The End of an Era
Yesterday morning our last horse, Misty, died. My wife saw her laying down in the pasture, went out to investigate, and found she had died during the …
Beliefs of the Heart
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 …
Is Sunday School Destroying Our Kids?
Several years ago I met with a woman distraught over her son’s rejection of Christianity. She said, “I did everything I could to raise him right. I …
The Pig in London and the Lamb in Israel
When I was twenty years old, I wanted to spend a summer abroad, but as a college student I could barely afford ramen noodles. I found work on a …
We Are Strangers in a Strange Land
“My wife’s ninety-year-old mother died last Thursday and we mourn. Someone reminded me that when we grieve, “we do not grieve like those who have no …
Invitations to Intimacy with God
Most Sundays after church, my father invited us kids to critique his sermon. He disliked “Atta-boys” and he loathed a “Nice job!” He loved to observe …
Do We Practice Godless Faith?
I recently met an elder whose faith brought him great distress. Three years ago, his small but growing church received tithes that exceeded two …
Gazing on Beauty
Most of my life I failed to appreciate beauty. Oh, I loved the look of sails on the sea and snow on the mountains, but mostly I liked sailing those …
What’s So Bad About Works Righteousness?
The week before Christmas I heard the best argument against Christianity I’ve heard in years. I met with a professional woman who had worked seven …
Conquering Chronic Sins
My twelve-year-old self had a violent temper. My fuse was short, and my bursts of anger detonated at perceived-insults as unexpectedly as bursts of …
All This Took Place To Fulfill…
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call …
When “Good” Christians Do Bad Things
I hate the presidential election season, the rhetoric, emotional responses, hushed conversations, and mud-slinging candidates. I especially hate those …