For kids, Christmas is all about the toys. Can you remember the thrill of wandering down the store aisles in the toy section? Did you look through store catalogs & ads to circle the toys you wanted? The best time

Remember the parable Jesus told about the shepherd with 100 sheep? One sheep wandered away & got lost, so the shepherd left the 99 to go find it (Luke 15:4-7). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 who

I was asked recently if I thought putting up decorations at the beginning of November is too early. I said that personally, I hate to see Thanksgiving get downplayed by the rush to celebrate Christmas, which has been largely secularized

Simply being a Christian in some countries & regions is extremely dangerous. It’s a subject that few are even aware of (thanks to most of the news media)…or even worse, they’re indifferent to. If you’re unaware, then this week brings

As you think about the future, how does it make you feel? Optimistic or pessimistic? Are you feeling anxious about the unknown–what’s going to happen to your job, finances, health, family, the nation, the world?! Who’s in control of your

With all the turmoil in the world, we can get rattled, burdened, & overwhelmed over the unknown & things beyond our control. Wars & rumors of war remind us that peace is a rare thing. Add in to that your

The Detroit Lions are at the top of the NFL rankings–who’d thunk it?! But as I’ve been saying…give them time. After living here for so many years I gave up watching them. Many years, like this one, they’d come out

Did you see the baptism of Kat Von D (Drachenberg) that she posted online? She was a reality TV tattoo artist that I was only vaguely aware of, but who has made headlines recently after dramatic lifestyle changes. She was

You may not be aware of it, but for several years October has been designated nationally as Pastors Appreciation Month. It seems to be intended mostly for those who are preachers or considered “clergy.” But biblically the Elders are the

I’ve been teaching an Ethics class recently focused in the last few weeks on human life & personhood issues: “Are Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia Ever Acceptable?”; “What About Modern Methods of Making Babies? (which dealt with issues like IVF, surrogacy,

A teenager approached me recently at church to ask about music. Is there some music that’s bad to listen to? That’s a question I’m glad he’s asking because most don’t seem to care. I told him that music isn’t the

It’s easy to get fooled by scams. There’s one I saw on Facebook a few times now with a photo of a traffic wreck that says: “Just died in an accident,” & it looks like it’s someone you know. But