The Temple
Have you ever been amazed by man-made architecture? Have you ever seen a palace or castle, or even a magnificent temple and had to stop for a minute to marvel at its grandeur? This is not...
Have you ever been amazed by man-made architecture? Have you ever seen a palace or castle, or even a magnificent temple and had to stop for a minute to marvel at its grandeur? This is not...
It was broken. The intimate details leading to the reason for the brokenness are not nearly as important as the fact that it was, indeed, broken. I had fallen into life’s rhythm, not knowing that I...
“It took everything I had to walk out the door and go to church. Nothing was good enough, and I didn’t feel like it would be fair to show up and force others to look at...
The dorm supplies have been purchased. The bags and boxes all crammed into the vehicle. The congregation said farewell. The child who used to chew on the bars of the nursery crib is now headed off...
Hey. You. The one over there running like there’s no tomorrow. Yes, you! The one with way too many things on your plate to slow down long enough to have this conversation. Yes, I’d like to...
Charles Dickens once wrote in his epic novel, The Tale of Two Cities, an assessment of his times. In short he observed that “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Those...
I’m a planner by nature. I need a schedule, an agenda, and a to-do list in order to function effectively. Or normally, for that matter. I love order, neatness, and efficiency. Chaos isn’t part of my...
Some people have a gift. They look into your eyes and see something’s troubling you. They just know. They ask the right questions. They learn you’re overwhelmed or hurting or grieving or in pain. They find...
As a young pastor I deeply appreciated the helpful advice I received from several older ministerial friends. I wish to return the favor. In this brief letter, it is my desire and prayer that those who...
As we approached the ripe old age of our late sixties, we couldn’t find the word retirement in the Bible, so we wondered what the Lord had for us to do in our winding down years....
It sneaks up on me, this unpredictable foe that disturbs my peace and torments my thoughts. Perhaps I have always been a bit superstitious and didn’t even know it. The vocabulary of a Christian shouldn’t include...
Camp meeting is a creation of American evangelicalism. For over two hundred years men, women, boys and girls have come aside from the responsibilities and cares of life to meet for spiritual instruction in these unique...
Some people have a gift. They look into your eyes and see something’s troubling you. They just know. They ask the right questions. They learn you’re overwhelmed or hurting or grieving or in pain. They find...
I’ve heard that kids learn some pretty important lessons from their dads. And, judging from the things my dad has taught me in the last twenty-five years or so? I’d have to agree. “Don’t point that...
The church was so quiet you could hear a stray fly ping against a stained glass window. The communion trays were about to be passed down the long rows. No music, no murmurs, no cries interrupted...
Some people have a gift. They look into your eyes and see something’s troubling you. They just know. They ask the right questions. They learn you’re overwhelmed or hurting or grieving or in pain. They find...
From my own trials and errors in preaching, as well as listening to those of other preachers, I’ve come to wonder about where it is that preaching “gets in the zone,” to use a contemporary phrase....
Have you ever felt terrified? Unable to move? Desperate to change course, but fearful to walk in a new direction? I’ve been at that place at different times in my life, and have wondered why, because...
Some people have a gift. They look into your eyes and see something’s troubling you. They just know. They ask the right questions. They learn you’re overwhelmed or hurting or grieving or in pain. They find...
I was probably eight when my culinary lack of genius kicked in. I was constantly in the kitchen, making simple things like scrambled eggs or grilled cheese. My mom was often the recipient of my broken...