We Are All Addicts
Cynthia Heimel was a writer who lived in New York in the 70’s. She knew actors and artists before they became famous, while they were still bussing …
What Do We Urgently Need Most?
Six or seven years ago, an acquaintance of mine embezzled ten thousand dollars. He had uncovered a billing mistake in a major project, and the …
What Can Westboro Baptist Teach Us about Grace?
Have you heard of Westboro Baptist? They picket military funerals to protest gays. Their website is, “god hates fags dot com”. (I can’t bring myself …
Are We Teaching Selfishness?
When I was nine years old, I hit my sister. (I’m sure she deserved it). My parents were not happy. They sat me on the sofa. They told me that my …
Hearing God in Scripture
When I was twelve, my parents taught me to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. Proverbs has thirty-one chapters, so the day of the month determined …
These Inward Trials
This past year was difficult for me. Nothing horrific: I lost no loved ones and received no dreadful news. But it was inwardly difficult to navigate. …
The Powerful Authority of Humility
My wife is not a fan of Tom Cruise. I see her point. It’s like his acting powers peaked in Top Gun (or maybe A Few Good Men), and all his subsequent …
Why Won’t We Admit the Evil of Our Deeds?
When I began Beliefs of the Heart, a friend suggested I adopt a Comment Policy. His site already had one, and I copied his policy almost word for …
God Doesn’t Need Our Greatness
On my twelfth birthday, I received four birthday cards, each with a personal message. My grandfather, my parents, my oldest brother, and an elder at …
The Worldly Deceit of Willpower
In 1975, three friends and I participated in a 200-mile bicycle marathon on Belle Isle, an island-park owned by the city of Detroit. The course was a …
The Unworthiness of Self-Esteem
The Times of London once asked leading British intellectuals to enter a competition, writing articles that answered this simple question: “What is the …
What Does God Sound Like When We Sin?
Years ago I told a friend of an embarrassing, recurring temptation. Over the next month, he shared my secret with dozens of people, spicing up my …