On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln stood against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol and presented his Second Inaugural Address. Less than five weeks later, the core goals of his presidency – the surrender of the primary Confederate forces and thus the preservation of the Union – would finally be accomplished. The expectation of those victories buoyed the nation’s capital. If… Read more »
You don’t need to worry about anything. Really. Scripture is unambiguous on this point. Worry should never be part of the life of someone who follows Jesus. This seems so incomprehensible, however – and we see so few people living worry-free lives – that it’s tempting to conclude the Bible is asking for the impossible. Philosopher and author Dallas Willard… Read more »
For the four weeks leading up to and going beyond Easter, we’re looking at the life of Peter. Because he’s so often at the center of both the brightest and darkest moments in the Gospels, he has always been a source of hope and inspiration for those endeavoring to follow Jesus. Mike Ditka is one of the most famous tough… Read more »
As the world continues to react with anguish concerning Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, how should we pray? Jack Knox, pastor of the Salem (Oregon) Mennonite Church, has offered the following: Gracious Lord, we dream of a world free of poverty and oppression, and we yearn for a world free of vengeance and violence. We pray for your peace. When our hearts… 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 »
On May 7, 1915, some nine months after the start of World War I, a German U-boat torpedoed the passenger liner Lusitania as it sailed in neutral waters off the southern coast of Ireland. The ship vanished in just 18 minutes. Nearly 1,200 passengers died. A third of the victims were women and children, and 128 of those who were… Read more »
When author and pastor Timothy Keller released a new book eight years ago, he could not have foreseen how dramatically he would personally be living out the title: Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering In June 2020 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Since then his life has revolved around physician consultations, therapeutic strategies, and a great deal of… Read more »
I have never learned to drive a standard transmission car. Since futurists keep insisting that the age of autonomous (“driverless”) vehicles is just around the corner, the window to address this gap in my life is rapidly closing. My associations with standard transmissions are comically traumatic. Shortly after my 16th birthday, my father insisted one Sunday afternoon that I join… Read more »
Throughout Lent, we’re exploring the parables of Jesus – the two dozen or so stories that were his chief means of describing the reality of God’s rule on earth. Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali made a lasting impression with his fists. He also made quite an impression with his mouth. Ali was famous for his mocking bravado: I’m the greatest thing… Read more »
