“He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:31) Psychologists have known for years that many of the personality traits we manifest in our everyday lives as adults are often shaped from childhood experiences. I realized last weekend that one of my most deep-seeded fears has its origins in my childhood. Within a year of my mother’s death in 1961, my dad lost his job and literally had to work several part-time jobs to make ends meet. Unfortunately, his work schedule forced him […]

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16) My pastor once lamented from the pulpit that prayer was losing its appeal among Christians. It’s a sad commentary, but I agree with him. In fact, my own Christian experience has convinced me that a lot of us don’t take full advantage of the power and privilege of prayer. Stop and think about it. How often do you […]

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) It’s hard to believe that Good Friday is just a few weeks away, but Easter is almost here. Sadly, most of the world no longer sees much of the “Good” in Good Friday. I guess that’s why most businesses no longer observe it as a holiday. But Good Friday is more than a holiday. And while we call it “Good”, it actually commemorates one […]

“He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19) When Robbie and I were dating, I broke up with her because I didn’t think I was ready to make a long-term commitment. To make a long story short, it scared me to death to hear her tell me she loved me. I realized several months after we broke up how much I really loved her. How could […]