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I remember very little from church growing up. Our church was liturgical and I didn’t understand it. The sermons were boring and I’d almost always fall asleep. It’s one of the reasons I tell our young pastors, “It is a sin to preach a boring sermon!” And that’s why we strive to be engaging, Biblical, applicable, and inspiring.

We had a lot to do to get ready for last weekend. Launching Hoist The Sail involved so much…books designed and printed. Videos prepped and recorded. Sermon series prepared and written. Even music written and arranged. All with a hard deadline.

The Italians call it: “il dolce far niente”— the sweetness of doing nothing.

One of the highlights for everyone who has travelled to Israel with us is swimming in the Dead Sea.

Jesus called it. If you build your house on sand, it will eventually fall.

“If you are going through hell, keep going.” — Winston S. Churchill

What a terrible tragedy! Maybe by the time you are reading this, more information has come out, but I’m baffled by how this airliner/helicopter collision could have happened.

I was twenty years old, and on my way home from work. I had gotten up before dawn that day to fix my car so it could get me to work, so I was unusually tired. I kept nodding off but was sure I could keep myself awake. Bad decision.

I grew up being bored at church. When I later became serious about my faith and began training for ministry, I vowed to never let that happen in a place where I have something to do with it. Too many people stay away from church because too many churches are not worth going to.

Five active wildfires have ravished LA County. 10,000 homes and businesses have gone up in flames, causing billions in damage. 10 lives have been lost and 180,000 left homeless.

I’ve written a couple of summer blogs encouraging readers to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. But I’d like to encourage you to do the same thing in the cold.

2024 is soon to be over. For some of you, it was a great year. But for others, it was a year to forget.