Nov 17, 2023 | Church Matters, Devotion, Leadership
IV. Notes Towards a Ministry of Ḥesed Thoughts on ḥesed Does a ministry of ḥesed exist? I suggest that we can identify the ministry of ḥesed as, first of all, whatever springs from a heart that is like God’s heart—compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness, peace, faith,...
Nov 14, 2023 | Leadership, Personal Development, Perspectives
We’re living in uncertain times, of that I’m certain. A failing economy. The constant threat of a global nuclear war. Inflation. Pandemics. Polarizing politics. Natural disasters. Uncertainty tends to breed fear in most of us. And yet, those circumstances pale in...
Nov 10, 2023 | Church Matters, Devotion, Personal Development
No one in the history of the church has had as much access to Scripture as we do in the twenty-first-century Western world. As I sit at my dining room table in southern Missouri, there are seven Bibles I could reach in ten steps or less. But this hasn’t always been...
Nov 7, 2023 | Family, Personal Development
When Ben and Jenna got married, they both had a thriving community of friends and family around them. Then, a few months into their marriage, Jenna unexpectedly got offered an incredible job promotion. Along with a significant salary increase, this promotion also...
Nov 3, 2023 | Church Matters, Inspiration, Missions
Thoughts on ḥesed Recently, I was very kindly invited to join a group of writers commenting on current events from a Christian perspective. Reluctantly, I declined, feeling that were I to write about the procession of evils that our society experiences and the...
Oct 31, 2023 | Family, Inspiration, Personal Development
What is humor? Humor is defined as the capacity to express or perceive what is funny. This capacity begins to develop at an early age. Infants form a sense of humor by watching how others respond to their different behaviors. We are hardwired with the ability to...
Oct 27, 2023 | Devotion, Family, Personal Development
Our Longing for Closeness Bone of My Bones The English word for intimacy comes from the Latin word intimus, meaning “inner.” Thus, intimacy involves two people opening their inner selves to each other. It is entering into each other’s lives emotionally,...
Oct 24, 2023 | Devotion, Inspiration, Pastor's Life
The Power of the Spirit in Our Weakness A former acquaintance, whom I will call Jim, left his lucrative career to enroll in a graduate program in Bible. He became quite legendary as a man of prayer. Later, while visiting me, Jim seemed obviously discouraged. He shared...
Oct 20, 2023 | Devotion, Inspiration, Personal Development
II. The Great Gift Thoughts on ḥesed In my childhood years, people told me many times, “God loves you.” I was hardly in a position to disagree, but mentally I often added, “and He has a long list of improvements He wants you to make.” I am afraid that sounded to me...
