I remember the first time I met JD. His real name was Jack Douglas Rader, but everybody called him JD. I was attending my first ever "handgun silhouette" target match. That is a form of …
Marriage Under Attack
An article recently came across my desk with an eye-catching title—Look Who’s Happily Unmarried by Rory Evans [1]. The opening sentence reads, “Get your grandma her fan and smelling salts: More and more couples are …
Of Broken Bones and Faith
I was on my way home from work when I got the page—911. I hurriedly dialed home to hear that five year-old Christopher had a bad puncture wound under his left jaw. He had catapulted …
Burying the Wounded
For most people, the idea of burying someone who is wounded, but still alive, would be repulsive. However, it is a representation of who some people believe should be cared for and tended to and …
Independence or Interdependence?
Independence, for many people, is the often the finish line in the race of life. Life does not end with independence. Independence is merely the most basic level to becoming a truly happy and fulfilled …
Genie in a Bottle
I received a prayer message from a friend the other day. It was one of those sweet emails meant to give encouragement and make people feel good. It said: Our Father, walk through my house …
A Comment on Abortion
NO, DO NOT BE SURPRISED—the time is coming when all those who are dead and buried will hear His voice and out they will come— those who have done right will rise again to life, …
A Plan for Our Children
There is someone who is deeply invested in your child’s spiritual development. He has analyzed her personality for strengths and weaknesses. He knows the intricacies of her relationships with family and friends and has studied …
One Courageous Christian Warrior
Bill Norrod was 17 years old and living in Corpus Christi, Texas, when World War II began. He longed to sign up and fight, and begged his mother to lie for him so he could …
Could You or Someone You Love Be Part of a “Cult?”
“My pastor said last week in a sermon that the church my friend goes to is a cult. I’m so worried now! What if they all kill themselves?” “I bought a book at the Christian …
Spiritual Heart Disease
You won’t find mention of this ailment in a medical journal. The AMA knows nothing about it. Your doctor can’t detect or treat it. The book that describes this malady is the Bible. It is …
The Christian’s Legacy
I drive on a portion of the United States’ interstate highway system at least six days of the average week. Monday through Friday, I depend on the interstate highways to go to work. On the …
Hold the Line!
It was on a stiflingly hot day in July that Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain found himself on a wooded hillside in Southern Pennsylvania. Positioned there by his superior officer with 300 men, the remnant of the …
Touched By Our Feelings
In November of 2007 I accompanied my wife, Boni, to the funeral of Wanda, her dear lifelong friend. At the service, I experienced something remarkable and unexpected that lit up one Scripture for me in …
The Forest of Darkness
Over 30 years have passed since I hiked the woods near our house with my then eight-year-old son, Ryan. This is a beautiful area on hills leading down to a creek below. Ryan started calling …
Being Present in Love
To speak of being “present” sounds like psycho-babble. Aren’t we always “present” wherever we are? And with the question, the answer whispers in our minds: “No, my mind is sometimes not where my body is.” …