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There was an interesting story in the news last week about a living man who was declared legally dead. He wasn’t comatose. He wasn’t brain dead. He wasn’t even “mostly” dead. He was alive, talking, walking and sitting in the courtroom in front of the judge who declared him to be legally dead. Donald Miller disappeared in 1986 and after family, police, and private investigators could find no trace of him, he was declared legally dead in 1994. He later reemerged in 2005. After

I was waiting towards the back of the pack of 40k+ marathoners to approach the starting line to begin the “race”. It was over an hour from the time the first group of runners started before the final group crossed the starting line. Shortly before my group even got to the start, the announcer, being humorous, said, “I have some bad news, you’re probably not going to win.” I chuckled, knowing that the leaders of the race were already nearly half-way through the course. But the

So the federal government is shut down. Well, it isn’t really, but some aspects of it are. And it’s making for political warfare in Washington, at National Parks, private businesses operating on federal land, and even in barroom brawls and interoffice debates. I get both sides. The Republicans believe they were elected in the midterm elections to do what they are doing, to stop the madness of overspending. And we have to admit, outspending our means and perennially increasing

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? I’m not asking what the hardest thing you’ve ever gone through, but what’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done. Emotionally, the hardest thing I’ve done has been to let a staff person go. I spent quiet time alone in tears, both before and after those dreaded meetings. Spiritually, the hardest thing I’ve done took place a year and a half ago when I committed to pray for a hundred hours in a month for people’s souls. That was nearly thr

We’ve been shielded here in America from what is happening globally. Some of it is because we are spoiled and we’d rather not think of unpleasant things around the world. But some of it appears to be intentional silence on the part of our mainstream national media. I’m talking about major persecution against Christians like no other time in history. Most of it from Islamists who have already successfully rid their regions of Jews, and are now turning their attention to Christ

Brock has been the easiest of our three kids during their teenage years. He has a good heart and loves his parents and is good to his siblings. But as a little tyke, he was more than a handful! He was into everything under the sun, broke all of his toys and a lot of things around the house. On the rare occasion that he napped, Linda would often quip, “Don’t worry, he’s just recharging.” When he was three or so, he was buckled into his car seat next to his sister. All of a sud

Larry Swilling loves his wife. They’ve been married for fifty-eight years, and he wants to keep her for as many more as possible. So when he learned that she was having kidney failure (she was born with only one) and would need a transplant soon to stay alive, he was heartbroken. He knew that at her age (76) she wouldn’t be on top of the waiting list. So he decided to take matters into his own hands, and went out looking for a donor. He made a large sandwich board sign that

This whole Syria thing is quite the conundrum. Like you, I saw the video images of the mass of innocent people writhing in pain after being exposed to some kind of chemical substance. Our government seems very certain that the chemical attack (and we do know it was an attack from someone) originated from Bashar al-Assad and his regime. Of course, Assad denies it was him and blames the Syrian rebels (those who were killed in the attack). It is now estimated that over 110,000

Patience is a virtue and slower is usually more steady. But sometimes, the worst thing you can do is to go slow. I learned that the hard way.

A few years ago in New Zealand, a sheep wandered from his shepherd and hid out in a cave. He managed to live for six years without detection and amazingly, without becoming dinner for a predator. But all during that time, his wool continued to grow. When he was finally discovered after stumbling out of the cave he had been hiding out in, he could barely walk, his wool had become so overgrown. In just a half hour, he was rid of the mass of weight that had been burdening him do

Social media has changed a lot of things. Many of us try to fight it, but it is here to stay. And for those under 40, it is the way communication happens. If there is a party, it’s promoted on social media. In a number of circles, even wedding invitations go out online. This last week I read about a trend influenced by social media, that has taken a surprising “traditional” turn. Evidently, because so many wedding invitations were going out on Facebook, etc., people were rece

I’ve had a set-back in my running schedule. Pretty big one, actually, as I am currently having to use crutches just to walk around. From running eight miles one day, I am now hobbling around on crutches the next. It was a bit humbling when I stopped in at Sam’s Club and the host tried to get me to take the electric scooter/shopping cart. I refused because I knew that my lovely wife beside me would have a picture of it on Facebook the minute I got on. But it’s given me a new a

I know it’s really old. I know it was written in another language–3 other languages, actually. I know it’s from a cultural milieu foreign to ours. But the Bible has proven itself time and again that it is reliable, trustworthy, relevant, and true. The latest example was in the news this last week. A year-old discovery on the temple mount in Jerusalem was inscribed with an early semitic inscription on it has now been deciphered. Because many secular archeologists refuse to bel

My heart was broken this week as I learned of an entire group of people who have united together solely out of their opposition to and animosity for another group of people. The part that broke my heart...they’re supposed to be Christians. They all sit together as a group in a church and even have a name for themselves and a Facebook page. It's a solidarity of animosity and anger, united by their mutual ill will. It breaks my heart. Can you imagine how it breaks Jesus’ heart?

I know you are tired of the George Zimmerman / Trayvon Martin case, and you’ve read your fill of blog opinions. I have too. But how about a different view from a Christian perspective. I’m not writing this to convince anyone of Zimmerman’s guilt or innocence, or whether or not Trayvon Martin was the aggressor or innocent victim. I didn’t watch the trial so I don’t have an opinion on the outcome, or even a right to that kind of judgement...I didn’t hear all the arguments or we

Twenty-nine years is a long time for anything. It’s a long time to hold the same job. It’s a long time to live in the same house. It’s a really long time to be married to the same person. I can’t believe that Linda has been able to stay married to me for twenty-nine years. But I’m really glad she has! Neither of us remember a lot about our wedding. The ceremony and celebration wasn’t that big of a deal to us. I think that couples today make way too much out the wedding day

A halfhearted commitment is not a commitment at all! Today is a celebration of commitment. A commitment that could never be described as halfhearted. For 237 years ago today, fifty-six men, all of whom had much to lose, committed themselves wholeheartedly to a cause that they believed in with every fiber of their being. The whole world has since benefited from their commitment to that cause. The closing words of this Declaration of Independence are this: They meant that,

When you get big news, how do you respond? “Well that depends on if it's good news or bad news,” you might reply. Does it really? Studies show that successful people tend to process good and bad news in the same way. People who react poorly to bad news also tend to make bad decisions in the wake of good news. For example, decisions in the aftermath of seemingly great news of instant wealth, such as winning the lottery, depend largely on how that person has historically handle

Did you see the circling boat on the news last Monday? Two men went out fishing in Tampa Bay. On their way to the fishing spot, the boat hit a rogue wave causing one man to lose his balance, who fell into his friend, tumbling them both into the sea. The boat was still running and began to turn in a tight circle, around and around and around, for over an hour and a half. One of the boaters swam the long trek to shore. The other was picked up by another boater. The Coast Guard

Have you heard about Orlando Shaw, the Tennessee man who is being sued by 14 women for back child-support of his 22 children? He says that he loves all of his kids but just can’t afford to support them, largely because he says that his criminal record prevents him from finding a decent job. There is something to be said about the foolishness on the part of the women who bore his children, but let’s stick with Shaw. In a brief interview with WTVF News, Shaw said, “I was young