I was once helping at an inner city ministry that served lunches to the homeless and hungry in our town.  Once a week, a Bible study group from the church connected with the ministry would host the lunch and be in charge of the meal and service. Before we opened the doors one day, I... Continue Reading →

There are times when I don’t feel I am treated fairly or am taking on undue criticism and I am left defeated and down on myself. When this happens, I have this trick that I use to work through the situation.  I realize that the person or persons responding to me may not have the... Continue Reading →

I recently had to do a workshop presentation to faculty members at my University on the latest AI technology, ChatGPT. This is a chatbot that is designed to create text that is more human-like in its responses, interactions, and output.  As I was preparing for the presentation, I asked ChatGPT to write “a 10 minute... Continue Reading →

One impediment to Growing Up is our fear of change, even if that change is a good one.  We would rather wallow in familiar misery than create future benefits. Even though our pain and unhappiness may be real and true, we put up with it because the condition we are in doesn’t require much of... Continue Reading →

Our modern sensibilities are often repulsed by the absence of God and seasons of loss and struggle. But, the writers of scripture seemed to be much more familiar with seasons of pain. The Psalms are full of examples of lament and downtrodden moments. Psalm 88 reads like a personal diary entry from a patient with... Continue Reading →

In my lifetime there have been several economic bubble bursts moments. The tech bubble burst in early 2000 as startup tech companies that experienced rapid growth soon were going out of business. The housing bubble bursts around 2008 as the growth of real estate couldn’t be sustained and speculative practices overran the market and it... Continue Reading →

I have seen it on bumper stickers and t-shirts. I have seen it on tweets and memes. I have said it multiple times. Be Kind. No character trait has been mentioned more in the last three years yet are we seeing people become more kind? Maybe, but it doesn’t seem like it. So, why can’t... Continue Reading →

If you are struggling with your Christian faith right now you are not alone. Church attendance is down and especially among adults 18-34. The grief and uncertainty of the last three years has left many Christians with a malaise about their relationship with Jesus. Depression is on the rise in such staggering numbers that it... Continue Reading →

There is a set of cliffs in Australia, just east of Sydney Harbor, that is one of those spots that attracts suicide jumpers. Just 146 feet away, Don Ritchie lived with his wife Moya in a home they owned since 1946. Don began to notice when visitors to the area, known as the Gap, lingered... Continue Reading →

According to T.B. Maston, God’s will is our maximum fulfillment. This means that by choosing God’s direction we will not just be obedient and reap some kind of dutiful sense of accomplishment but actually be participating in the activity that will bring us exactly what we need for peace, joy, and happiness.  The difference between... Continue Reading →