Thoughts, devotions, and more from Jeffrey K. Ross, author of "Next Step Devotions"
The world is full of currencies. We see the euro in many European countries. I just spent eight days in China using the renminbi (RMB) or yuan. For a few decades, the U.S. dollar has been the world's reserve currency. No country's currency holds that status for too many decades, so I suspect we aren't …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #116: Everyone Has a Currency. What’s Yours?
One of the fascinating experiences of my recent China trip was speaking through an interpreter. That was a first for me. Once we were past the basic greetings, I was out of my element due to my limited Mandarin. When asked to speak to a Chinese church congregation a couple of times, the talks were, …
As you might suspect, pulling off an eight-day trip to China takes planning. There are the logistics of obtaining passport, visa, flights, insurance, hotels, ground transportation, admission and ticket info to various tourist spots, and more. In our effort to visit churches and take part in services, there was coordination to have participants from multiple …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #114: Find a Balance Between Planning and Flexibility
I’m writing this post from somewhere over Russia. It will take a while to process all that I have experienced these past eight days in China. I’m not sure how this experience will impact my future, my values, my hopes and dreams, my perspective on world affairs, or my faith and the practice of it. …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #113: There Is Always Someone Wiser Than You
If I have learned anything so far on this trip to China, it is that humans are more alike than different regardless of nationality. Sure, externals can be radically different. I don't look like any native Chinese I've seen. Still, there are so many experiences that are the same across cultures that it is a …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #112: We Are More Alike Than Different
