“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV Three days after graduating from college, our oldest left for the Navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois.  When we saw him eight…

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV Dismay. The word caught my eye as did God’s instructions through Isaiah, “do not be.” “Overwhelm” or “anxiety” may be more familiar…

“Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes.” Acts 9:17-18…

In the 2010 Zheng-Kai Marathon, elite runner Jaqueline Kiplimo spotted a disabled Chinese runner having trouble opening a water bottle. The runner had no hands and was dehydrated. Kiplimo not only helped him with the water bottle, she also slowed her pace and ran with him from about Mile 6 to Mile 23, aiding him…

Though she sat on the front row, you would have missed her. Passed right by without a second thought. No designer labels. Quiet. Invisible. A plastic bead among the polished gems of the well-to-do Sunday School class.  Until my lesson started.  I threw out questions to the feisty group of seniors I had the privilege…

As I head into the holidays, I desperately need the right frame of mind. A firm foundation and a solid framework of spiritual principles to keep me steady through the challenges of the season, like managing the same twenty-four hours of the day with a much longer to-do list.  Christ, as always, provides the foundation,…

The principle of sowing and reaping runs through the pages of Scripture. But we don't usually think about the sowing—until the harvest arrives.

Ever start an article or blog post and all you saw was miles of ink? (Yes, Texas Monthly, I’m talking to you.) Did you wince? Tense up? Bypass it? We need white space.  Breathing room. Margin. Do you have any? Do your kids? Are you scheduled to the edges of your calendar? Sabbath God commands us…

My ninety-plus pound Belgian Malinois is a great running partner—most of the time. Valor heels, sets a good pace, and serves as bodyguard too.  But he has a high prey drive.  Anything small and furry that moves, beware. (FYI, owners of small dogs, big dogs see prey rather than your precious baby.) If I see…

Blameless. Pure.  Children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Shining like stars in the sky. Does this come close to your dreams for your kids and grandkids? It does for me. Let’s look at the passage. “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without…