True Champions
By Doug Redford At this time of year, several major sporting events are taking place, including NCAA basketball tournaments, the Masters Golf Tournament, and the start of the Major League Baseball...
View ArticleFear and Truth
By Wesley Shriver But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay...
View ArticleMemory
By Stephen R. Clark Memory is weird. It tends to be somewhat volatile. Details can become blurry or exaggerated over time. But the central point usually holds as we reflect on our most precious...
View ArticleAgain
By Stephen R. Clark Here we go again. It’s time for Communion, again. Once more with feeling! Right? You think, This feels like deja vu. Like using shampoo—wash, rinse, repeat. Why can’t this be once...
View ArticleThe Rich Young Ruler
By Stephen R. Clark The story of the rich young ruler appears in all three of the Synoptic Gospels. The man’s encounter with Jesus occurred immediately after the Lord welcomed little children to his...
View ArticleIn the Beginning
By Stephen R. Clark “In the beginning . . .” We hear these words and can immediately complete the thought: “God created the heavens and the earth.” Light, land, waters, life. A new world teeming...
View ArticleRemembering and Honoring
By Rick Chromey Mother’s Day has a fascinating history. While versions of the holiday existed in the 19th century, the modern Mother’s Day originated in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her...
View ArticleTuning Our Hearts
By Will Thomas Picture a tuning fork musicians use, or at least used to use, to adjust their instruments. The tone of a certain fork matches a particular musical note. The piano tuner, for example,...
View ArticleA New Meaning to an Old Memorial
By Nancy Karpenske Imagine family and friends around your picnic table at Memorial Day. The head of the family is explaining to the youngsters about the origin and importance of the holiday. But...
View ArticleRemembering Sacrifice, Celebrating Victory
By Rick Chromey More than three-quarters of a century ago, the Allied Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy, France. In one of history’s bloodiest battles, young men sacrificed life and limb to...
View ArticleNo More Dead Ends
By Doug Redford We’ve probably all turned down a street and seen a sign that says, “No Outlet” or “Dead End.” What’s the difference between those two? A “Dead End” street means one street, with no...
View ArticleHe Stoops Down to Us
By Michael C. Mack A dad stops what he’s doing to bend down and intently listen to his child. This simple act conveys a powerful message: My child is important. I love this kid. I want to look into my...
View ArticleA Shot Heard Throughout History
By Rick Chromey Baseball season is in full swing. This summer game of purely American origin is filled with tradition and contradiction. Though a pastoral game, baseball emerged in the cities. It’s the...
View ArticleA Hope for the Future
By Jon Wren On July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams lay on his deathbed surrounded by family and friends in Massachusetts. Adams had spent...
View ArticleThink Wedding, Not Funeral
By Doug Redford In February 2018, the Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. During the coverage, a chaplain to the athletes was interviewed. “What’s it like to cover the...
View ArticleTwo Giant Leaps
By Doug Redford July 20 of this year will mark 54 years since the Apollo 11 moon landing. The crew consisted of three American astronauts: Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Neil Armstrong. Even...
View ArticleKnowing the Outcome
By Doug Redford When coronavirus began to upend our lifestyles in 2020, sports were impacted (like most everything else). The baseball season was significantly shortened. Other major sporting events...
View ArticleThe Anti-Miracle
By Stuart Powell Paul wrote his first letter to the believers in Corinth to guide them away from selfish individualism and encourage them to walk together in harmony with the gospel. That is a...
View ArticleA Work of Heart
By Doug Redford Someone described Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Mona Lisa as “the best known, the most visited, the most written about, the most sung about, and the most parodied work of art in the...
View ArticleA Passion Statement
By Doug Redford Some years ago, a newspaper carried an article with this headline: “Crosses Make Big Fashion Statement.” It noted, “Crosses are dangling from the necks of celebs and models in party...
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