For Hester Prynne in Nathanial Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, it was an A; for many others, it is a D. In a puritanical time period, Hester Prynne made the mistake of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage and getting … Read more
When I heard the chirping, I knew that their mouths were full. After settling into my new position as pastor of a small rural church, I placed a few things on the front porch of the office building, among them a birdhouse. Within a few … Read more
Walking in the garden was a Sunday afternoon tradition. Edisto Gardens is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, USA — the only town that the 250-mile-long Edisto River passes through. The river is one of only a few blackwater rivers — … Read more
I'm not blind, but I fear being that way one day. As a young, elementary-age student, I received the news that my eyesight was poor. I needed glasses. Since then, my eyes have progressively deteriorated. Every four years, the optometrist … Read more
Death. Funerals. They're both a part of what I experience as a full-time vocational minister. I don't enjoy either of them, but they come with the territory. Death comes to the young, the old, and all ages in between. Comforting those who … Read more
With a sigh, my wife called to tell me that the garbage disposal unit under our kitchen sink had broken. This was just the beginning. For four years, we've rented our patio townhouse. Not long after moving here, we noticed various types … Read more
I walked over, shook his hand, and said, "Good to see you." Almost four years had passed since my family had seen my youngest brother. It wasn't because he had no way to get here, or because he was mad at anyone, or because he was too … Read more
According to my wife, I eat some strange things. My wife and I come from different regions of South Carolina, and we have different eating habits. On one of our earlier dates, she was fixing my dinner plate. Out of habit, I said, "Make … Read more
"God won't put more on you than you can handle." Many a well-meaning Christian has made this statement — or some form of it — to someone who's going through a tough time. To a woman who has miscarried. To a man who has watched his … Read more
Sin had ensnared another victim. I listened as the newscaster gave a piecemeal report. The leaders of a noted megachurch were meeting behind closed doors. The pastor had planted the church sixteen years previously on a college campus. … Read more