Everything’s going according to plan
We often need to throw out our plans and trust in God’s design for the future. It's been almost a year since I retired from full-time ministry in the deep…
You are forgiven
A woman distraught over her sins finds Jesus’ love and forgiveness at the cross. She sits across from me. Hunched over. Shoulders slumped. Hands covering her face. Sobs convulsing her.…
Different, not done
A pastor’s retirement means his life of service will be different, but it won’t be done. I reached up to the top bookshelf and pulled down volume 11 of The…
It’s time to forget
God doesn’t remember any of our failures. Neither should we. I rest my hand lightly on my wife’s because it hurts her too much when I hold it. From her…
No hidden fees
When it comes to God’s gracious gift of eternal life, there are no hidden fees. When you live two miles beyond the end of the earth in Houghton, Michigan, you…
Now thank we all our God!
In 1617 Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran pastor, returned to his hometown of Eilenburg, Saxony, to serve as archdeacon—just as the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) was about to begin. Since Eilenburg…
Step forward in faith!
Your heart is pounding and your stomach is attempting back flips in those tense moments before the ceremony begins. Gowns are donned, and caps are straightened. Then you march into…
In Christ
My handwriting is bad. So bad, in fact, that even doctors—infamous for the unintelligible scribbles—look at my handwriting and say, “What did you write?” With that mea culpa (or if…
Unprecedented
“COVID-19 pandemic, an ‘unprecedented wake-up call’ for all inhabitants of Mother Earth.” “Unprecedented damage by COVID-19 requires an unprecedented policy response.” “Unprecedented!” The word screams at me from the headlines…