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In some area of life, should one choose to embrace the responsibility, we should all be demonstrating leadership. Whether a person’s life challenges them to lead something as great as a nation or whether they are called to take the lead in the direction of a small, private conversation, we all should be ready to model healthy leadership by word and example. So whether we have a leadership title like president, director, teacher, pastor, boss Read more…

Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do when situations overwhelm us.  Such is the case with the recent tragedy in Pittsburgh last weekend at the Tree of Life Synagogue. We can only imagine what horror the worshippers felt as events unfolded.  It must have seemed both unreal and yet very real at the same time. None of us can help but think about our own peaceful worship gatherings, and how inconceivable it would be Read more…

The Psalms of Ascent are commonly called the Songs of Ascent.  These 15 Psalms (Psalms 120-134) are traditionally believed to have been sung by Jewish pilgrims as they made their way of ascent to Jerusalem to celebrate the three pilgrim festivals required in Deuteronomy 16. These three holy days were Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacle. These fifteen songs would prepare the hearts of God’s people as they focused on His presence in the Read more…

Last night Pam and I had the privilege of being invited to the Lincoln Day Dinner at the Jerome Hotel.  I was asked to pray the invocation.  It was an honor.  I’ve tried to always go wherever I’m invited.  I thought I’d post the prayer in this blog: Heavenly Father, Thank you for our nation. We feel such gratitude and blessing for being able to live in such a beautiful, prosperous and free country. It Read more…

Heading up to the 4th of July, it would seem to many of us to be the most contentious Independence Day we’ve seen in our lifetime. Though that might be true, it was not as troublesome and perplexing as the 4th of July of 1863.  In hindsight, that July 4th marked the beginning of the end of the Civil War.  But for those who were living during that time, it might have felt like the Read more…

Every year Memorial Day holds special meaning for our household.  We purchased online the original Associated Press photograph published in every American newspaper announcing the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The photo still has the original typewriter-produced descriptive note from the photographer taped to the back. Why purchase such a photo? Because we know that the marble tomb that sits in Washington, D.C. would have passed over the railroad tracks from Marble, Read more…

There might be some competition for the question I’m most often asked, and I’ve had a lot of questions asked of me during the last 25 years.  The competing question would probably be, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  We could look at the answer to that in the future, but let me address the question that I believe I have heard more often. What would that question be?  It would be, “How Read more…

On a recent trip to the United Kingdom, Pam and I were able to take a few extra days for some personal time.  We were already in Scotland and knew that our hearts were being drawn to the Isle of Lewis off the Northwest coast of Scotland. After traveling through the Highlands, we crossed a bridge to the magical Isle of Skye.  From there we crossed by ferry to the Isle of Harris, famous for Read more…

Arriving at the church recently you might have noticed another change. Something I had visualized a long time ago finally became a reality. I had mentioned to some people around me that I hoped someday to have three flagpoles in front of the sanctuary. Some who heard me never forgot and through generous giving of finances and labor placed three flagpoles with their accompanying flying banners to greet me on the morning of my recent Read more…

Does it seem to you that every time you’re focusing on some aspect or truth about God it suddenly seems to become relevant to the headlines in the news?  Recently an ex-staff member of the Trump administration declared how scary it is that Vice President Pence believes that Jesus speaks to him.  In response, a comedienne said, “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you.” Someone suggested that Read more…