The past 10 days I’ve been saddened to tears several times as I think about my father-in-law, Steve Norman, being taken from this world. I’m sad that I won’t see him again until I, too, leave this world. I’m sad that the world is down a rare, good man. I’m sad I won’t be able […]
We all do our best in familiar territory. There is little anxiety in the comfort of familiar space. Our friend circles are so familiar we can just be ourselves with those we know so well. In fact, it’s something we take for granted. Coffee or dinner with friends or family. Road trips with old friends, […]
Have you ever had thoughts something to the effect that you’d be farther along by this point in your life? Have you set some sort of goal and you found yourself wondering after all of this hard work, you hadn’t gotten to where you thought you’d be by now? I know this possibility exists because […]
From prison, Paul wrote a letter that contains some of the most memorable verses in the entire Bible. One these verses says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).” It is widely recognized that this text is often abused and taken out of context. Surely, Paul is not saying […]
There is no doubt that we live in a chaotic cultural climate. It seems like every day we are made aware of another political controversy, another sex scandal, another tragic shooting, another corrupted leader, etc. People are looking for answers, but let us begin by asking the right question.
In our world, there is the vexation of having everything only to realize that you still have nothing. But there is the opposite end of the spectrum as well – those who experience failure in this world. Where success produces vexation, failure produces despair. How & where can we find lasting virtue and value?
Recently while reading the story of Jesus I was struck by something related to John the Baptist's ministry: people were publicly confessing their sins. And it was normal in the early church. Where are we now?
The disciple Peter has a spotty leadership record. He was rebuked by Jesus as Satan; tried to kill a guy (no one aims for the ear); denied that he knew Jesus when it mattered most; and even after receiving the Holy Spirit and participating in launching the Church, he still struggled with racial prejudice.[note]Matthew […]
We are what we eat, what we watch, and what we hear. What we take in through our five senses has an effect on us for good or evil. And what comes in, always comes out. We sit in high heat sauna’s to sweat out toxins and we do food “cleanses” to do the same, […]
