Joy To The World? I sighed as I turned off the news broadcast. More gloom and doom. Same as yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and… Here we are, only a few weeks till Christmas. I’ve been reading the Christmas story in my Bible, beginning with Matthew 1 and 2. Now … Read more
What God Can Do When I came to Christ as a troubled teen, I had a very negative view of life in general and myself in particular. Years of verbal and emotional abuse and rejection had left me with a loser mentality. I was beaten down. My self image and self esteem were so low … Read more
“Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28b). Did you know that starting your day with gratitude and thanksgiving is one of the best things you can do to improve your life? It has an immediate, powerful impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Long-term studies support gratitude’s … Read more
As I write this, September has begun, and we are transitioning from a blistering summer to a breezy fall. The sunflowers are drooping and fading while the mums are about to burst into bloom. It’s a beautiful time of year, a time of harvest. Harvest for some of us means little more than decorations: pumpkins, … Read more
Remember The Byrds? Back in my childhood (and no, we’re not talking about the Dark Ages, unless you’re thinking of the internet, in which case– oh, never mind) there was a point where transistor radios were the “in” thing to have. They came with a little earphone, or you could play it without. They were … Read more
Finding Hope In Hard Times Life often seems to be a constant fluctuation of emotional highs and lows. As sure as the sun rises and sets each day, there are going to be peaks when everything is going great and valleys where nothing seems to be going your way. It’s no problem dealing with the … Read more
Anxious Times Even as a Christian, it’s hard not to be anxious while watching the evening news. War, inflation, pandemic, mass shootings…the list seems endless. I’ll admit, more than once I’ve turned off the TV after feeling my chest grow tight. Has that happened to you? Have you been tempted to ask, “Where’s God in … Read more
“I hate my job!” How many times have you heard someone say that? Perhaps they’re expressing frustration with employment that they don’t enjoy. Then there are those who are basically saying they don’t like work period. Which brings up a question: Is work good or bad? I’m guessing some readers will laugh and answer, “Work … Read more
My wife and I recently purchased a plot at a local cemetery. We’re in no hurry to move in, of course. It’s just a practical bit of advance preparation. We only needed one plot for both of us since we plan to be cremated. Because of the cost savings, that appears to be the wave … Read more
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” — I Corinthians 3:6 (NIV) As I look out my window, the forsythia is starting to bloom. Out front, our daffodils are coming out. Yellow is my favorite color, so I look forward to seeing both each spring. New growth is … Read more