A few years ago, I experienced the adventure of walking through an authentic European garden maze. The first time I saw an aerial photo of one of those labyrinthine backyard hedges – the playgrounds of the rich and bored during the Enlightenment – I yearned to encounter one first-hand. Opportunity knocked when I visited Hampton Court Palace, one of the historic… Read more »
A few years ago I approached a four-way stop not far from my home. I was in a bit of a rush, so I was glad to see that there was already a car in the intersection, going from left to right. Perfect. Now it’s my turn. I tapped my brakes, slowed to a stop – OK, I at least… Read more »
“You’re fired.” Those are two of the hardest words one can ever hear. There’s a former reality show star who happened to be elected to high public office who seems to speak them with unusual enthusiasm. But if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of that sharp-edged message, you probably didn’t feel entertained. Linda Kaplan Thaler acknowledges that while… Read more »
Carol Gardner was over a million dollars in debt from a failed real estate venture. She was 52 years old, divorced, and heartbroken. She had no job, no income, and no prospects. “My attorney just shook her head and said, ‘You need to get a therapist or get a dog.’” So she got a dog. Carol responded to an ad… Read more »
Author and evangelist Tony Campolo was once invited to speak at a small Pentecostal college in eastern Pennsylvania. Before the chapel service, several of the faculty members took Tony into a side room to pray with him. Tony got down on his knees and six men put their hands on his head and began to pray. Now Pentecostal prayers can… Read more »
A prayer for the first day of this new year: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am… Read more »
What is it like to hear a word from God? It’s safe to say that many of those who attend worship are hoping to hear something – perhaps an insight, a reminder, or a word of hope. More than a dozen years ago, those attending the 8:15 am Sunday worship service at my friend Keith’s congregation in Wichita, KS heard… Read more »
Loggerhead sea turtles are navigational savants. Against all odds, they somehow “know” exactly where they’re going – even though they usually swim the world’s oceans alone. Baby loggerheads aren’t much to look at. They are about two inches long and weigh less than one ounce. If they can survive their harrowing first walk from their nest on a Florida beach… Read more »
