We’re almost two weeks into the new year. In many ways, there’s nothing new about it, other than changing the year when we write the date. (Anyone beside me becoming adept at converting a seven into an eight?) If 2018 is feeling more like “same old, same old,” why all...
A new word for a new year. A word I knew—last September—would be my focus for 2018. Last year, my One Word was hope. Holding on to hope carried me through a difficult period. Hope held fear at bay when hubby was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Hope carried me—and...
Have you ever practiced a tradition without knowing why or how it started? Does it matter? One friend celebrates half-birthdays in her family. Another organizes an egg hunt every Easter for the children in her family. Still another friend serves pizza for dinner every...
Are you unhappy with our current president? Perhaps you didn’t like the president before him. Complaints about political leaders have existed about as long as nations have had rulers. Still, how we express our dissatisfaction says much about our worldview…and our view...
What’s the point of praying for peace when your adversary is dead-set (no pun intended) on war? As the weeks of December move us toward Christmas, many Christians recognize Advent themes that traditionally include hope, peace, joy, and love. Last week, I wrote about...
It’s really difficult to pray without having expectations. Lots of expectations. I should know—we recently came through months of prayer for healing for my husband’s cancer. Those expectations create a disconnect when God’s answer does not match our prayer. Even when...
I’m weary. Worn out. Battle-fatigued by the relentless drumbeat of bad news. Alt-right. Alt-left. Murder. Racism. ISIS. I’m reminded of the 60s musical, Stop the World—I Want to Get Off. Problem is, it doesn’t stop….and I can’t get off. The headlines keep coming. The...
What makes one person a prisoner of hope, while another is mired in hopelessness? My “one word” for 2017 is hope, so I’m especially attuned to this word this year. And the subject came up again during a recent lunch with a friend. She asked me how to become a...
Today is the 103rd anniversary of the first electric traffic system installed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914. Four sets of red and green lights told drivers when to stop and go. The Cleveland Automobile Club praised the system, saying they expected that it was “destined...
Come out and be separate. No. Go out and be salty. Which is it? Are we to be separate or salty? As our society continues to distance itself from its Judeo-Christian roots, Christians find themselves more and more detached from the mainstream by our values. The march...
In the Time You Gave Me Do you know how much time you have? Do any of us? We don’t. In the coming week, we will...
The Power of Prophecy The U.S. presidential election is less than a month away. Each side is extolling the...
Glory, Love, Black Holes, and the Center of the Universe Black holes are back in the news. Scientists have...