The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Galatians 5:6b

I wish you could have been in my classroom yesterday about 1:00 when my students and I were preparing for the phone call from Los Angeles.

The kids were as nervous as I was, and they were all ready to be reporters, taking notes as I interviewed Mitch Albom on speaker phone.

One of my students videotaped the interview, and I am hoping to share it with you.

I just want to check with the parents of the students who were in the background to make sure they approve of them being on the Internet.

Mr. Albom was so kind, and I am going to transcribe our conversation so that you can hear his answers in his words not mine.

For today, I'll just say this:

Mitch Albom's ability to communicate is as eloquent when he speaks as when he writes.

I love how God has moved him from the world of sports reporting to the world of writing books that cause people to think about eternity, their purpose in life, and their priorities while living.

Sunday evening on ABC you can watch the movie, "Have a Little Faith," based on Mitch's book by the same title.

Have your Kleenex handy, but also be ready to laugh.

I'll tell you about one of Mitch's favorite scenes when I write again later, sharing the interview notes.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am keenly aware of the significance of this holiday to our family which also makes me aware of the fact that many others face these upcoming days with mixed emotions of thankfulness and grief.

Nick's last day to speak, share life with us, and watch football with his brothers and dad was Thanksgiving Day three years ago.

That evening he slipped into what was probably a coma and then peacefully went Home two days later on Saturday morning.

Looking back, there are so many things I wish I would have talked to Nick about in these last few months of his life, but fear held me back.

I did not want to scare Nick, and honestly, I did not want to admit that he was not going to win the fight with cancer.

Sitting here now, three years later, I am amazed at how God has carried our family.

I've had a lot of valleys in my grief, but even in those valleys, God has been with me.

If you are in the midst of a difficult season in life or even if your life is going smoothly at this time, I want to share one thought with you as you walk through your holiday season. A thought that Mitch learned about as he walked through life with his Rabbi and a pastor from an inner-city church and then chose to share about in a beautifully-written book.

Have a little faith.

The Bible says that our faith need only be the size of mustard seed in order to move a mountain.

Do you believe?

Hebrews 11:1-3

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command,

so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Thankful for the confidence we have in what we hope for,