in the stream. 

Suddenly she felt a tug on her fishing line. She caught a fish! But she was so excited that she fell off the dead tree branch and into the cold mountain creek. I was able to wade into the cold water and help her get back to dry land. But in all of the excitement she never let go of her fishing pole. She had caught a fish and she wasn’t letting go.

We still smile when we reflect on the day she caught a fish with a stick, line and hook. But as I look back on that event I realize that I had not been a good dad. I had been lazy. I didn’t want to stop what I was doing to help make her a fishing pole. Thankfully another dad did and she caught her own fish.

There is a verse in the Bible that says “Jesus did not come to be served but to serve others” (Mark 10:45). He put the needs and requests of others ahead of his own interests. This was a lesson I needed to learn too. I had put my own interests ahead of the needs of one of my kids. That day I was a lazy dad. Let me encourage you to put the needs and requests of your family ahead of your own. Be a servant leader. Be ready to respond to their requests. Watch for ways to help them and encourage them. You will be glad you did and they will too.

You can read more stories by Mark Hopper in his new book “Let Me Encourage You More – An Encouraging Story for Every Day of the Year”. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is $25 per book or two books for $40 plus postage ($5). Purchase one for yourself and give one to a friend. You will be glad you did!

Singing

By Mark Hopper

I have shared some of my thoughts about music in our culture today and what was written and sung in Bible times 3,000 years ago. But there is a big difference between listening to music or hearing a choir perform than there is when you actually sing a song yourself.

Sometimes I will stand next to one of the men in our church service and tell them I want to hear him sing. Women seem to be more comfortable singing out loud than men. I tell my wife I love to hear her voice when we sing worship songs in church. But most of the men sing quietly and most of the women sing loudly.

There is something powerful and personal when we actually sing along with other people. One voice can be beautiful but there is strength in many voices singing together in a church service or public gathering.

I vividly remember the first time a group of men from our church went to a Men’s Retreat at Forest Home Conference Center. There were about ten men from our church and we arrived late. We quickly took our sleeping bags and duffle bags to our cabin and then hurried to join the evening meeting in progress in the Chapel. When we opened the door we were amazed to hear almost 500 men singing together. It was a powerful moment.

The same thing was true when a larger group of guys from our church attended the Promise Keepers gathering at Angel stadium in Anaheim. There were over 20,000 men at the weekend event. It was amazing to hear so many men singing contemporary praise songs and old hymns like Amazing Grace. It was so encouraging to hear men singing boldly with their voices from their heart.

There is a passage in the Bible which says, “Sing hymns instead of drinking songs. Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything. Use any excuse to sing a song to God” (Ephesians 5:19 – the Message Bible). Let me encourage you to sing with confidence and conviction. Sing hymns and praise songs at church so your spouse and children can hear you and follow your example. Proudly sing the National Anthem at the baseball or football game too. Don’t be a silent spectator. Be a proud participant as you raise your voice in song. You will be glad you did and your family will too.

You can read more stories by Mark Hopper in his new book “Let Me Encourage You More – An Encouraging Story for Every Day of the Year”. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is $25 per book or two books for $40 plus postage ($5). Purchase one for yourself and give one to a friend. You will be glad you did!

Inflation

By Mark Hopper

The cost of everything has skyrocketed over the past few years. The cost of food, fuel and other necessities have risen dramatically. The government continues to reassure the public that inflation is slowing and things are under control. But most consumers are skeptical.

I have used the cost of donuts as an example. A dozen donuts at my favorite shop used to be nine or ten dollars. Recent purchases are now sixteen dollars for one dozen! One day I bought a half dozen and it was about the same price a dozen was only a couple of years ago.

Sometimes it is difficult to accurately measure inflation at the grocery store because manufacturers have reduced the quantity of the contents. A breakfast cereal box may look the same but it may contain less cereal. A bottle of orange juice may look the same but the contents have been reduced from 64 ounces to 59 ounces. Now it contains only 52 ounces. Looks can be deceiving. Read the fine print to clearly understand how much orange juice you are getting. Prices have gone up while the contents have gone down.

Years ago the State Department came up with a formula to measure the cost of living for diplomats serving in different countries around the world. They adjusted the salaries of employees based on how much it cost to live in more expensive cities like Tokyo, Moscow or Paris. They compared the price of a MacDonald’s Big Mac burger.

I got the idea to measure inflation by comparing the prices at my favorite fast food restaurant In N Out Burger. Several sources I found online confirmed the price of a Double-Double Cheeseburger in 2022 was $3.95. The price for the exact same burger in 2023 was $4.90. An increase of 24% in one year! The same size with the same ingredients. Some of the reasons cited by various authors were increased wages for workers, the higher cost of transportation and the price of the raw materials for the burgers and fries.

I think most people feel helpless fighting inflation. We need to feed our families and fuel our cars. Prices at the gas pump and the grocery store continue to increase. Jesus said our Heavenly Father knows our needs and will provide for us (Matthew 6:25-34). Let me encourage you to put your faith in God and not in the government. You will be glad you did and He will too.

You can read more stories by Mark Hopper in his new book “Let Me Encourage You More – An Encouraging Story for Every Day of the Year”. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is $25 per book or two books for $40 plus postage ($5). Purchase one for yourself and give one to a friend. You will be glad you did!

A Plane Full of Children

By Mark Hopper

My wife Susan and I celebrated our honeymoon by spending two weeks in Hawaii. We enjoyed a quiet restful time eating breakfast on the lanai at our condo and discovering new restaurants for lunch and dinner. We also did a lot of cooking at the condo and enjoyed eating some delicious steaks from the BBQ grill.

We used a rental car to visit a variety of places on Maui and to purchase some souvenirs and gifts. It was fun to discover some new places and beaches that neither of us had been to before. We continue to smile as we remember our time together in Hawaii.

However our airplane flight home brought us back to reality. We flew my favorite airline Southwest non-stop from Long Beach to Maui. Our return flight was also non-stop back to Long Beach. But unlike our outbound flight the trip home was very different.

Both flights were full but the plane ride home was filled with over 40 children. There were a large number of families with little kids. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been but it was a noisy active group on our flight. Some babies and little children struggled with the change in air pressure. It was difficult for some to sleep. The cabin was filled with the cries of infants who were tired and uncomfortable.

The parents tried so hard to comfort and quiet their little ones. Some walked them up and down the aisle of the plane and tried to settle their child down. Others used electronic toys and video screens to keep their kids quiet. Some were successful and some were not.

Eventually we arrived safely in Long Beach. It was a long flight. By now most of those little kids are home in their own beds and their parents are probably reconsidering their plans for their next trip to Hawaii. I suspect they may wait until their young children are teenagers.

There is a passage in the Bible which illustrates Jesus’ love for little kids. He scolded his disciples for preventing young children from gathering around Him. He opened his arms and welcomed them to his side. (Mark 10:13-16). Let me encourage you to be patient and understanding when you are in a room full or a plane full of young children. And you may want to check with your airline to schedule your next flight with fewer kids on board. You will be glad you did.

“You can read more stories by Mark Hopper in his new book “Let Me Encourage You More – An Encouraging Story for Every Day of the Year”. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is $25 per book or two books for $40 plus postage ($5). Purchase one for yourself and give one to a friend. You will be glad you did!

Camping & Picnics

By Mark Hopper

I pastored only two churches over a span of 40 years. It was a privilege to lead and serve these two congregations. There were many memories of marriages and new babies. We celebrated the completion of several buildings and participated in many missionary adventures.

But one of the favorite things I remember were the church picnics and family campouts. Picnics at a local park were always a lot of fun. There were games to play for children and adults. Typically the food was potluck although in later years it was easier for the church to provide the food and just ask people to bring desserts to share.  

Family campouts were also wonderful times. In Arizona we camped on Mt. Lemon high above Tucson and also in the White Mountains near the border of New Mexico. In California we camped near the beach above Santa Barbara and also in some inland mountain areas.

It was so relaxing spending a week or a weekend with other church families. The kids played, the dads fished and the mothers talked. I liked getting to know people better in this more personal setting. It was interesting to see family dynamics in a less formal atmosphere. Some people drove large motor homes or pulled travel trailers. Others like my family used a Coleman tent, a Coleman stove and a Coleman lantern and slept in sleeping bags.

I also liked to watch people make new friends at picnics and campouts. Most attended the same church but many attended a different church service. Camping people were usually friendly people. Introductions and conversations were the seeds which blossomed into lifelong friendships. Singing songs around the campfire were memorable too.

One of the most famous books of the Bible recorded a forty-year long camping experience. The book of Exodus tells about the journey of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promise land. As you read it yourself you will see many similarities to a church picnic or a church campout.

Let me encourage you to make a plan and set a date for a picnic or a campout with some church members, your own family or some friends. You will be glad you did and they will too.

“You can read more stories by Mark Hopper in his new book “Let Me Encourage You More – An Encouraging Story for Every Day of the Year”. Order your copy today at markh@efreedb.org. The price is $25 per book or two books for $40 plus postage ($5). Purchase one for yourself and give one to a friend. You will be glad you did!

Going for a Walk

By Mark Hopper

I have shared in the past how much I enjoyed walking through my neighborhood. I usually got up early in the morning and walked by myself. I enjoyed seeing a few other people in the early morning hours.

But more recently my walking routine has changed. Now I have been walking with my friend Susan instead of walking alone. I have been walking in the afternoon instead of the early morning. And instead of only walking in my neighborhood I have expanded my horizons to include a local park.

I have found myself more motivated with a walking partner. It was hard to get going on my own. But it has been more fun walking with a friend. We talk about the day and we review plans for tomorrow. We discuss a variety of topics in the local news. And we pray for our adult children and our grandchildren.

There is a passage in the Bible that says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

The author goes on to say, “If two lie down together they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12).

Having a walking partner has helped me be more motivated to walk in my neighborhood and even drive to a local park to walk together. It is more fun walking and talking with a friend.

We all need friends to share the journey with us. Let me encourage you to invite a friend to do something with you. It may be walking or bowling. It may be painting or exercising. There is strength in numbers and greater enjoyment doing something with your spouse or friend. Make a call or send an email and invite someone to do something with you this week. They will be glad you did and you will too.

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in his second book Let me Encourage You More by Mark Hopper. It is now available for only $25 plus postage ($5) -Order  your copy at mark@efreedb.org.

Stop and Smell the Roses

By Mark Hopper

My wife and I try to go for a walk every day. Sometimes we walk through a park but most of the time we simply walk through our neighborhood. We enjoy greeting other people walking along the streets and sidewalks. We also like to see the different houses along the way and admire the lawns and landscaping.

We have noticed more and more people have removed their lawns and installed artificial grass. It looks very nice and doesn’t require a lot of water or work to maintain. Other homeowners have replaced their lawns with crushed granite and desert succulent plants. These look very nice too.

However the thing that really caught our attention this spring is the number of neighbors who have roses blooming in their yards. I never really noticed how many homes had roses. There are an endless variety of roses with different colors and the blossoms which seem to be unusually large this year. Some of them are huge.

The rose bushes have dark green leaves and look very healthy. We think it may be the result of the heavy rains we had this winter. The precipitation must have enriched the soil and produced a bumper crop of beautiful roses.

One day as we were walking we saw a woman trimming back some of her bountiful rose bushes. We slowed to admire them and commented on how wonderful they looked. The woman said she appreciated our words and promptly gave us a handful of fresh cut flowers.

We carried those with us on the rest of our walk and then put them into a vase when we got home. I am looking at these beautiful flowers in our family room as I type this story. It has been amazing to see how large the blossoms have become and the colors are spectacular. We are thinking about going back and asking for more on our next walk!

There is a verse in the Bible that reminds us God created the heavens and the earth. He created an endless variety of plants, animals, sea creatures and birds for us to observe and enjoy (Genesis Chapter One). Let me encourage you to stop and smell and enjoy the roses in your neighborhood this spring. You may want to plant some at your house too. You will be glad you did and your neighbors will too.

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in his second book Let me Encourage You More by Mark Hopper. It is now available for only $25 plus postage ($5) – Order  your copy at mark@efreedb.org.

Oh My Aching Back

By Mark Hopper

As a church pastor I often visited people from our church who were in the hospital. It was an honor to pray with them and encourage them. I did not stay very long. It was usually a short visit to learn about their condition, treatment and how their recovery was going.

Sometimes it was hard to find people in the hospital. Older facilities are not easy to navigate. I wrote a story in my first book about how I got lost in a hospital looking for a patient’s room and how a helpful employee escorted me to my destination.

On other occasions my visit might be interrupted by a doctor who was checking on patients in the hospital. Sometimes the patient from our church would ask me to stay and listen to what the doctor had to say about the patient’s recovery and progress.

Sometimes a therapist would show up to work with the patient while I was in the room. There are physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists in every hospital. They also have respiratory therapists who help both infants, children and adults with breathing problems. I usually finished my visit with a short prayer and then departed to make way for the therapist.

One day I visited a patient who was recovering from back surgery. It had been pretty extensive and the recovery would take time. As I listened to the physical therapist address different aspects of the recovery I was surprised to hear them mention a book was available for a small fee. I don’t remember the title of the booklet but it provided important information about sex after back surgery.

I think the patient was surprised too. However he had left his wallet at home and did not have any money with him. I knew he was interested in learning more so I offered to pay for the book myself. I think he was a little embarrassed but very grateful his pastor was present to purchase the helpful booklet.

There is an interesting account in the Bible when Jesus visited Peter’s home near the Sea of Galilee. Peter’s mother-in-law was very sick with a fever but Jesus healed her and she was able to resume her activities (Mark 1:29-31). Let me encourage you to visit a friend or family member in the hospital. I recommend you not stay too long but I do recommend you bring your wallet in case the patient needs to purchase an informative book!

Dead Battery

By Mark Hopper

Many years ago we owned a two-door Dodge Dart with a slant-six engine. I think it was a pretty reliable car but not very practical with two young children in the back seat. We took several family vacations in that two-door car including a trip from Arizona to Colorado in 1977. Members of the Hopper family were gathering in Denver for my Grandmother Hopper’s 75th birthday. We decided to stop at some campgrounds along the way to enjoy the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and to reduce spending money on hotels.

I attached a roof rack on the top of the car to help transport the tent, ice chest, sleeping bags and other camping supplies. The trunk was filled with luggage and baby supplies for our new born daughter Trisha. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies.

When we got everything and everyone loaded into the car we asked a neighbor to take our picture before we departed. However when I turned the key we discovered we had a dead battery. The neighbor got his car and battery cables to try to jumpstart our car. No Luck. The battery was dead and needed to be replaced.

After we got the kids out of the car I removed the old battery and drove to JCPenney’s to buy a new one. A regular battery in those days was about $35. But they also offered a more expensive battery with a life-time warranty for about double the price. In a weak moment I selected the more expensive option. I bought the lifetime battery. It was one of the best investments I ever made. In the years ahead I think JC Penney’s replaced that battery at least three or four times! I certainly got my money’s worth. Eventually Penny’s stopped selling them.

I don’t think many companies offer a lifetime warranty on their products anymore. But I actually do when it comes to weddings. I tell couples in premarital counseling they can come back to me for help as long as I am still alive on this earth. I promise to be available to meet with them when they have problems in their marriage. I am convinced God can heal and restore marriages if couples are willing to follow His instructions and willing to make changes in their own life. If you are going through difficulties in your life or your marriage, let me encourage you to get help now. Begin with your own life. Read my story about “The Man in the Mirror” in my book Let Me Encourage You. You will be glad you did and your spouse will too.

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in the book Let me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give a friend. Order your copies at mark@efreedb.org.

Directing Traffic

By Mark Hopper

My wife taught sixth grade at Chaparral Middle School in Diamond Bar California. She loved her students and they loved her too. She made learning fun and helped students succeed.

One of the worst things about teaching at Chaparral was the volume of traffic at the beginning and end of each school day. Like most teachers Jeanne got to school early to avoid the crush of cars.

When I was driving to my office one day I noticed the traffic light near Jeanne’s school was out. There were no flashing red lights either. Most people were stopping but some were not. Clearly this was a dangerous situation. There was a long line of southbound cars trying to turn on to the street leading to the school. There were also a long line of cars on the residential street trying to get away from the school after they had dropped off their students.

But the cars going northbound lane of Diamond Bar Blvd were not stopping. They drove right through the intersection without slowing or stopping. It seemed like there would be an accident at any moment.

I pulled over on the side street and got out of my car. I carefully walked out into to the middle of the intersection and motioned for all of the approaching cars to stop. Then I began to direct traffic on all four sides of the intersection. I would allow 10-15 cars to go one way and did the same with the traffic going the opposite way. I also alternated the cars making left turns. Gradually traffic improved and accidents were avoided.

Eventually a motorcycle officer arrived on the scene. I asked him if he wanted to take over but he told me I was doing a pretty good job. One of my wife’s students ran into her classroom to report that her husband was out in the middle of Diamond Bar Blvd directing traffic. She didn’t believe him at first but several other students confirmed his story.

Finally the police officer did take over and I went on to work. It was a crazy situation but thankfully no one was hurt. There is a passage in the Bible in Luke chapter 15 about a Good Samaritan who stopped to help a stranger who had been robbed and injured. Let me encourage you to follow his example and be willing to stop and help when you face an unexpected situation. You may save a life or prevent serious injury to a stranger. You will be glad you did and they will too. 

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in the book Let me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give a friend. Order your copies at mark@efreedb.org.

Trees

By Mark Hopper

My wife loved to make attractive trees for friends and family members. She purchased cone-shaped Styrofoam trees and decorated them with costume jewelry. She used a hot-glue gun to apply adhesive to the tree and arrange the jewelry in a variety of patterns.

She got this idea when she saw some trees at Roger’s Garden in Newport Beach. The decorated foam trees were priced at several hundred dollars. She decided to make one for herself with some of the jewelry she had at home. It turned out very nice. When people learned she had made the tree herself, they asked if she would make them one also. Women gathered costume jewelry in their home and gave it to my wife and she crafted a beautifully decorated piece for them. She made more than one hundred jewelry trees for friends and family.

Many women shared how much they enjoyed their tree. Jewelry that was just sitting in a drawer was now on display for everyone to enjoy. Some have additional sentimental value when the jewelry is from a parent or grandparent. One woman had several watches that belonged to her father and grandfather. Another woman had commemorative pins with emblems from places she had visited with her husband.

Every tree was unique. While she was making each tree she prayed for the family or individual she was making it for. She enjoyed working with her hands and using her time to craft these attractive display pieces. There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Use the gifts and abilities that God has given you to serve others (First Peter 4:10).  I believe everyone has skills and abilities they can use to help other people. Older adults have experience in woodworking, pottery, sewing and painting. Younger adults have skills in technology, music and sports. The list is endless.

Let me encourage you to use the gifts and abilities that God has given you to help other people. A wonderful way to do this is by volunteering at a local school, hospital or nursing home. One of the greatest things you can share is your time. When you share your time, skills and abilities with other people you will encourage them and you will feel encouraged too.

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in the book Let me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give a friend. Order your copies at mark@efreedb.org.

Pray for your Kids and Grandkids

By Mark Hopper

University of Arizona baseball Coach Jerry Kendal shared a wonderful story at a Men’s Conference I attended in the 1980’s. When Jerry was a young boy he burst into his grandfather’s bedroom while Jerry was playing hide and seek with his siblings. He was startled to find his grandfather kneeling by his bed in prayer. When Jerry tried to apologize his grandfather told him to not worry – he said he was just praying for Jerry.  

I’m sure that every parent and grandparent prays for their children and grandchildren every day. I always prayed for their health and safety.  And I prayed for their faith, their friends and their future.

I prayed that they would have a vibrant personal faith in Christ. Each generation must decide for themselves if they will become followers of Jesus. Parents and grandparents can sow the seeds of faith in the next generation but each one must decide for themselves who they will follow. The Old Testament leader Joshua said he and his family chose to follow the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

Friends are a vital part of a child’s development. This is true for young children and teenagers, too. Friends have a large influence in a child’s development. Teenagers are impacted by peer pressure too. Friends also provide encouragement and reassurance during those formative teenage years. Friends can draw your children closer to God or steer them away from Him. I prayed for good friends with a common faith.

I also prayed for their future. I prayed God would help them in their studies and guide them in their choice of careers. I also prayed they would find a spouse who shared their faith and values.

Author Tim Kimmel wrote a book titled – Extreme Grandparenting. In his book he emphasized how important grandparents are in the lives of their children and grandchildren. One of the most important things they can do is to pray for their children and grandchildren. The Apostle Paul instructed older men and women to live lives that the younger generations would follow (Titus 2:2-4). I’m sure this included prayer. Let me encourage you to pray for your children and grandchildren every day. Pray for their faith, friends and future. Pray for their health and safety too. You will be glad you did and they will too. 

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in the book Let me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give a friend. Order your copies at mark@efreedb.org.

Fear of Heights

Pastor Mark Hopper

By Mark Hopper
There are a lot of things you probably didn’t know about your spouse before you got married. But when you begin married life together you may discover some things you weren’t aware of. One of the things that I didn’t realize was that my wife was afraid of heights. I learned this on our honeymoon when we met the church youth group on the back-packing trip into Havasu Canyon. I rode in a helicopter from the rim to the campground in five minutes while my new wife hiked into the canyon with most of the students for five hours.
One of the activities during our four days in Havasu Canyon was climbing down to the bottom of the Mooney Falls. This was a steep climb through a couple of small caves and down the face of the canyon wall using steel pegs and chains. My wife didn’t want to participate in the climb to the bottom of Mooney Falls but I insisted everyone had to come. She wasn’t very happy but she did make it down with the others. However, the climb back up was very frightening. She froze about half way up and couldn’t move. It took a lot of pleading and encouraging to get her back to the top. I had no idea how afraid she was of heights.
A few years later we led a group of teenagers on a ski trip from Dallas to Colorado. We chartered a bus that left on Christmas night and returned on New Year’s Eve. We stayed at a church camp outside of Denver and enjoyed four days of skiing in the Rocky Mountains.
My wife and I had no experience skiing. But we were willing to try. The students were quick learners but we struggled to figure it out. After a day of basic lessons we ventured up the slopes on the chair lift. My wife didn’t like being so far off the ground and was worried about getting off the ski lift at the top of the mountain.
Things went okay while we followed a level trail to the ski slope. When we turned the corner and looked at the slope it was breathtaking. It looked like we were going straight downhill. Did I mention that my wife was afraid of heights? It was a long fright-filled struggle down the slope. After that my wife decided she preferred to stay in the ski lodge and drink hot chocolate and leave the skiing to the younger students.
All of us are afraid of something – spiders, the dark, flying and heights. There are many verses in the Bible that say, “Fear not for I am with you” (Joshua 1:8 / Isaiah 41:10). Let me encourage you to face your fears and trust God to help you when you are in a fearful situation. You will be glad you did and He will too.

You Can Only Play So Much Golf

By Mark Hopper
In the 1990’s, I led a small team of adults from our church in California to Guatemala. We were going there to help with the construction of a school near Guatemala City. My wife and I had led a younger team of high school and college students to Guatemala in the 1970’s. This time we went with a seasoned group of older adults.


Guatemala is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Several dormant volcanoes tower over the countryside. The vegetation is lush and green. Guatemala is known for its popular coffee beans and wonderful Avocadoes.


While we were working on the construction site we met a man who was doing electrical work. He was a retired engineer who had come by himself at his own expense to pull wires and install electrical outlets in the classrooms. He was planning to be there for a month


I don’t remember his name but I do remember something he said. When I asked him why he had come to Guatemala to work on this project he replied, “You can only play so much golf”. He went on to explain that when he retired from his career as an electrical engineer he spent a lot of time playing golf with some of his buddies. But after a year of retirement he felt he needed to do something more with his time. When he heard about the project in Guatemala, he decided to put his golf clubs in the closet and spend some time helping other people.


Please don’t misunderstand. I like golf. In fact, my wife says I don’t play enough golf. But I think we all know that there are other things that are more important. We may get a sense of enjoyment from a good round of golf. But we can get an even greater sense of fulfillment when we use our time and talents to serve others.


There is a passage in the Bible that says, “Put yourself aside and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with your own interests. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand” (Philippians 2:4 – The Message Bible). You won’t find lasting fulfillment just doing things that you like. Real fulfillment is found when we volunteer our time and use our abilities to help others. You won’t find happiness looking for it. You stumble across it when you serve others. Let me encourage you to volunteer some of your time to serve at your church or in your community. Don’t sit home and watch TV. Get off the couch and get into the community and help people. And allow yourself a little time for a round of golf with your buddies too! You will be glad you did!

Read 365 more stories and articles (one for every day of the year) in the book Let me Encourage You by Mark Hopper. You can purchase two copies for only $30 plus postage ($5). Buy one for yourself and one to give a friend. Order your copies at mark@efreedb.org.

Wash Your Car & Meet Your Neighbors

By Mark Hopper

I love the long summer evenings in Southern California. I love to get more things done after dinner with the extra daylight we enjoy in June and July. I was surprised the clock read 8:30 PM when I came into the house after washing my car.

An added bonus to the long summer evenings has been meeting more of my neighbors. There are a lot of men, women, and young adults walking past our house every evening. Many of them are doing laps around our block and come by several times. And many of them are walking with a spouse, children or exercise partner.

I like to pause what I am doing and say hello as people pass by. Some share encouraging comments on how nice my car looks. I like to return the compliment and tell them what a good job they are doing as they walk through our neighborhood.

Some people pause when I ask them their name or where they live. It has been challenging to learn new names and remember them the next time I see them. But I enjoy our brief conversations and I like getting to know my neighbors better.

There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). It is hard to love your neighbors if you don’t know your neighbors. One of the biggest obstacles to getting to know your neighbors is the garage door. People drive down the street, press the garage door opener, pull into their garage and close the door. It is pretty hard to get to know them when you can’t even speak to them.

Other obstacles include the back yard patio and the indoor air conditioning. It is interesting that older homes were built with a front porch. People would get out of their warm house on a summer evening and sit outside to enjoy a cool evening breeze. The front porch provided a natural setting to greet people walking by. It enabled neighbors to meet other neighbors.

Let me encourage you to get to know the neighbors who live around you. Why not wash your car during these long summer evenings and say hello to the people who walk by. Why not set up a lawn chair in your front yard instead of sitting in your air conditioned house or the back yard patio. You will be glad you did and your neighbors will too!

You can read 365 more stories (one for every day of the year)  in the book Let Me Encourage You. by Mark Hopper for only $25  (includes postage). Order your copy this week at markh@efreedb.org. Visit Mark’s website to read his latest stories at Letmarkencourageyou.com. 

Pastor’s Corner: Joe & Charlotte

Joe and Charlotte began to attend our church when I was the new pastor at Chapel in the Hills in Tucson many years ago. Although I had served on the staff of larger churches, this was the first time I was on my own after graduating from seminary.

I was pretty young to be leading a church. The church was small. A secretary came in one morning a week to print the Sunday bulletin. The church treasurer was a volunteer. Our attendance was small and our resources were limited.

Joe and Charlotte lived in the neighborhood and they actually attended a larger church across town. But they started coming to our Sunday evening services and to our mid-week Bible study. They were school teachers and loved kids. They had served with a ministry providing children’s Bible programs in rural areas of Arizona. And they rode a tandem-bike along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans during two summers.

They offered to lead our first summer Vacation Bible School to reach children in the community. I was so thankful to have the help of this remarkable couple. They came with ideas and experience that were invaluable. VBS was a success and we met a number of new families in our area.

There is a similar couple in the Bible. Their names were Priscilla and Aquila and they worked with the Apostle Paul on a number of occasions. Paul said that they had actually risked their lives to help him. Later they started a church in their own home (Romans 16:3-5) and they provided solid Bible teaching to a budding evangelist named Apollos (Acts 18:26).

I believe God loves to bring older, seasoned people into our lives to help us in our career or ministry. Let me encourage you to watch for an Aquila or Priscilla who is willing to help you grow and learn. And be willing to use your knowledge and experience to be an Aquila or Pricilla to help others. You will be glad you did and they will too. 

You can find more stories and articles by Mark Hopper at his web site – letmarkencourageyou.com. His book with 365 stories and articles (one for each day of the year) is available for $25 which includes postage – contact him at markh@efreedb.org.

Pastor’s Corner: To Tell or Not To Tell

Mark Hopper

Many years ago we took our children on a trip to California. We spent two days at Disneyland and then drove north to visit my brother and his family in Grass Valley. Our kids enjoyed time with their cousins and we enjoyed catching up with my brother and his wife.


One day we went to a pumpkin patch and each of our kids and the cousins selected their own pumpkin. They looked forward to carving and decorating their own pumpkins for Halloween when we got home. On our way back to Arizona we realized we would need to stop at the border for an agricultural inspection. We knew we would be asked by the border agent if we had any agricultural products that we were bringing into Arizona from California.

My wife and I had a lively discussion about what we should say to the agriculture inspector. If we said that we did not have any agricultural items – our children would get to keep their precious pumpkins. But, our children would also know we did not tell the truth. On the other hand, if we did tell the border agent that we did have some agricultural items – their personal pumpkins might be confiscated at the border and they would have nothing to carve for Halloween.


What would you say if you were faced with a similar situation? Do you tell or not tell? Do you disclose or conceal. Do you tell the truth and risk the loss of the precious pumpkins? Or to you tell a lie and hope you don’t get caught?


A man named Abraham faced a similar test. His wife was beautiful. He told her to lie and tell people she was his sister. He told the same lie when he was asked about her. Abraham was afraid someone might kill him and take his wife (Genesis 20). Years later his own son Isaac did the same thing following of his father’s example (Genesis 26)!


I know people are more important than pumpkins. I believe it is better to tell the truth and face the consequences than to tell a lie. There is a verse in the Bible that says, “Put aside falsehood and speak truthfully” (Ephesians 4:25). Your reputation is on the line and your children may follow your example. When we got to the border we decided to tell the inspector about our precious pumpkins. We held our breath – then he said no problem. Pumpkins are permitted! Let me encourage you to tell the truth. We were glad we did and you will be too.

You can find more stories and articles by Mark Hopper at his web site – letmarkencourageyou.com. His book with 365 stories and articles (one for each day of the year) is available for $25 which includes postage – contact him at markh@efreedb.org.

Pastor’s Corner: The Man In The Mirror (Part Two)

Mark Hopper

In my previous article I shared about how we need to take a look in the mirror and see what changes we need to make in our own life. The words of the song Man in the Mirror and the story of the pastor with the rebellious daughter really drive home the principle that change needs to begin with you.

Many years ago I attended a helpful seminar on leadership. I picked up some useful ideas on how to be a more effective leader of our staff and our church. One of the speakers was Ken Blanchard, he was well known for his best-selling book – The One Minute Manager.  He shared an illustration that he often used with business leaders that has been very helpful to me as a husband, pastor and leader.

He said that when things are not going well, a foolish manager will look out his office window and place the blame on his workers. Why are sales and production declining? The employees must not be doing their jobs. On the other hand, when things are going well, a foolish manager will look in a mirror and congratulate himself for the great job he is doing.

Blanchard went on to say that when things are going well and sales are up and production is growing, a wise manager will look out the window and recognize the success is due to the hard work of his employees. And, when sales are down and production is declining, a wise manager will look in the mirror and ask himself – What am I doing wrong? What steps do I need to take to help our business improve?

There is a passage in the Bible where King David ignored the warning of his own advisors and demanded that his staff count the number of troops under his command. This action resulted in the death of a number of innocent people. David realized his mistake and asked God to forgive him and stop the devastation and destruction. He accepted responsibility for his arrogant behavior (Second Samuel chapter 24). If things aren’t going well in your life or business, let me encourage you to take a good look in the mirror. Ask yourself – what changes do you need to make in your life? Accept responsibility and change what you are doing. And if things are going well in your life or business, I hope you will give the credit to God and to the people who have made it possible. They will be glad you did and you will too.

Pastor Hopper has published a book with 365 of his articles and stories. The title is “Let Me Encourage You”. The cost is $25 which includes shipping. Order your copy at markh@efreedb.org.

Pastor’s Corner: The Man In The Mirror

Mark Hopper

Many years ago, I heard a pastor share his story about his relationship with his teenage daughter. He was discouraged and concerned that his daughter was angry and frustrated with him. One day he took his whole family to a local park. As they sat on some tree stumps, he asked his wife and each of their children this question – “What changes do I need to make in my life that can help heal our family”? He said it hurt deeply as each of them shared some of their frustrations with him. His teenage daughter was the most vocal. She told her father that he was too busy and he never listened to her.

After each of them shared, he told them he needed some time to be alone and think about what they had said. As he got up to leave, his daughter stopped him and said she needed to ask him the same question. “What changes did she need to make in her life?” This was a turning point in their strained relationship. His heart was softened and he began to make some changes in his schedule and he spent more time with his daughter. The daughter’s heart was softened and she began to make changes in her life too.

There is a passage in the Bible where Jesus said, “Before you try to remove the speck from your brother’s eye, you need to remove the log from your own eye” (Matthew 7:1-5). If there is a problem in your family, marriage or other relationship – the place to begin is in your own life. Look in a mirror and ask yourself this question – what am I doing that is causing problems in our relationship? What changes do I need to make in my life that will help heal the wounds and restore my relationship with others?

There is a song from the 1980’s written by a famous singer with the title – Man in the Mirror. Some of the words are, “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change. I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways”.

I love the phrase – Changed people change people. I believe that when you make positive changes in your life it will produce positive changes in others too.  Your words, attitudes and actions can have a positive or negative impact on others. Let me encourage you to look in the mirror and ask yourself – what changes do I need to make in my life. You can ask your spouse, children or a trusted friend too. Pray and ask God to reveal some things to you that you need to change in your life with His help. You will be glad you did and those around you will too.

Pastor Hopper has published a book with 365 of his articles and stories. The title is “Let Me Encourage You”. The cost is $25 which includes shipping. Order your copy at markh@efreedb.org.