Impact
Every December, we remember a young woman who dealt with the burden of bringing the Gospel to China. Her name was Lottie Moon, and she invested her life in China, befriending, encouraging, testifying, and helping the people of China hear
Eagle Parenting
I visit a place from time to time with great anticipation. Bald Eagles nest there. The home that I visit is situated on a 25-acre lake, and each winter, a pair of eagles return and nest. During Thanksgiving week, I
Practicing the Presence of God
I sit by a window that reaches upward 18 feet. Through it, I see a neat garden and play area where children in the community can play within walled security while their parents find books or read. A full and
The Power of a Single Sentence
Tom Clancy wrote incredibly popular novels in the final decades of the 20th century, all focused on operations of the CIA, geopolitics, and the Cold War. In Debt of Honor, the first 100 pages were all about economics. While he
Blind Spots
We typically operate this way: what we don't see, we don't accept as real. We hear about something, but if we can't make a connection with it through our own experience, understanding, or thinking, we operate as if it doesn't
In the Crossfire
Just 11 days ago, the Middle East exploded into war after a raid fueled and planned by Hamas--a terrorist organization based in Gaza. Since then, we have watched in horror as the brutal details of the attack have come to
The Biggest Test
The one test everyone faces, the one test that's unavoidable and penetrating for every human being, is this: TIME. Time reveals character, intentions, integrity, and other aspects of the human heart. When we shortcut time, we often get burned. Neil Clark
Necessary Steps
I'm harvesting these days. No, it's not a garden. It's a set of flowers. A few years ago, our dear friends gave us a few plants that we had seen in their yard. Known as "Cock's Comb," they are a
Keeping Your Guard Up
Many years ago, someone brought topsoil to my lot as a gift. I was quite glad to get it. But as the months passed, I realized that with that topsoil, my benefactor also brought a resilient form of weeds. I
Resemblance
Even after the difficult weeks of drought, even after my lawn and flower beds have been attacked by armadillos (#45 met his fate at my house this week), I looked at my red oak trees on Saturday and saw something