The movie Cast Away (2000) is about Fed-Ex executive Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) who survives a plane crash only to be washed up on the shore of a small, desert island. Most of the movie is the story of Noland’s survival on the island. The...
Sitting in the back seat on the way home from church, little Charlie wasn’t his normal, chatty self. Mom and dad could tell that something was on his mind. After a little while, mom asked, “Charlie honey, what did you learn in Sunday school today?”...
When God delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery, one of the first things he did was change their calendar. It was crucial for Israel to understand that being God’s people meant that everything had to change, including very point of reference...
The new year is a time for Christians to remember that Christianity is all about fresh starts. With the cross as the symbol of Christianity, we’re reminded that we are committed to a life of forgiving others as well as being forgiven. It’s about a...
One cannot be a serious Christian without being strong and courageous. There are two particular elements of growing in Christ that require courage and both are a result of being obedient to Jesus. First, obeying Jesus in public life requires great...
The annual Jewish holiday of the Feast of Tabernacles (sukkot) is coming quickly! (Sept 23–30). This is one of the annual festivals that makes me wish I was Jewish. It’s a time filled with activities, parties, and lots of delicious meals. It is...
Do you ever feel like there’s just way too much to do and you’re out of strength to do it? Serving in Haiti makes me feel this way often. I think this is to be expected when doing what God asks us to do. God is in the business of assigning God-sized...
Four weeks ago my wife gave birth to our fourth child. This time around was different. This time we decided to deliver here in Haiti. By God’s grace, everything went extremely well and mom and baby are doing great. One of the downsides to having...
In this post I wrote about the phrase, “incline your ear” as an idiom meaning “please pay attention!” I said that this frequent expression in the Psalms reminds us that it’s okay to feel desperate in the Christian life and that God expects us to...