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...
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.
- Nov 12
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 30, 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 16, 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 4, 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...
- Aug 7, 2020
Stop Worrying; The Lord Holds On To You
The saddest visits I have made as a Pastor are those in which God's good people were scared about their eternal security in their dying...
- Jul 24, 2020
Your Smile Can Heal
I was walking in the mall, pondering a couple of discouraging encounters earlier in the day. A young boy suddenly was blocking my path...
- Jul 17, 2020
Laughter Is Still Good Medicine (Part 3)
I have been sharing with you, in the previous two blogs, my thoughts on the fact that cheerfulness, hope, laughter, and spirit-lifting...
- Jul 4, 2020
Laughter is Still Good Medicine (Part 2)
Reader's Digest has made the claim for decades that laughter is the best medicine. Several very convincing stories have been published ...
- Jun 19, 2020
Laughter is Still Good Medicine
We had finally settled on the suitcase we wanted to buy and had made our way to the checkout to make the payment. Having completed this,...
- Jun 5, 2020
We Showed Up . . .
As most of my readers know, we held an annual Care and Kindness Conference at the Crystal Cathedral years ago. At our request, some of ...
- May 23, 2020
The Gift of Tears
Jerry told how he once shared with a friend a painful emotional wound he had suffered. "She began to cry as I shared," he said with...
- May 9, 2020
Positive Proof About Prayer
Years ago, someone did some 'care'-ful scientific research on prayer. Milton A. Drake, Jr., M.D., wrote a summary of the study, Positive...
- Apr 10, 2020
Easter Means Life; Easter Shows Love
One short sentence, spoken by Jesus, is occupying my heart and mind. Jesus said this on the cross in the middle of his unspeakable pain....
- Mar 27, 2020
A Soft Answer DOES Turn Away Wrath
It's reassuring to doubters, such as I, to find science reinforcing Biblical ideas. Here's a new development I read about in a magazine:...
- Mar 6, 2020
Do You Have Trouble Accepting Compliments?
The man had done something very helpful for me, so I gave him a small gift in appreciation. He took it, wadded it up, dropped it on the ...
- Feb 8, 2020
Friendliness Is Not A Feeling
When you meet someone, or merely pass a person on the sidewalk, a friendly greeting is called for — most of the time. You do not have to...
- Jan 11, 2020
That's Phony!
"I couldn't put my arm around her and hug her if I wasn't feeling like it. That would be phony." 'If it's phony you shouldn't do it', is...
- Jan 8, 2020
Thank Someone This Week
I think it would be a good idea if someone promoted "Thanksgiving" cards. No doubt Hallmark is trying, but people don't buy the idea...
- Dec 29, 2019
Check Your Story at the Door
Note to my long-time readers: You've read my thoughts on this topic before, BUT . . . It is So important. It is a lesson that we...
- Dec 29, 2019
Check Your Story At The Door
I was sitting outside the car wash waiting for my Buick to emerge. The guy next to me on the waiting bench reeked with sociability. "How...
- Dec 14, 2019
A Christmas Joke
In a small southern town, there was a Nativity Scene that showed that great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small...