With the recent hysteria about mysterious drones circling the country and predictions of conflict amid a new presidential administration, it’s worth reflecting on a comment made two-plus centuries ago. It came from legendary British spiritual leader John Wesley, whose impact on America includes credit as the founder of Methodism. In a letter to a friend…
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As we head into a new year, it’s common to read of resolutions for the coming 12 months, wishes for world peace, or prayers for blessings. I have a simpler aspiration. I would dearly love to see the end of blister packs. You know, those irritating, nearly impossible to crack, nasty creations that cause more…
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Despite a 20-year age difference, I have a friend who shares similar views on a number of subjects. Plus, as a self-employed installer of electronic and other devices, Homer understands the strain we freelancers face: no work means no income. When we enjoyed breakfast recently, he mentioned that he wouldn’t be at church the next…
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If I had to categorize 2024, I would label it “The Year of the Gambler.” Whether a favorite sports team, quarterback, political race, or weather forecast, it’s now possible to place a wager on almost anything. Appeals to gamble are so common it’s nearly impossible to turn on a football game, situation comedy, or newscast…
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Several years ago I did some developmental editing on a book by a Midwestern pastor. He was addressing the need to take limits off ourselves that God never placed there. However, he also wove into his message stark warnings about the damage social media is doing to young people. The statistic that I remember so…
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Back in June, I blogged about my admiration for The Baxters, an Amazon Prime series based on a novel saga written by New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury. My wife and I were nearing the end of season 2 then. However, once the reality of a slow-moving story settled in, it took several more…
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During a recent morning devotional, my wife and I encountered this question: “What significance does baptism have in your life?” I responded, “Baptism marked the beginning of my public stand as a Christian (or to use a less culturally-loaded term: a follower of Christ).” It’s been more than 43 years and yet I can remember…
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With major television networks, cable news channels, YouTube, Amazon, or social media outlets as options, chances are not many of you listened to election results Tuesday night via radio. I understand. I didn’t either. Yet with the ever-present prospect of electricity outages—we have two or three a year—we keep a battery-powered radio at the ready.…
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Outside of Philadelphia and coverage from Religion News Service (RNS), I doubt few people noticed this news item. However, when a church in the City of Brotherly Love recently lived up to Philly’s nickname, the story had a “man bites dog” quality to it. As RNS reported, Tenth Street Presbyterian Church voluntarily gave up its…
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Lately I’ve been to more visitations and funeral services than I care to attend. It can take the wind out of your sails. There was the friend who battled cancer for a year before a brain tumor claimed him. A former pastor felled by a stroke last November eventually died of colon cancer. A young…
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