Blog
Jan and I had just repented and reconciled after having one of those marriage “moments.” All was made right after we humbled our hearts over a small and foolish issue. Joy returned to our relationship along with a feeling of refreshment that only repentance can bring....
The vocabulary of the world is not the language of the Spirit. When followers of Jesus use over-simplified definitions to define other believers, we align ourselves with the spirit of the world and lose the distinction of our union in Christ. Labels like “Christian...
In some cases, our faith can assume a comfortable, non-confrontive posture. In that condition, a weaker faith will emerge that is unable to push through and confront the afflicting presence of evil. Only a faith that demonstrates the presence of Jesus Christ can...
Soon the natural event of the solar eclipse will be over and we will return to life as we know it – a life where true justice can be absent for many people. My wife, Jan, is finishing her new book, Blessings of Hope and Joy. Jan is writing her blessings from the book...
There are times when God will give you a word loaded with such power and potential, it feels like you are riding a rocket. At the moment of your launch, you begin to realize you are heading toward a target much larger than you first imagined. As the distance closes...
This morning, I was showing Jan where something was stored. I said, “Maybe after I'm gone your next husband won’t be so focused on something like this." Jan said, “There won’t be a next husband. It's just you then eternity.” The things a couple talks about during the...
Preaching or prophesying to an overly focused demographic will limit the scope and impact of your voice. Surprise those who are investigating your message with the diversity of your audience and the content of your message. Never be afraid to speak what is unpopular...
We just came through one of the hottest weeks on record here in Oregon. Each night it remained warm enough to walk outside in a t-shirt. Yesterday, as I sat in the early morning hours writing, the heater came on. It surprised me because it was not cold outside. Jan...
Per NASA (1999 data), in the last 5,000 years, the Earth has experienced 11,898 eclipses. 3,173 have been total. Enjoy the eclipse event but avoid letting it Y2K your life. It is a very noteworthy natural event that is part of life in our solar system. However, never...
What seems secure and unchanging can be gone in the blink of an eye. Those captured in the illusion of an unchanging reality will be the most vulnerable in times of great cultural upheaval. Jan and I had dinner with some friends who were living in one of the most...
I recently wrote in response to a friend who asked me why he was experiencing such a high level of frustration and anxiety with the current condition of our culture. I said to him, “All news is bias and all bias is news.” You and I are being served a meal of...
In my very distant past, I carried a gun and a badge. The streets were mean then but meaner now. I have had men try to kill me. These were life and death struggles. To survive, I needed to respond with superior tactics to each threat. Those responses allowed me to go...
Yesterday, Jan and I had a meal with some good friends from the East Coast. They are involved in a ministry that trains young leaders. As usual, our conversation was filled with Kingdom strategy and planning. During our conversation, I saw an image. It was the...
On Sunday morning, I took a bike ride before church. I love the longer daylight hours of summer. They afford me an opportunity to do things the dark mornings of winter do not allow. I was cruising through our small town and felt impressed to take a few turns I don’t...
My father was a contractor. He built houses. Most of my summers were filled with manual labor on his job sites. My brother and I were my father’s backhoe. I spent many a hot summer day down in a ditch with a pick and shovel. Our crew was a constantly changing group...