In times of trial, should believers cling to the promises of God and fight all the harder? Or should they allow their souls to rest, trusting that God is fighting for them? Yes, and yes. It seems there are two camps within Christianity when it comes to dealing with hard times. On the one hand, there's the faith response. When hardship comes, faith-oriented people say, we should hold fast to God's promises. We have an enemy, they remind us. We need to actively war against him. And we are destined to be victorious if we exercise our faith muscles in Continue Reading
What You Can Learn from Long-Term Lovers
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, what do you think of when you hear the word "love?" Is it romance and knights on white horses and living happily ever after? Or, as the teapot in "Beauty and the Beast" put it, "Flowers and chocolates and promises you don't intend to keep?" There's nothing wrong with red roses and passionate feelings, but our culture has lost sight of the bigger picture when it comes to love. To regain some perspective, it's wise for us to look to older couples who have walked the walk for a few decades. Last weekend, Continue Reading
How Your Lack of Control Leads to Wisdom
Maybe you're like me. Maybe you'd like to have a bit of control over some of the universe, at least the part that affects you. Fact is, there's a great deal we can't control. We have choices, yes. We can decide how to respond to the curve balls life throws us. But we don't get to throw the ball. This year started out weird. First my cat dies on New Years Eve. Two days later, my dear old friend Irene passes. And last week, my son Sam lands in the hospital just in time to have his rupturing appendix removed. I'll get over losing Gizmo. I'll honor and Continue Reading
How Your Influence Matters More than You Know
The news of an old friend's passing is surreal, isn't it? I recently read an old letter of Irene's that I'd tucked away. Suddenly she is gone --but I'll never forget her. Along with her husband Malcolm, Irene taught me Sunday school when I was a young teen. She helped me understand the word of God, and gave me a great incentive --a brand-new "Living Bible" -- to memorize all of Isaiah chapter 40. I still remember that sense of accomplishment, and how much I treasured the reward of a modern language Bible. (Yes, I cut my teeth on the KJV.) Maybe Irene is the Continue Reading