Hobbit Wisdom

Sometimes we need to look at the little picture ________________________________ My tent was nicely pitched.  My freeze-dried meal was begrudgingly consumed.  My air mattress was holding on for dear life and I was snuggled in my sleeping bag.  The night was...

Discipleship…everywhere

I see his fingerprints everywhere. _______________________________ I’m sitting in my car near Leasburg, Missouri. I’ve just completed the 230-mile Ozark Trail. My hikes are spiritual journeys. Like my life, I weave these adventures into the gospel stories. There have...

Following Christ in an Empire

Subversive.  Gentle.  World-changing. —————————————————– There’s a funny scene in The Life of Brian, the controversial 1979 movie from the Monty Python chaps. ...

I married my Son

Careful language is important __________ I married my son last week. Actually I officiated the wedding of my son and a most lovely woman. Officiating their wedding was a pinnacle moment for me. I made a few changes to the ceremony, however. Instead of “Who gives this...

20 Years of Great Memories

One thousand sermons…and much more ________________ There were guest speakers. Tearful stories. Special songs and music. Even flowers. No, we were not remembering a dear departed. It was a celebration of my twenty years as pastor at my church. When I was in...

God chooses who he inspires…

__________ How churches treat women is indicative of their commitment to or aversion to hierarchy and power My mom never second-guessed the expectation that she would be a housewife. She thrived in that role and seemed to love every minute of it. She raised three...