I once had someone approach me after a Sunday service and tell me a gripping account of his life story complete with mafia gangs, near death experiences, job turnovers, breakthroughs, breakups and a recent robbery. It was a fascinating roller-coaster-type story which had the makings of a book contract. Apparently, this had all produced a tenuous but strengthening relationship with the Lord. Oh, and a desperate need for some financial aid to provide for some immediate needs th

Have you ever noticed that life doesn’t simply acquiesce to your desires or comply with your idea of what would be best for the future? We do not control our coming and going as freely as we would wish. There are many forces at play interfering with our control of our own lives. For example, hunger compels me to go to work when I’d rather sleep in. Bills are mostly unwilling to compromise on due dates. Responsibility compels me to continue a project when I’d rather give up. C

No, I am not referencing Captain Kirk of Star Trek and the exploration of, “Space, the final frontier”. These last few weeks may have weighed upon you as it did upon me and many others. The senseless shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk stirred my spirit in a different sort of way. I suspect it was not because our ideologies align, but rather that we were brothers in arms against a mutual enemy. Charlie was an unapologetic voice for cultural reform, but even more, he

The here-and-now gets priority attention. At least in my life. The focus of energy and activity is on those things seemingly lying at my...

On this day, twenty-five years ago, I extracted an affirmative answer from the woman standing next to me when asked if she would be my...

Have you ever met an average Joe? You would be forgiven for not taking notice of him. He gets lost in the crowd. He isn’t set apart by...

I asked a few friends what kids liked to play. The answers were different for boys and girls. Boys liked cops & robbers, cowboys &...

My Mom used to have a beautiful, hand-painted, glass pitcher that was only used for special occasions. The reason it only made it from...

Three square meals a day provides nourishment, structure and balance to the body. Or so we have been told. We have breakfast to begin the...

Remember getting behind the wheel of your first car? I was a starry-eyed teenager with insufficient funds and unaffordable dreams. It...

I got my first “Mama” tattoo at age three. When I was eleven years old, I sang in bars for my biker buddies. I was obviously too young to...