I once heard of a little boy who refused to say his evening prayers one night — not out of defiance, but because he couldn't think of anything that he wanted. He didn't see much point in praying when there wasn't anything to ask for. … Read more
A good friend of mine — a published author of both fiction and non-fiction — is writing a new suspense novel, and she sent me her manuscript. I'm caught up in the story. Full of tension and expectation, the book has me on the edge of my … Read more
I once heard Ron Mehl use as a sermon illustration a story told by Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, about a single missionary who served the Lord in China for many years. In 1948, all missionaries were expelled from the country … Read more
I am now the proud owner of a rocket stove: a high-efficiency, wood-burning, outdoor cooking stove designed to be used for camping or emergencies. I never really wanted a rocket stove. In fact, I had never even heard of one. The day … Read more
Recently, while sitting by the ocean in northwest Florida, I watched as three sandpipers scurried by. There was something special about one of them. He had one leg and one little stump.
One leg or two, he could still soar. But to walk … Read more
Think with me what it's like to ride with someone who knows all the back roads — the "easy" roads, the "secret" way to get places. Yet we also know the truth — they're not really "secret". They're just not … Read more
Sitting in a booth in a Shari's Restaurant the other day with a friend, I looked outside as someone's car alarm was blaring incessantly. I wondered what was taking the guy in the back seat so long to turn it … Read more
We've approached a time of bustle — shopping, baking, holiday greetings, and home for Christmas. Why? Why are we celebrating Christmas? How would the average person answer that question? Tradition? Family? Love for hearth and home? Let's go back to … Read more
Of all the questions we ask in life, the "what if?" questions seem to be the most popular. What if this happens? What if that doesn't happen? What if so-and-so doesn't come through on his promise? What if she were … Read more