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Poor guy. He made his dream escape! And it’s not easy to escape from the Washington State Penitentiary. It took a lot of planning, perfect timing and hard work. But he did it! Then, however, he had to elude authorities. After spending a day on the run, without food or shelter, he came across a cabin in the woods. Perfect! If the place is unoccupied, it would be a chance to catch up on a little sleep, maybe scrounge up some food. If someone is home, he could get help, maybe mo

We were into building go-carts when I was a kid. Not anything that was motorized. We didn’t have access to motors, and it’s probably good that we didn’t. But we were pretty good at building and racing push carts (with a long pole) and pull carts (with our bikes).The earlier models were all wood…and heavy. But then we started to figure out how to take old tricycles and bicycles apart to use the tube frames, axles, and wheels for less weight and friction and more speed. We were

A family checking out our church on their fourth week at The Bridge commented to one of our pastors, “This is our fourth week here, and we haven’t heard the main guy, yet!"Granted, they were not here four weeks in a row, and I don’t like to think of myself as the main guy, but there’s no doubt, I’ve been speaking less, this last year in particular.It didn’t use to be that way. Early in my ministry, I spoke every week without missing for a couple of years…52 weeks straight, 2-

I had a conversation with a guy a while back, who had a defeatist mentality. From an outsiders perspective, his life was really good.He grew up in a stable family, had a good wife and a couple of happy kids. He had a decent job, drove a newer car, and lived in a nicer house than I had ever lived in. And he was healthy.But to him, everything was wrong. His parents were nags, his wife wasn’t perfect, his kids misbehaved, his job was stressful, his car didn’t have bluetooth, his

Some horrible things happened in Florida last week. Horrible. Forty-nine dead, plus the shooter, and fifty-three injured. And who will ever forget that horrific ordeal of the alligator and the little boy? So where was God? Let’s face it. There’s a lot of really bad stuff in the world. Last week, it seemed to be concentrated in Orlando. But not really. Right now, civilians in Fallujah are trapped in their own city and facing roaming death squads of ISIS combatants. So far this

I will never forget it. Maybe the most embarrassing day of my life.It was early in my freshman year of high school. I was happy because it was a rare day for me to eat hot lunch in the school cafeteria, rather than the usual bologna sandwich I brought in a brown paper bag. I had just sat down at a table of some friends and picked up the salt and sprinkled it on my food. Martin, evidently, thought it would be hilarious to unscrew the top for some unsuspecting soul, and I was t

We’ve all heard of Jesus’ most well-known miracles, his walking on the water, feeding 5,000, healing lepers and raising Lazarus. In fact, many of these stories are so familiar to us that we zone out as they are being told. Familiarity dulls our sensitivity and we are no longer amazed.But think of the lepers who were healed and think of their families' reaction when they were able to return home. These people hadn’t read the Gospels, or any children’s Bible story books. These

I know, we’ve barely had spring and now I’m talking about summer. But this is Memorial Day Weekend, and summer is virtually here. To make the most of the warmer weather and the longer days, decide now how you are going to spend the summer and plan it. Here are a couple of suggestions. Schedule vacation. Not just the dates, but what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? Have a family meeting to talk about it and that way you get to also enjoy the anticipation. Some

Last week served as a reminder to me of the reality of death. We attended a wake for a man who was not much older than me. He learned he had cancer one day and eight weeks later, we were at his funeral visitation. From there we went to the hospital to visit a woman who is younger than me. A couple of months ago she was also told she has cancer, and in her hospital room she told my wife and I that she has about six months left.Sometimes people know it is coming. I’m not sure i

I grew up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, a beautiful small city nestled between tall rock faced bluffs and the Mississippi River. The prominent outcroppings that towered above the city were a constant invitation to me as a boy, and as soon as I was old enough to ride my banana seat bike around town without supervision, my friends and I were climbing and exploring those bluffs. We’d bring packs and gear that we bought from the army surplus store, and make a whole day of it.The most i

Here we go! Election season is in full swing. The conventions are coming. A lot of us are in mourning. Let me give you some brief reminders that may help us all get through the months ahead. •  Things have been worse . How would you have liked to live under Diocletian and know that being a Christian you’ll soon lose your job and possibly your life? Or maybe it would have been better in medieval Europe, where entire villages were drowned because they practiced baptism the way

Most of us can point to our greatest regrets in life as things we did or didn’t do when our emotions were in control. It’s always a mistake to let your emotions guide you. Facts–Faith–Feelings. Feelings are a blessing when they follow, but a curse when they lead.But the real problem for most of us is the heat of the moment . It’s when we are in the middle of overwhelming feelings, whether it be anger or anxiety or lust, that we tend to do things that create havoc in our lives