Pocketing and cookie jarring. To paraphrase a line from The Princess Bride, “I do not think it means what you think it means.” One thing is for sure: neither phrase means what I thought they meant! Both terms are now used to describe dating trends. Pocketing occurs...
Everyone Gets to be God …Except God
I’m confused. I understand atheists who say there is no God. I don’t agree with them. But if they choose to hold a position contrary to what the Bible says, they’re free to do so. I understand Muslims who say Allah is god and Mohammed is his prophet. Again, I don’t...
Is It a Conviction or a Preference?
I’m a person of strong opinions. It’s a rare occasion when I don’t have an opinion on a subject. Lately, though, I’ve been wondering about the art of disagreement. Without meaning to, I’ve come up against passions that run high and emotions that run deep. The subjects...
After 9/11…or any Tragedy: Where was God?
This week we commemorated a horrific event in our nation’s history. Social media feeds once again overflowed with posts and photos from September 11, 2001—a day that (please excuse the cliché) will live in infamy. Whether it’s 9/11 or another tragedy, personal or...
Why Me? Why Not Me?
Living in Florida, I recently engaged in a stressful dance with Hurricane Dorian. For those who haven’t been following the vagaries of tropical weather, Dorian crossed the Atlantic as a tropical storm that grew into a Category 5 hurricane. With a peak wind speed of...
Abounding in Hope Despite the Rain
Hurricane Barry made landfall on the Louisiana coast in July as 2019’s first hurricane. As Barry approached, fears about the Category 1 hurricane focused primarily on water damage from storm surge, an already high Mississippi river, and torrential rain. And Hurricane...
Is Peace with the World a Reasonable Goal?
By now you may have heard about Christian celebrities who have either renounced their faith or are in the process of losing their faith. The most recent celebrity to do so is Marty Sampson, a lyricist long associated with Hillsong and whose songs many of us have sung...
The Cross and the Supreme Court
Happy 243rd birthday, America. You've changed a lot in those 243 years. In some ways for the better. In other ways, not so much. But one of the most significant changes is in how the cross is perceived in our culture. For centuries, the cross has been an undeniable...
Cathedrals, Temples, and the Dwelling Place of God
Our news feeds have been filled with horrific pictures of Notre Dame Cathedral being consumed by devastating flames. The videos remind me of a proverbial train wreck—it hurts to look but you can’t look away either. The 850-year-old Cathedral is an iconic landmark that...
Unplanned
I watch movies to be entertained. To smile and laugh and cheer at happy endings. I don’t watch movies to be disturbed...until now. And I’m about to encourage you to watch a movie that will disturb you greatly. Unless you’ve recently returned from a lengthy stay on an...
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