A Norvell Note

A Norvell Note

January 5, 2025 – Vol. 29 No. 01

That You Know Him

 My prayer for you as this new year begins is the same as Jesus prayed for us all. 

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

This year, I pray you will come to know Him like you have never known Him. I pray you will know “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.”

I pray you will come to know Him, not just know about Him.

I pray you will come to know how much He loves you.

I pray you will learn how much He has done for you and what He wants to do for you. 

I pray you will accept His grace and mercy. 

I pray you will allow Him to fill you with His Spirit and allow His Spirit to flow from you. 

I pray you will come to know Him.

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2025 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved. 

A Norvell Note

December 29, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 50

The Worthy Goal

We are almost there—the end of one year, the beginning of another. There have been times of testing and destress, celebration and peace, victory and defeat. Regardless of what has happened, this is a good time to start over.

Some will vow to lose weight, stop using foul language, exercise more, and look for a new job—all worthy goals. However, many made the same vows a year ago and will make the same vows a year from now. Let me suggest a more worthy goal. 

“I’m not saying that I have this all together; I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”^[1]

Consider this as a more worthy goal. 

We are not there yet.

Just as many of us did not achieve the goals we planned for this year, and the writer of Philippians did not reach his goal, we are not there yet. Life has gotten in our way. We have made mistakes and excuses and ignored the goals we set. So, we have not reached this worthy goal. But…

We are on our way with our eyes on the goal. 

We know where we are going, and we are moving forward. The worthy goal is still in front of us, and we are moving toward it. We may need to repeat our resolve to reach our goal, but we are moving closer to it than we were a year ago. That is a good thing. 

Jesus is our goal.

Let there be no confusion; our goal is Jesus. To know Him (John 17) Our goal is to be like Him. Refer to Philippians 2 for His attitude. And His spirit (see Galatians 5) and His love (John 13). He is our goal. 

We are not turning back. 

We have not and will not quit. We are keeping our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3). We are not there yet but moving closer to Him and becoming more like Him. 

You may already have set excellent goals for the coming year. But if your goal is not to become more like Jesus, please reconsider and choose a more worthy goal. Leave this year’s stuff behind and move forward to be like Jesus. 

I hope 2024 ends well and 2025 begins and continues well all year.

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved. 

^[1] The Message, Philippians 3:12-14

A Norvell Note

December 22, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 50

Christmas Reunions

I watched a news story about sailors arriving home for Christmas leave. The sailors lined up shoulder to shoulder on the deck of their ship, waving to the crowd until they were permitted to celebrate and reunite with their families. Children ran to hug their mom or dad. One little boy hugged his dad and said, “I love you, Daddy.” It was quite an emotional scene. 

Other reunions will occur this week as families travel long distances to make it home for the holidays. Some may panic due to heavy traffic and delayed flights, wondering if they will get home on time. Hopefully, they will arrive safely and on schedule for the celebration. You are one of the travelers eager to get home. You can’t wait to see the faces and hug the necks of your loved ones.  

As emotional and touching as these scenes are, some families will feel sad because their loved ones are not there. Death, travel delays, illness, work responsibilities, and family disputes can dampen some festivities. However, this will not be the case at the ultimate reunion, where there will be no tears—except tears of joy, because we have finally made it home. 

Enjoy your Christmas reunion. Celebrate your family and friends. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved. 

A Norvell Note

December 15, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 49

A Gift That Lasts

One of my favorite Jesus stories is found in John 21. Jesus has died, been buried, and risen from the grave. He has visited with the disciples, restored Peter to the fold, enjoyed a meal with them, given them instructions, and is now moving forward. Jesus walks with Peter and discusses the future and how Peter will die.

Peter sees John and asks Jesus, “What about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

My modern interpretation of what Jesus meant when he said, “You must follow me,” is, “Stay in your lane, bro.”  He may not have considered this then, but I think Jesus gave him a gift that He knew he would need—a gift that would last. 

“Stay in your lane.” “Be you.” “You follow me.” “Don’t concern yourself with what I ask or don’t ask others to do.”

The gift Jesus gave Peter is also available to you and me. Staying in my lane makes my life much easier. I must be me, not someone else. 

This is true in our work, how we participate in our churches, and how we function in our family. Be you. Let others be them. 

Not only is being you a lasting gift we have been given, but it is also a gift we can give to others, and then they can give it to someone else. 

Enjoy the gift of being you and share the gift that lasts.    

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

A Norvell Note

December 8, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 48

It’s Been Sixty Years

Sixty years ago today, my mother died. That was 21,900 days ago. I was eleven years old. Very few of those days have not included an image or thought about her. Today is undoubtedly one of those days. 

There are days when I have trouble remembering her face and voice, days when I long to see her face and hear her voice again, days when I wish I could sit with her and talk about life and world events, and days when I’m glad she is beyond this life and free from world events. 

There are days when I think I should have moved beyond the grief, days when the grief weighs me down, and days when I feel I have moved beyond it. Then, there are days when I wonder if I processed the grief at all. 

Sometimes, I ponder what my life would have been like had my mother not died when she was forty-four. Would I have gone to Arkansas State University in 1970? Would I have responded to the Lord’s call into the ministry, or would I have chosen a profession that would have kept me closer to home? 

I often wonder what she would think of my wife, children, and grandchildren. And what would they think of her? What would she think of the life I am living? 

I have thought about my mother a lot today, as I do every December 8, 9, and 10. Some of my thoughts were sad, but mostly, I thought about how those eleven years with her have shaped my life and how grateful I am for how her short life continues to teach me the value of living life to the fullest by loving God and loving people. My mother has been gone for sixty years, but she lives on in my mind and my heart. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

A Norvell Note

December 1, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 47

Laments of the Season

Like most of you, I spent at least part of last week counting my blessings and naming reasons to be thankful. I also spent some time lamenting^[i].

I did not spend much time lamenting, but I did remember, grieve, and mourn. Some of it was intentional, and some just came naturally. 

I remembered holidays of the past. The people present. The places we spent the holiday—the meals we enjoyed and the conversations we shared. 

I grieved for people who are no longer with us and those who could not be with us. Some years are easier than others, but this holiday was challenging. 

I mourned the condition of our nation, the anger, the sadness, the fearmongering, and the hatred. 

I remembered I grieved, and I mourned the life that was and will be no more. 

Then, the moment’s reality reminded me to be thankful again for the people with me and the life that is.

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

^[i] A lament or lamentation is a passionate expression of grief, often in music, poetry, or song form. The grief is most often born of regret, or mourning. Laments can also be expressed in a verbal manner in which participants lament about something that they regret or someone that they have lost, and they are usually accompanied by wailing, moaning and/or crying. Laments constitute some of the oldest forms of writing, and examples exist across human cultures.

A Norvell Note

November 24, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 46

Different Thanksgiving Days

This week begins with me looking forward to the family gathering on Thanksgiving Day. There will be good food and conversation, children enjoying the day and getting frustrated when things do not go their way, laughter, and possibly tears. We will share memories, photographs, plans, and reasons to be thankful.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving Day, but I am also thinking about families who will have a different experience. I know two wives who will have an empty chair at their table. 

Some families will be together physically but miles apart emotionally.

Other families will sit at the same table sharing memories, but the grandmother will not recognize their faces or understand their stories. 

Some families will share the day through long-distance phone calls or video chats due to their military service.

Some will celebrate, and some will mourn. Some people will share their blessings, and some will live through another holiday of pain and regret.

We are all different, going through life at various speeds, directions, and paths. Our Thanksgiving Days will not be the same, but I will pray the same prayer for us all: May we find love, joy, peace, and many reasons to be thankful. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

A Norvell Note

November 17, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 45

Ready for Joy

Maybe it’s just me, but the Christmas lights and home decorations appeared earlier this year. I have gotten used to seeing Christmas commercials on television, hearing Christmas music, and seeing displays in stores in September and October. But I do not recall seeing so many homes lit up before Halloween and mid-November as I’ve seen this year. Perhaps my memory is failing me, or is there another reason? 

I do have a theory. It is an untested, non-scientific, and unproven theory that exists only in my mind. We are ready for joy. 

The first ten-and-a-half months of 2024 have been long and hard. There have been brief seasons of joy, but confusion, stress, and sadness have dominated and often controlled our thoughts. 

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods have wiped out communities. Wars and threats of war have often been the lead story of the daily news. The presidential campaign and election were ugly and divisive. Many people have lost loved ones to diseases, accidents, and senseless shootings. As I described in last week’s Note, we have been on a roller coaster ride of emotions. 

We are ready for joy. 

If you are ready for joy, think about people you love and bring you joy. (Philippians 1:3)

If you are ready for joy, encourage the people around you to be like-minded and be one in spirit and love. (Philippians 2:2)

If you are ready for joy, forget the past and move toward your goals. (Philippians 3:10-14)

If you are ready for joy, remember that the Lord is near, be gentle, and think about positive things. (Philippians 4:4-9)

If you are ready for joy, go ahead and turn on the Christmas music and decorate your house. Who cares if it’s a little early? 

We are ready for joy. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

A Norvell Note

November 10, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 44

Emotional Roller Coaster

I have been on an emotional roller coaster for the last few weeks.

There was a point when I thought this was going to be the year that the Boston Celtics won the National Basketball Championship and the New York Yankees would win the World Series. Then, the 5^th inning of the 5^th game of the series happened. 

There was a planned surgery for our granddaughter, but the surgery will come later due to a rash. She, her parents, and all the rest of us must wait with her. She had another scan. The anticipation of a scan always produces anxious days and nights. When we hear, “The scans are clear.” We express praises and thanksgiving. 

The election provided an emotional roller coaster all its own. Anticipation. Hope. Dread. Confidence. Anger. Elation. Sadness. Despair. Confusion. Disbelief. Hope. 

A few days off work and time with long-time friends. Happiness. Joy. Appreciation. Love. Tears. Nostalgic conversations. Laughter. Calm sighs of delight. Then, as the visitation came to an end came tears, sadness, expressions of love, and regret that our time together had to end. 

Emotions are okay. Emotions fill our hearts, and tears fill our eyes. Emotions are okay for women and men. Emotions are okay and good, and appropriately sharing them is a healthy practice. 

Expressing your emotions is healthier than bottling them up or treating them like they do not exist. Find someone to talk with about what you are feeling. Write them down and name them.

Emotions are gifts from God and give us a way of communicating with Him. They help us understand life so we can share life with the people we love.

Someone once told me feelings and emotions are not right or wrong. They just are. 

There will be more emotional roller coasters this week and throughout our lives. Don’t be afraid to express your emotions in healthy ways. There is a real possibility you are not the only person on that same ride. You may be the one to help them deal with those feelings. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

A Norvell Note

November 3, 2024, Vol. 28 No. 43

Trust God

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7)

The only answer I can offer to many people’s questions is, “Trust the Lord.” 

To the gentleman who feels his life is over and cannot understand why the Lord is keeping him here, I say, “I think we need to trust that the Lord knows what He’s doing, and He must have a reason, even though we don’t know what that reason is.”

To the college students stressed about all their decisions about their education, careers, relationships, and the rest of their lives, I say, “Trust God to show you the way, and be patient.”

To couples struggling to keep their marriage together and are losing hope, “Do what is right and trust the Lord.” 

To the loyal company man in shock because he lost his job and asks me, “Why has this happened to me?” I can only say, “I don’t know, but we need to trust God to see you through it.”

Saying, “Trust the Lord,” may sound trite, trivial, and like a cop-out. But it’s not. When we have more questions than answers, more pain than comfort, and our faith is wavering but honest, all we can do is trust God. This week is one of those times when we need to trust God. 

A Norvell Note ^© Copyright 2024 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved