Ever feel separated from God? It’s a common feeling. It’s that estranged, anxious feeling we sense when we let something come between us and God. When I was ten, my dad took me to New York City. We visited popular sites like the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and Circle Line Tour. My most…
How can you “hang in there” when you are continually bombarded by physical, moral, and social attacks? Do you sometimes feel like just throwing in the towel? How can you remain faithful and peaceful no matter what? My wife can speak with her hands. She knows American Sign Language (ASL). She taught me that…
Know what’s more important than the Abortion Debate? The Monday, June 27, 2016, Supreme Court ruling related to abortion clinics, reminds us that there is something at stake that is much bigger than just the abortion issue. We are often faced with important ethical choices that can dramatically affect the rest of our lives. …
No Wonder We Have So Much Trouble Understanding Faith Bill Nichols, PhD. Ask ten people, “What exactly is faith?” You’ll probably get ten different answers. If you think about the many ways the word faith is used today, it’s no wonder people have so much trouble understanding what faith is. Mother Teresa’s sacrificial work helping impoverished…
Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Mona Lisa, is valued at one billion dollars, making it by far the world’s most valuable painting. Can you imagine the kind of security system and extreme protective measures the Louvre Museum in Paris uses to guard this matchless piece of art? As valuable as The Mona Lisa is, it…
Are you tired of having such a cluttered life? How can you escape the confusion, frustration, and weight of such a load without shirking your responsibilities? Your Heavenly Father has provided a way. It’s simple but not easy. He is challenging you to stop trying to find some secret hiding place or fantasy land where…
All spiritually healthy service is done in the Name of Jesus. When we act in his Name, spiritual fruit is produced. Acting in the Name of Jesus doesn’t mean we are acting as foreign ambassadors or representatives of Jesus or that we are merely following his example. Serving in the Name of Jesus means we…
On our last trip to Israel, my wife and I joined a Jewish family for their weekly Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem. I’ll never forget the emotional moment during the Shabbat meal when the father and mother took turns taking each of their children’s faces in their hands, looking into their eyes, and blessed them with…
Several years ago I visited the Greek island of Crete where I saw what is considered the oldest tree on earth—an olive tree. It’s estimated to be 3,000 years old and is still producing olives. Later, Phyllis, my wife, and I visited the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where we saw olive trees believed to…
3 Reasons to be SILENT in the Face of Pain. Minutes after my sweet mother passed away, her pastor called to let me know Mama unexpectedly died from a stroke. I caught the first plane home. A large crowd had gathered in Mama’s living room. As I was about to enter, I remember thinking, “The…