I was old enough to know better when I made a risky decision. I was out with friends and started talking with a guy from another high school who was bowling next to us. By the end of the evening, we were getting along so well that, when he offered to drive me home, I [...]
Category: Jeanne Hedrick
Eyewitnesses to His Majesty
I can imagine how breathless and scared the women must have been as they made their way to the tomb that early Sunday morning. The night before, after Sabbath ended, they’d purchased spices for Jesus’ body, which was now in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. They’d watched His crucifixion from a distance and had followed those [...]
Returning His Gaze
In 1971 the English zoologist Desmond Morris wrote a classic study about human intimacy and how it develops. He suggested that all bonded couples go through twelve distinct stages that build on each other before the couple reaches full intimacy. The first two stages he proposes both involve our eyes. Morris called stage one “eye [...]
Up Close and Personal
My prayer partners and I begin each year picking a word we want to learn more about and experience at a deeper level. Last year my word was “gratitude” and boy did it deliver! Knowing myself to be a “glass half-empty” person, I knew I needed to be reminded often that the glass isn’t just [...]
Staying Healthy in a Germ-Filled World
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 [...]
The Coming of God
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 [...]
Long Haulers
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 [...]
Who is Jesus?
“They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'” (Mark 4:41) Every disciple of Jesus must grapple with this question – not just at the beginning of our relationship with Him, but at every stage following. Who is He? And how does that knowledge impact my [...]
Jesus’ Glorious Vision for the Church
In recent years commonly used words in business have been incorporated into Christian circles. For instance, we hear Christian leaders talking about the mission and vision statements of their church or organization. A “mission statement” defines a company’s objectives and its approach to reaching those objectives. The focus is day-to-day operations. Questions related to a [...]
Reclaiming the Gospel
In the aftermath of Derek Chauvin’s trial (the man convicted of killing George Floyd) many of us are wondering What is our role as followers of Jesus in all of this? Is social injustice an important enough cause to join forces with the world to overcome? Are we in fact negligent in our Christian duty [...]