amputate!
The film 127 Hours tells the true story of Aron Ralston, based on his memoir Between a Rock and a Hard Place. In 2003 Aron’s forearm became pinned under a boulder for 5 days with no rescue in sight. Out of desperation he freed himself by cutting off his right arm with a blunt penknife. This gruesome scene in the film…
living light
When Dee Williams decided to downsize she sold her 3-bedroom house and moved into an 84-square foot “tiny house.” This transition liberated her from a monthly mortgage payment. She now owns her home—which cost a fraction of the price—and pays just hardly anything each month in heating costs. Before moving in, Dee purged many of her possessions. Old photos, love…
promises, promises
I was once dragged into a highly charged discussion about the failure of certain politicians to keep their campaign promises. The discussion veered into a theological one when someone simply asked: “How many promises did God make in the Bible?” For many years, it was believed that there were 30,000 promises in God’s Word—that every verse is a promise. In…
letting go
During a recent 3-week stay in the hospital, I met Kathy. She shared her grave medical condition and her strong faith—an unflinching belief in Jesus. She loved Him and trusted Him, but she also knew she was heading home to hospice care. Her days on earth were counting down. As my wife and I talked with Kathy, we learned of…
free solo
A recent article in National Geographic Magazine published remarkable images of climbers as they scaled the sheer rock face of Yosemite’s 2,916- ft. (889 meters) El Capitan. Astonishingly, some of the climbers make portions of the ascent without safety ropes in a death-taunting exercise known as “free solo.” These guys literally live on the edge.
Some of the most hard-core climbers…
what we believe does matter
1 John 5:4-5: For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
As children of God, who have been redeemed and made alive unto God in Christ, we must see ourselves as more…
buried alive
Medical students in Taiwan are being buried alive. This practice, which sounds like it could lead to a serious shortage of Taiwanese doctors in a few years, doesn’t actually lead to death. The docs-in- training at Rende Medical College are simply placed in a sealed coffin for a period of 10 minutes. Why? To give them insights into death and to…
down here
Last October, the world rejoiced with the people of Chile as they celebrated the successful rescue of 33 miners who had been buried 700 meters (2,300 feet) underground. The miners, who had been trapped in a copper-gold mine for 69 days, were safely lifted out of its depths. In a letter sent to the surface prior to the rescue, 19-year-old…
active faith
"Did you know that?!” When my student responded with disbelief at what he had learned in researching his social justice project, my heart leaped with excitement. Teaching in a private prep school, I look for ways to help my students see beyond their somewhat sheltered world. My delight was short-lived, however, when he continued by saying that although he felt…
the real Jesus
In 2001, the BBC’s Jeremy Bowen presented an investigation into the historical Jesus. He said, “The important thing is not what He was or what He wasn’t—the important thing is what people believe Him to have been.” The apostle John would disagree. He intimated that the testimony about who Jesus really is, not what people believed Him to have been,…
dying to live
"How’s your dad?” a colleague asked me.
“Struggling to die,” I replied. My 84-year-old dad has endured the painful debilitating effects of liver cancer for 2 years. Doctors have told me and my family to be prepared for his inevitable demise. So as he lies on that hospital bed, I feel his pain. In a weak voice, he recently said,…
treasure
Several years ago, I discovered our son Seth sitting in our comfy khaki chair with a theology book in hand. He held the book in front of him, staring at the pages. He would not be distracted. It was quite serious; he was reading. Mind you, Seth was 2 years old.
I can’t imagine what Seth believed he was “reading.”…
covenant eyes
A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2006 revealed that children who watch media with high levels of sexual content tend to be more sexually promiscuous. Researchers studied 1,017 adolescents, ages 12 to 14, over a period of 2 years. During that time, the teenagers were tracked as they took in varying amounts of sexual content in…
only a penny . . .
James 4:13-15: Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought…
no royal wedding invite, but . . .
Turns out . . . I didn't get invited to the British Royal Wedding......
Turns out . . . I DID get invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!
Go figure . . .
I know it's hard to imagine . . . that every commoner who wishes to attend may go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. To get…
