The Right Advice

I’ve been back in the US the past month, and among the highlights has been getting to go to bookstores. Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer a paper book to an e-book (even though I do most of my reading on my tablet these days), and the selection of...

We are Being Watched

In watching the Olympics this week, I have come to the conclusion that I’m actually glad I never became an Olympian. Every single thing these athletes do is, for better or worse, seen by millions (if not billions) of people. They can become heroes or villains in...

Giving Away Control

In the later part of the 16th century Spain was an international superpower, controlling vast swathes of North and South America. In addition to these holdings, they had made gains in continental Europe, including control over the modern-day Netherlands. In the...

Victory Over Discouragement

Years ago, when I was a youth pastor, I had leadership of a “post-high” ministry haphazardly tacked onto my job description. We had around six young adults that met regularly in my basement for a time of conversation, food, and Bible study. They ate the food provided,...

Real Prayer

In Jesus’ day, prayer had become very much misunderstood, even outright abused. Jesus told of how it was common in synagogues to see supposedly pious men praying long, elaborate, and very visible prayers. The problem with their prayers was not that they were public,...