Dan Safarik

Writer at Grand Island Independent

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Articles

Rev. Dan Safarik: God loves all people

5 days ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

I just got back from a trip down the Danube River in Europe. It was an amazing time. I was able to go with my wife Deb, son Paul, and our granddaughter Elise. There’s one thing I learn over and over every time I travel. People are the same wherever you go!My son, Paul, and I were going to use a restroom just before going on the Charles Bridge in Prague. You have to pay a small amount to use the restroom in most of Europe. I was looking at my change and had enough for two people.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Being good … for nothing

1 week ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

Some years ago, in a column of Ann Landers, I could hardly believe the nerve of the person who wanted her wedding present back. As I recall, the marriage only lasted a short time and the person who wrote to Ann wanted to know if she shouldn’t get her present back. In other columns, I recall people who had written in to ask Ann if they should demand thank-you notes for presents they had given. I liked Ann’s response. She reminded people that giving a gift means just that.
Rev. Dan Safarik: A place of refuge and security

2 weeks ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

In one of the Peanuts cartoon strips; Linus possesses a security blanket that is very dear to him. Snoopy snatches the security blanket from Linus and flies through the door in cold midwinter with Linus suspended in midair holding onto the blanket for dear life. Outside in the snow, a battle ensues. At last Linus wins, grabs his blanket, and stands exhausted at the front door. His sister, Lucy, yells at him, “Are you crazy?
Rev. Dan Safarik: Resurrection power - changed lives

3 weeks ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

At Easter time we proclaim the miracle of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. It’s a great joy to think about ourselves, our families and friends being resurrected and being in heaven together. It’s more than just “pie in the sky” theology. There is power we can experience here on earth too. The power of the resurrection is seen in changed lives. One pastor said, “God can do more with our sins than just forgive them.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Check your ego at the door

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

Some years ago a Hollywood producer named Quincy Jones was able to bring together the superstars of the entertainment world. He produced and directed several entertainment events such as the hit recording, “We Are The World”. To set the tone for the team of music superstars he put a sign over the entrance to the recording studio that read: “CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR.”This is the same message Jesus delivered on several occasions. One of those was in Luke 14:7-11.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Come away and rest awhile

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

A man went to his doctor to see what could be done about his problem of snoring. The doctor asked the man if it was loud enough to disturb his wife. The man said, “Disturb my wife? It disturbs the whole congregation!”There are always a few in every congregation who try to catch up on their sleep during church. Most of them are babies. I have to admit I wish I could sleep through a service sometimes. We do need our rest. Even Jesus invited his followers to rest awhile.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Something solid in a shaky world

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

A well-known preacher tells of a little lady who approached him after he had preached at a convalescent home. After a little discussion, he admitted, “I’m afraid I may have preached a little too long for you folks.”“Oh, no,” she replied, it wasn’t too long it just seemed long,”That’s about the shakiest thing that can happen to a preacher. There are a lot of things that leave us feeling shaky in life. Have your ever had a car accident or a near miss?
Rev. Dan Safarik: How to bring out the best in others

1 month ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who would leave the classroom and sneak back quietly to catch kids misbehaving. Ken Blanchard, who wrote “The One Minute Manager,” wrote, “Catch people doing something right and tell them.”Of these two approaches, which one would you like for others to do to you? Of these two approaches, which do you do to others? A lot of us could do much better than we do to build other people up.
Rev. Dan Safarik: No turning back

2 months ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

In a Sunday School class, they were reading the story about Lot and his family in the Old Testament. Lot’s family was delivered from the decadence and eventual destruction of the city of Sodom. The angels told the family when they escaped the destruction not to look back. Lot’s wife disobeyed and she turned into a pillar of salt.
Rev. Dan Safarik: Seasons of change

2 months ago | theindependent.com | Dan Safarik

The old pastor made it a practice to visit the parish school one day a week. He walked into the fourth-grade class, where the children were studying the states. He asked how many states they could name. They came up with about 40 of the states. He jokingly told them that in his day students had to know the names of all the states. One boy raised his hand and said, “Yes, but in those days there were only 13!”Everything seems to change over time.