Shortly after the release of his first three collections of Bible studies on faith and work (30 Moments Christians Face in the Workplace), Madetomatter's Senior Writer began to look for new ways to reach working Christians. In February, 2002, the first weekly devotional was released under the title "Marketplace Moments." Now approaching it's tenth year, the column's title was changed to Made to Matter on January 1, 2008. With over 500 devotionals written on topics important to workers in every walk of life, there's likely one written about the issues facing you right now, so we've placed them here, searchable, for readers to explore anew. Got a favorite? Write to let us know. Looking for something to send that friend whose suffered a loss, or who has had a serious setback at work? You might find a column that captures the essence of your feelings right here. From the deeply moving story of the WWII canteen in North Platte, Nebraska to the words and life-tales of some of history's best-known and least-known characters, there's something here for everyone.  http://www.madetomatter.org "...a priest...passed by on the other side of the road...So, too, a Levite...passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan...took pity on him...--Luke 10:31-33 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15312&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 24 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0400 They ask in many different ways, but in conversations with working Christians two key questions often emerge. "How do I hear God?" and "How come God isn't answering me?" http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15476&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. -Deuteronomy 6:6-12 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15311&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 23 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0400 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.-Colossians 3:23-24 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15475&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. --Matthew 2:10 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15310&view=post&blogid=4631 Tue, 22 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0400 And He (Jesus) said to him, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." --Matthew 22:37-39 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15474&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Jesus, in John 3:16 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15309&view=post&blogid=4631 Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0400 He (Jesus) went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." -Matthew 26:42 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15473&view=post&blogid=4631 Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=204877&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 6 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0400 I'm constantly reminded by Jesus not to "judge books by their covers." Here's a recounting of one of those reminders, and the truths God patiently tries to teach me as I live life as an ambassador of Christ. (II Cor. 5:20) http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=202061&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Thatâ??s why the attacks by some evangelical leaders on people in the LGBTQ community are so hurtful. Not only do these attacks strike at the weakest moments in some of their lives, but they often double the hurtful impact because the ambassadors of Jesus are expected to be loving. When these ambassadors are not loving, or even when theyâ??re just intentionally silent when shunning someone, it blindsides the hurting. This is particularly true for people who grew up in the church and are now pariahs in those supposedly safe havens. http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=201379&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Three men and a young boy find themselves in freezing water after their plane crashes in Alaska. The three adult men are strong swimmers, and two of them successfully fight the current and make shore safely.  The third one, the father of the young boy, would also have been able to make shore, but he noticed his son was losing ground.  Swimming back to him, the father fought hard to save his son, but the current was too much for him with his son in tow. As the two men watched helplessly from shore, they saw the father make his choice:  He wrapped his arms around his boy, not wanting him to be alone in the time they had left. http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=185997&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 16 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=185315&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 9 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0400 It's a phrase I hear repeated about as often in my work as any other, though people seldom say it directly. In a work world that values efficiency and action, that places great emphasis on busyness and productivity, that wrestles to squeeze the most out of every action, one of the byproducts is often loneliness. It's a disease as prevalent in the senior reaches of a firm as it is in the bowels of the operation. It stretches outside the workplace to our families, leaving children feeling this same gnawing emptiness that haunts adults. Always, the sentiment emerges: "I only want to matter to someone." http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=184666&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 2 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0400 "I looked down to the field where cancer first made its effects known to us just a few short months before. Three of us were raking a field, and Francis was laughing as hard as I ever saw him laugh. As usual, I was the cause of that laughter." Saying goodbye to someone we love is among the hardest, saddest things we do in life. It was my turn, now, to say goodbye to the man who led me to Jesus, and then tought me how to live for Him. But Francis had one more lesson he wanted me to learn before we parted... http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=183965&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 26 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=183325&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0400 We hear a lot of talk in the body of Christ about victorious living.  Christians are taught the myth, on one end of the spectrum, that God wants them to be wealthy, healthy and happy. On the other end of the spectrum, however, Christians are also taught they're supposed to find a way to be happy in the midst of trial; to celebrate in the middle of turmoil.  This, too, is a myth. These teachings are incredibly hurtful to Christians struggling to plant one foot in front of the other. http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=182733&view=post&blogid=4631 Fri, 12 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0400 As the barge drifted front and center, a string of Christmas lights flashed on and off, greeting whomever might be looking to the river that chilly December evening.�  Even a� barge in the middle of the mighty Mississippi seemed to declare His glory. http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=181030&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=179720&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=179131&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 7 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0400 One day, almost five years into his fight to survive, Dad pulled me aside to lovingly tell me I had become "an angel of death" in his life, and asked me to stop if I could.�  He was right, too! http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=178462&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Do you find yourself measuring how much God loves you by the circumstances in your life? Are you exhausted by the constant realization that even on your best days you don't deserve God's love or Jesus' sacrifice? Are you worried you might one day lose His love? http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=178392&view=post&blogid=4631 Wed, 22 Nov 2017 00:00:00 -0400 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping... ---Matthew 26:38-40a http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=15308&view=post&blogid=4631 Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:00:00 -0400 Children tend to think everything in their lives is their fault, and when they hear anger---even the anger of adults debating around them--their little hearts start beating and their minds wonder if they've done something wrong to cause this anger.�???�??�?�  http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=146445&view=post&blogid=4631 Tue, 8 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0400 Utterly alone, at the bottom of a fourteen-foot trench filled with water so thick with silt he literally couldn't see his hand in front of his face, William Walker laid 25,000 bags of concrete, slitting each bag open so the concrete could spread out as it set. He then used 115,000 concrete blocks and 900,000 bricks to shore up the national treasure we know as Winchester Cathedral. http://www.madetomatter.org/apps/articles/?articleid=145178&view=post&blogid=4631 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400