When people are asked what they want in life, to be happy is a popular answer. Some would even say, “I deserve to be happy.” Happiness seems to be much sought after. Do we deserve, have a right to be happy? Is that a realistic expectation? On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the final draft…
Have you decided to begin studying your Bible? Perhaps it’s a resolution of sorts, an attempt at reviving an old desire, or some other reason. Maybe you have attempted it in the past but were not successful or couldn’t keep it up. No matter what you have or have not attempted in the past, now…
Each spring, I referee Upward Basketball. Who wouldn’t want to give up their Saturdays to have coaches, parents, spectators, and players yell at you? And it’s done for the lovely sum of free! Most referees have no connection with the players, we just love giving the kids an opportunity to play. (In the spirit of…
Everyone has a picture of God in their mind. What’s yours? Having spent over four decades in vocational ministry has given me a multitude of opportunities to talk to people about God. One of the questions I like to ask is, “Who is God to you, what’s He like?” The variety of answers is amazing,…
I lived overseas for several years. One day a local friend came to the apartment for a visit. During the visit she noticed my Bible on the table beside my favorite chair. She asked if that was my Bible and why it was beside my chair. I told her that every morning the first thing…
When I was young, I remember hearing adults say there are two constants in life: death and taxes. They never said it lovingly but rather sadly, as if one must accept the inevitable. As I aged, I realized the list could be expanded, certainly the negative ones. Being a person of faith, I would add…
Suppose I told you that the sun will rise in the west tomorrow. (For those directionally challenged this is not true, because of the rotation of the earth the sun appears to rise in the east each day.) Almost everyone would disagree because of experience. But imagine there was breaking news that at midnight the…
Have you ever had the opportunity to hear a recording of your voice? Were you surprised by how you sounded? Personally, I’m a bit shocked and certainly not so pleased with how I sound on a recording. What I have discovered is that the resonance of my voice in my head and that which comes…
Have you ever met someone who seems to just sail through life? They have an ideal life with no struggles or cares. Don’t they make you feel jealous, insecure, miserable, defeated, and defective? It seems like you always hit a pothole or roadblock in life, and they never even hit a bump. Even when you…