The Alternative is Not an Option
“Words are letters often shaped in quiet thought that paint a picture, tell a story, or recall a memory.” My younger son made that statement over fifteen years ago. There is so much thought behind it that I’ve used it repeatedly in different ways over the years. Today, it takes on another meaning, at least for me. Putting it simply—but not reducing the magnitude of it—in the last eight weeks our world has changed. Words have been used to describe that change in a way that two months...
Read MoreWe are Talking. We are Listening. But to Whom?
While driving in the United States several weeks ago, I heard an individual on the radio talk about our electronic age and the influence it’s having on our society. I found it thought-provoking because he was making some valid points, including new statistics on the depleting attention span of American youth. He quoted one teacher as stating with great concern that his students were so tied to their smart phones that when the school made a new ruling that no phones were allowed in the...
Read MoreA Diamond Mine
Sometimes in browsing the internet, not only do you find a gem worth sharing, but you find one that causes you to pause and think! Such is the following. George Everard (1828-1901) was born in Spalding, a small village in Lincolnshire, England. He became an evangelical Victorian vicar with all the hopes and cares that went with his calling. One of his earliest recollections was the gift of his first Bible given to him on Christmas day by his eldest sister. She had written inside: “Search the...
Read MoreCrisis Experiences
A month ago today hundreds of friends joined our family as we celebrated the life of my brother Doug. Through tearful words at the suddenness of his death or understanding smiles that surfaced with a memory, many hugged and shared stories and anecdotes of their love for such a good man. One friend said, “Doug was a dear man who loved life and lived it to the fullest.” Fondly known as Dougie by his dear wife, Janet, my brother left a legacy of love, compassion, and dedication...
Read MoreGod Came in Human Flesh
Over the centuries, multiple efforts have been made to document, confirm, support— and sadly, vilify— the birth of the Son of God. Ultimately, only God’s Word is the source to which we can turn for the truth regarding the birth of Jesus Christ. “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). Nothing more can be added to the...
Read MoreWhy the Shepherds? Why the Sheep?
Did you ever wonder why God chose the Bethlehem shepherds to visit the Baby Jesus immediately following His birth? What made them so special that God would choose them over the elite in society? Perhaps it was because they were good, gentle, humble men, always on the lookout for injured or lost sheep. And it’s pretty much a known fact that they would fight to protect their flock, even risking their own lives. It would be easy to see them as heroes! But then I learned...
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