Thoughts on Retirement
Is it a good thing? I remember a conversation with a man who had been nominated to be an Elder of the church. He had served before, but...
BLOG BY JIM KOK
Thoughts from Jim are the musings and teachings of Dr. Jim Kok.
His writings range over a variety of topics,
but all are enlightenments in his mission of motivating people
to be more intentional in their offering kindness
to people around them.
- Jul 22
Kok's Recommended Antidote
The amount of stress that everyone is feeling these days can be overwhelming without having the right attitude when dealing with it, nor...
- Jul 8
Theology From An Astronaut
Getting away from it all works wonders, and experience teaches us. Quiet-time ... being alone ... solitude ... all create space for...
- Jun 24
The Price of an Unpaid Traffic Ticket
In 1958, I left Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I was working as a vocational rehabilitation counselor, to go to seminary in...
- Jun 10
An Angel Experience?
Or a Coincidence? We were sleeping at a cottage at Cobmoosa Shores, near Stony Lake, and facing Lake Michigan. Only Linda and I were...
- May 27
Noticing the Good in Life!
. I made a quick mental run through my week just ending and made a striking discovery. Although intensely involved in some important...
- May 13
You Are Far More Than You Think You Are!
The newly installed hospital chaplain, a middle age pastor, exclaimed, "I don't have anything to offer her." He said this as he talked...
- Apr 29
10 Tips for Helping a Hurting Person
Sadly, well-meaning people often feel awkward when dealing with a friend who is deeply hurting. And in their awkwardness, they grope for...
- Apr 15
Giving Improves Your Health
Hold on a minute! Hear me out! You are approached with requests that you give or donate to something or other all the time, right? You...
- Apr 1
How Tall Are You?
Here is an interesting experiment you can try. I have done this before groups of people, and the results are quite interesting. Stand,...
- Mar 18
Big Smile, Long Life
People who smile a lot are usually happier, have more stable personalities, more stable marriages, better cognitive skills and better...
- Mar 4
EGO DETACHMENT: A Lesson We All Need
An inability to speak your opinions and ideas in public is often due to a simple problem — ego attachment. What that means is that you...
- Feb 18
A Major Mistake When Helping the Hurting
When visiting someone who is in grief, or who has recently been hit by a distressing or unsettling event there is a major temptation. It...
- Feb 4
Finding a Coin - Part 2
Goodness is from God. So when good times pass our way, we are being caressed and nurtured by God, whether we know it or not. Such times...
- Jan 16
Finding a Coin Can Trigger Love
Positive experiences are spiritual events. That is, something heart-warming or supportive that happens to us is more than just something...
- Dec 27, 2021
The Correct Perception of Humility
Humility is seen in the capacity to do what needs to be done. Humility includes not thinking oneself greater than others, but the...
- Dec 10, 2021
Life Is God's Gift
Disbelief, shock, then anger are the initial responses to a personal announcement of imminent death. It is rarely an acceptable...
- Nov 26, 2021
This is Thanks-giving Month
START A GRATITUDE JOURNAL Much is now known about the benefits of practicing intentional thankfulness. It isn't just a high-level...
- Nov 12, 2021
More Acts of Kindness
#1. I had just led the funeral of a dear woman. We were invited by her husband, Dave Cook, to come to their house after the general...
- Oct 22, 2021
Intentional Acts of Kindness
Our Care and Kindness Campaign is to urge people to make INTENTIONAL acts of kindness part of their life-style. Everyone is familiar with...
- Oct 8, 2021
Understanding Our Influence Through Prayer
I visualize the shape of prayer like an enormous triangle. Looking at the triangle, I imagine the top—the peak—is God. The left bottom...
- Sep 24, 2021
KOK's LAW
‘Kok’s Law’ came into being as a means of survival in intimidating circumstances. No doubt, others have stumbled on its genius, too, but...
- Sep 10, 2021
More on loving my enemies
What makes that commandment so hard for us is that when we think of love, we think of the love we have for our spouse, or our parents,...
- Aug 27, 2021
Love My Enemies ?? Really !!?
Love my enemies? Really !!? That’s a hard one, isn’t it? Luke 6:27 says, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do...
- Aug 13, 2021
The Profoundness of Kindness
Proverbs 16:24 I find myself warmed by reading how the different Bible translators have phrased the wisdom in this verse from Proverbs....
- Jul 30, 2021
Are You Contagious?
It could be a good thing if you are! You are a positive person, but when you see the word 'contagious', you think of bad things, don't...
- Jul 16, 2021
The Five Side Effects of Kindness (5)
5) Kindness is Contagious When we’re kind, we inspire others to be kind, and studies show that it actually creates a ripple effect that...
- Jul 2, 2021
The Five Side Effects of Kindness (4)
4) Kindness Improves Relationships This is one of the most obvious points. We all know that we like people who show us kindness. This is...
- Jun 18, 2021
The Five Side Effects of Kindness (3)
3) Kindness Slows Aging Aging on a biochemical level is a combination of many things, but two culprits that speed the process are Free...
- Jun 4, 2021
The Five Side Effects of Kindness (2)
2) Kindness Is Good for the Heart Acts of kindness are often accompanied by emotional warmth. Emotional warmth produces the hormone,...
- May 21, 2021
The Five Side Effects of Kindness (1)
When we think of side effects, the first thing that springs to mind are the side effects of drugs. But who’d have thought that kindness...
- May 8, 2021
People Need People
As we have all struggled for nearly a year and a half with the restrictions of the pandemic, one of the things that I miss most is ...
- Apr 23, 2021
Unlocking a Satisfying Life
Here is the formula for effective, satisfying, and meaningful living. It is to behave in a way that is not naturally comfortable. It is...
- Apr 9, 2021
Small and Simple May Be Plenty
Did you know that a kind word spoken in someone's ear changes their body chemistry in a measurable and positive way? A kind word is a...
- Mar 26, 2021
Clues About Finding Happiness
Happiness is a manageable goal. That is, we are not born with and or without it. Certainly, expanding happiness is not the same for...
- Mar 12, 2021
Let's Start A New Wave
Well, we are a little ways past the traditional time for making New Years Resolutions. But . . . it's never too late to make plans for a...
- Feb 26, 2021
Tidbits About Care & Kindness
My activity in the care and kindness ministry has pushed me into staying active and even creative in actions and attitudes that fit the...
- Feb 11, 2021
You Can PLAN To Be Kind
Before I tell you my story, let me give you the punch-line right away. You do not have to be in the right mood to show kindness. You do...
- Jan 28, 2021
Don't Just Do Something . . . Stand There!
My title may strike you as a little puzzling. We typically view the thought of 'just standing there' as not being helpful, not being...
- Jan 8, 2021
A New Years Resolution: You Can Change The World
It doesn’t require wealth, talent, or a huge investment of time. Right now, you, with your current limitations and abilities, have...
- Dec 24, 2020
When are the Twelve Days of Christmas?
We love to sing that joyful, and slightly humorous, song at Christmas time. But does anyone know what those twelve days are about? Is it...
- Dec 11, 2020
Xmas vs Christmas
As we are now halfway through December, anticipating Christmas, I would like to put the minds of many of you to rest over the widespread...
- Nov 27, 2020
Turning Junk into Good Stuff
In today's world of COVID impact, in which EVERYONE has had their lives changed, we each struggle with how to deal with these changes. We...
- Nov 13, 2020
Listening 101
"Listening is easy. What I need to know is what to say." Those are the words of a frustrated student who was exasperated with such a big...
- Oct 29, 2020
God Isn't Simply 'Practical'
God isn't 'practical' about our world, skimping on things that don't pay. He's got mountains and deserts that seem to be a poor idea when...
- Oct 15, 2020
A Phrase That You, Too, Can Use
Near the end of a pastoral visit to a wonderful Christian lady, she interrupted the flow of our conversation with a concern she was...
- Oct 2, 2020
An Extremely Kind Gift
There is one incredibly kind sentence we can say to everyone. It is a gift that can be given to everyone. There are no exceptions. The...
- Sep 18, 2020
The Broken Window Approach
In New York City, a unique philosophy guided efforts to make the city clean, attractive, safe and secure. It was known as "The Broken...
- Sep 3, 2020
Properly Understanding Humility
I once asked for a volunteer to play the piano. No one moved. Finally, someone coaxed a young man forward. And then, he played superbly!...
- Aug 20, 2020
Stop Worrying; the Lord Holds On To You (part 2)
One of the most heart-breaking experiences I have had as a Pastor or friend is hearing fears from dying people about their eternal...