“Goal times,” an Olympian’s challenge for all the rest of us
We may look at the seemingly superhuman feats of Olympic athletes and just move on. Or we might ask if personal improvement is something we could achieve, too.
How we can, and why we should, embrace our everyday powerlessness
My own life experience has been a path toward admitting and then deciding how to cope with my powerlessness. So Dean’s advice about the subject resonated with me deeply.
Happiness is not the best goal. For believers there’s something better
Are you happy? That’s likely not the first question to worry about, because God has promised something better.
Three tips for weeding your garden, and other untended places
When it comes to weeding, I’m afraid my thoughts go faster to the devil than to God. Thoughts from a summertime gardener.
Praying “God, bless America!” It’s more than a song or a sentiment
“God Bless America,” made famous by Kate Smith decades ago, really is a prayer, not a national anthem. Let’s pray the prayer this Independence Day.
Why it’s good to find ourselves in the place of the in-between
The wait on earth for heaven seems short for the dying. But all of us are dying. All of us are in the place of in-between. And realizing this is very good.
‘Tied in knots by sin’—this need not be the believer’s circumstance
“I couldn’t decide which sin was worse, and it tied me up in knots.” What a pitiful—and perhaps too typical—condition for the Christian.
A better way to deal with sin than focusing on how wrong it is
The atheist . . . the article about pornography . . . and an insight about coping with the sin in our lives.
Simple standards, a life to celebrate, an example to remember
When we see even the basic attributes of Christianity lived out among us, we always notice. Love. Serve. Remembering a life that showed us how.
Memorial Day memories, and what we remember on the day before
It’s good to remember our national heroes. It’s important to remember that Jesus is so much more than a hero.
If the pandemic can teach us anything, it’s this: We CAN change!
Let’s think about more than the fact of change. Let’s allow the pandemic to help us think about the idea of change.
Digital is here to stay, but I believe it can’t be the only way
Like you, I enjoy and depend on the digital dimensions of my life. But I don’t think online church can be a permanent substitute for in-person worship.
These five elements will enrich your weekend worship services
A list of ideas for demonstrating God’s surprising diversity in the worship we offer back to him.
After 71 years of living, three decisions I’ve made about life
My experience is that some lessons are learned only through experience! So here are three conclusions my experience prompts me to share.
Cicadas, Satan, and the believer’s need for everyday protection
I can’t relate to the “flaming darts” Scripture tells me to avoid. But cicadas I know. (Or at least I will very soon.)
The skeptic, the Christian, and the question they lead me to ask
Two nationally distributed op-ed pieces speak of religion and faith, each from a completely different worldview. Together they lead me to a question about myself.
How everyday forgiveness can help us cope with everyday life
We tend to look at forgiveness as a Big Deal. But making it a daily practice frees us for a better way to live.
Tempted by suffering: A meditation for the day before Easter
On this quiet Saturday before the hallelujahs of the resurrection, what are we willing to ponder as we pause at the grave of Jesus?
Can local churches help people find and form “chosen families”?
Our solution to the problem of pandemic isolation is similar to the way many Americans are relating to each other. It’s a trend for the church to notice.
A simple answer when I wonder, “Does my life really matter?”
Have you ever wondered about all the people whose names did not make it into the Bible? Have you ever decided you’re OK with joining their anonymous crowd?