So, I have taken a few weeks off as of late to prepare for and participate in the wedding of our youngest child and to enjoy the experience of watching her begin a new life together with the man of her dreams. Below is the transcript of the wedding message Read more…
There is a sense today in church leadership that the pastor must be the dictator to be viewed as possessing strong leadership—If not in charge, he is viewed by some as ineffective, weak, and disrespected— He is either the authoritarian with the big stick guilting his flock into doing what Read more…
A Widow’s big hurt In thinking about Mother’s Day this year, a couple of realities have collided in me. First, there is the realization that my own mother is absent from my world, as is my wife’s mother, and while accepted, it remains a huge black-hole in our lives. And Read more…
Dear member of God’s family, 2 Samuel 9 is a favorite chapter of mine, partly because of the relationship on display and in part because of its deeper significance in our lives. Bound up in the glories of David’s consolidated Kingdom, where finally everything is going David’s way, he has Read more…
Something remarkable happened the other night, and I had nothing to do with it. After a great discussion from II Samuel 8 on the multitude of wars and the “Just war theory” from Augustine, we gave ourselves to prayer. When we finished I was privy to a remarkable moment when Read more…
Earlier this week, we found ourselves in Amish country. Now for me, one not given to flea markets, Shipshewana has never been that must-see destination that so many crave. I probably don’t need the home cooked family style cooking, and I resent having to drive “cautiously” slow behind all those Read more…
The recent events at Waffle House, in Toronto, in Dallas, and a host of other places are reminders that we among other things, are just not acting our age; willfully taking out our anger and aggression in ways that mirror the playground. You know the playground, “If he pushes you, Read more…
The other day, my mind landed in the past and it made me think of all the key moments in our national story that likely have changed the fabric of our culture or even our identity as a nation– and there are many. Because I am a student of history, Read more…
Was The Apostle Paul, more like Joseph Pilates than we realized? I’ve been doing some research on the exercise guru of another generation, one Joseph Pilates. It was in fact, this German born one time prisoner of war, who is reported to have utilized his new ideas about the body Read more…
There are two things that I hate about running– I mean, besides making my body pound away at distances meant more for wheels, chain drives and foot pedals. I detest the headwind that confronts me when I run or bike, challenging every foot of forward progress by pushing me backward. Read more…
