There was a big oak tree behind my school, Ridgecrest Elementary. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent in that big tree as a young boy, sometimes with friends and sometimes all by myself.
Laughter Matters: Finding Levity in a Heavy World
November 7, 2023 by
A couple of weeks ago, my sister Laurie called from her home in Houston to check on us. We talked about our families and did some “catching up,” and then she started telling me a funny story.
Life on the Ark
February 28, 2023 by
We can only imagine how messy and confusing the ark must have been. There were people there—Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives. There were animals there—two of every kind. And there was food there—every kind of food eaten in that day.
The Blissful Affliction of Writing
January 11, 2023 by
I used to set my schedule around Monk on Friday nights. In case you missed it, Monk was a detective series on the USA Network that let us follow the adventures of an obsessive-compulsive genius named Adrian Monk. There was no doubt that Monk was a detective genius. He could solve crimes no one else could solve.
The Decision Paradox
October 12, 2022 by
People seldom have to choose between right and wrong. Once upon a time, not long ago it seems, I embarked on a journey to be a pastor. I felt call to do battle with the forces of evil in the name of God.
Fascination Matters: Chasing Something that Gives You Delight
April 26, 2022 by
My lifelong fascination with sports is not the only fascination I’ve had. When I look back on my life, I see a long line of interests: model airplanes, baseball cards, coins, stamps, African violets, bonsai plants, books, vegetable gardening, writing, running…
Scripture Matters: Wrestling with the Word
March 15, 2022 by
In Genesis 32, Jacob has a mysterious wrestling match with an unknown assailant. Everything about that wrestling match is strange. The assailant is unnamed and unidentified.
The Issues Paradox
January 4, 2022 by
Churches in the modern age troll for pastors who know how to grow a church. They are desperate for men and women who know how to promote, market, and sell. When the pulpit becomes empty, churches now look for sales-types, the same kinds of people who would succeed in real estate and life insurance.
The Helper’s Paradox
May 25, 2021 by
Ministering from a stance of personal deprivation is both foolish and ineffective. That is why the Helper’s Paradox is important to remember: The best way to take care of others is to take care of yourself.