To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here The world’s most powerful brands, as represented by their familiar logos, are famously effective at influencing our thoughts. When I see the stylized words “Coca-Cola” – white on a sea of red or red on a sea of white – I imagine popping the top on a chilled soda can. When… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here What exactly does Jesus ask of his followers? Most of us quietly hope it won’t be too costly. Author Anne Lamott wonders aloud, “Why couldn’t Jesus command us to obsess about everything, to try to control and manipulate people…to stomp away to brood when people annoy us, and then eat a… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here Like the contractors and foremen who are hoping to hire workers, Jesus Morales occasionally drops by one of the southern California parking lots or street corners where unemployed laborers gather early every morning, hoping to be chosen for a day’s work. But the 27-year-old doesn’t take any workers to a construction… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here If you’re a high school youth group leader in Indiana, there’s one event every year that is guaranteed to be a hit. Take a winter ski trip to Michigan! It’s not that Michigan has a mountain range or world-class slopes. But it does sit far enough north to receive generous quantities… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here What’s the most common element in the universe? That’s easy. Not even close. Chemists estimate that 92% of all the atoms in the cosmos are hydrogen – the simplest element on the periodic table, comprised of one proton, one neutron, and one electron. What’s number two? Also a no-brainer. It’s helium,… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here The summer months are once again upon us. That’s good news for people who love to read, since June, July, and August often provide opportunities to relax on a porch, deck, or beach with a great book. The bad news is that when it comes to the experience of reading, Americans… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here “If there was ever a moment for prayer, no matter what you might believe, this was it.” That’s historian John Meacham’s assessment of what was at stake on June 6, 1944, as the Allies began Operation Overlord. It was D-Day. The combined military forces of the nations that opposed Hitler’s Third Reich… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here Years ago, when I was the senior pastor of a local congregation, I remember fielding a challenging question. How long would it take a visitor to our church to be introduced to our mission, vision, and values, and to know specifically what to do to become involved in living them out? … Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here Let’s face it: Sean Astin is never going to live down Rudy. The 53-year-old actor is best known for playing the lead role in the 1993 film about Daniel Reuttiger, a real-life walk-on to the Notre Dame football team. He even lampooned himself in a commercial in which former NFL stars… Read more »
To listen to today’s reflection as a podcast, click here A number of people have made memorable comments about the end of life: Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75. Ben FranklinThe idea is to die young as late as possible. Ashley MontaguWhen you’re dead, you’re dead. That’s it. Marlene DietrichI would rather die a meaningful death than… Read more »