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 I do not remember how I first learned of the Black and Missing Foundation, but I am glad I did. This organization, founded in 2008 by a former law enforcement official and a public relations specialist, does good work by forcing all of us to think about how we view the world, the people in it, and how we respond to those who are missing, especially those who are black and missing. Before anyone asks why is there a need for an organization called "Black and Missing Foundation", please... Read Full Story

Good food is a gift from a good God . This time of year, I am seeking spinach each time I shop. Considering price, safety, and versatility, fresh bunches of spinach are a great value. I normally shop twice per week, because I prefer fresh ingredients that aren't canned or bagged. Canned spinach scares me a bit, because I know the sodium content inside of the can offsets all of the nutritional value of the leaves inside. After the bacterial outbreaks involving bagged leaf vegetables, I am... Read Full Story

"Are you down? Stay there!" I have had time this weekend to watch one of my favorite films, the original Rocky (1976). You can follow the link for a plot summary, but a key event in this boxing drama/love story occurs when a fighter is struggling near the end of a round and takes a hard fall. His manager, who's supported him through the rigorous training process but is now fearful for the fighter's health and safety, simply tells him to "stay down." In other words, "it's gotten too hard... Read Full Story

Jesus Christ: The Eternal God-Man …who forever lives to love us and lead us into life. A new year’s resolution often looks like this:   “I’m going to get closer to God this year. I’m going to do the right thing.   I’m going to let God create the priorities of my life.” Who is this God I seek to become closer with? How do I know what is the “right thing”? How do I identify God’s priorities in my life? Jesus Christ, the Eternal God-Man, told us if we have seen Him... Read Full Story

Many wisdom teachers of many ages have taught their students this: "you cannot impose your personal standards of behavior on others." Jesus encouraged His disciples to "be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." You can read many variations of this statement from Matthew 10:16 here . As I interact with others who may or may not share my world view -- and that is their right, by the way --,  I must keep Jesus' directive in mind. When I keep His directive in mind, I never react... Read Full Story

Now that the holidays are over and life has returned to a semblance of normality, I am reflecting upon what the holidays meant and what I can take with me into this new year. This most recent Christmas (2011) was on a Sunday. Once again, discussions arose about what types of services should be held on "Christmas Sunday" and how many people would be likely to attend church service on Christmas morning. After all, won't everyone prefer to stay home, relax, and enjoy their  Christmas gifts... Read Full Story

Best wishes for good success in 2012. This post is from one of my favorite resources, Postitive Christianity . As Christians, we should seek the highest level of positivity! A JOYFUL YEAR OF POSITIVE EXPECTATION "Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." Matthew 21:22 In my seminars on prayer, I share with people to change the word "prayer" to "expectation." Some people's prayers are so negative, that they can do nothing but expect the worst. They pray... Read Full Story

“Can I say I have been warned of God, and moved with fear, to fly to this Ark? Have I discovered my shelter-less state by nature, the waves and billows of wrath rising and rolling against me? Have I seen my own inability to provide an Ark for myself, and the excellency and fitness of the Ark of God’s providing? Have I been made willing to abandon all false arks, and [made] inquisitive [of] how to get into the true Ark? Have I been made willing to use all appointed means for this end, to... Read Full Story

This post's title is a line from one of my favorite hymns, In Christ Alone, by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Why would God choose to become an infant, a "helpless person", totally dependent upon others in His human experience? God with us . Human experiences of weakness, pain, vulnerability, and sadness are not foreign to God. It was God's choice to know what we feel by personally experiencing life as we experience it. Some may say God would never "lower Himself" to live life... Read Full Story

Good food is a gift from a good God . Now that the growing season and the farmer’s market season have ended in the Great Lakes region of North America, I have had to resort to reading food magazines, cookbooks, and roving on food sites to see fresh food growing. Two of my favorites are yougrowgirl.com and  noteatingoutinny.com . In Michigan, the mornings are getting colder and snowier. I am burying myself in the summer issues of Saveur and Bon Appetit , trying to recover the sense of... Read Full Story