A sojourn is a relatively short period of time when a person stays somewhere other than home. It’s a temporary stay or visit that’s usually associated with a specific purpose. During a sojourn, people are outside of their natural environment. They adjust to their new place of residence to some degree, but it never becomes [...]
The words that resonate with our generation are inclusion, tolerance, and diversity. We don’t like the idea of excluding anyone from anything, so we have a hard time digesting (or even understanding) verses in the Bible like these: “Come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy [...]
For centuries, the classic question about causality has been Which Came First … the Chicken or the Egg? Dilemmas like these arise when we can’t discern which of two events should be considered the cause and which considered the effect. When we try to figure it out through human reasoning we often get it wrong. [...]
How predictable is your faith walk? Here’s why I ask. A well-known adage goes like this: High predictability = Low Impact; Low predictability = High impact. I think most of us would agree with this; generally speaking, we remember best events that came as a complete surprise or appeared in some new way. This is [...]
Vacation season has begun. Many will be heading out to various destinations—cell phones and sunscreen in hand—excited to see and experience new things. Some of us will travel great distances and enter a totally different culture for a few days or weeks; others will take their vacations closer to home. Whether we revisit familiar places [...]
Jesus, our Lord, who died and rose again, is now sitting on His throne of glory—the highest place in heaven. Angels, elders, and living creatures encircle His throne, shouting “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise” (Rev. 5:12). Yet, we [...]
In 1946 (the year I was born) a movie was produced that would become a holiday favorite. The enduring popularity of It’s a Wonderful Life is not just its actors and script. The movie makes us ponder some of the great mysteries of being human. It asks such important questions as: How do we assess [...]
In these days of Covid we’ve been forced to ask more questions. Do I really need to attend that concert I’ve been wanting to see? Is it safe to go to a movie theater or worship service if I wear a mask? Can I fly without fear of getting the latest and most contagious strain [...]
As I walk around my neighborhood, I see few signs of Jesus. The blowup figures in people’s yards are mostly Santa Claus and Will Ferrell’s Elf, with an occasional reindeer thrown in. I see few manger scenes, which were common when I was growing up. I know it’s still early, but I don’t expect much [...]
My son Sky has always liked machines and big challenges. One vivid memory I have is of him driving our tractor across the field as Tony and I threw bales onto the hay wagon. Sky was only six or seven years old, so his feet barely reached the pedals. But he was grinning from ear [...]
Adventuring with God 