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An eleven-year-old Alabama boy faked his own kidnapping in order to hide a bad report card. He told his parents an armed man took him from school at gunpoint and threatened to kill him. The lad claimed he escaped by jumping out of the assailant’s car, but was unable to grab the book bag containing his report card. Eventually the boy confessed to inventing the story.
Read MoreLate one night I popped into the grocery store for a gallon of milk. I grabbed my carton of 2 percent from the dairy case in a dimly lit corner of the store. As I clutched my milk, a shadow loomed over me. When I stepped back, a huge man reached in and took one as well. Tattoos covered his arms, and he sported a host of piercings in places I didn’t think were pierceable.
Read MoreDiocletian. His name must have struck terror in the hearts of fourth-century Christians. In 303 A.D. this Roman Emperor launched a brutal assault aimed at obliterating Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Diocletian’s attack was not the first against believers, but certainly the most ruthless.
Read MoreHerb Jackson served as a missionary in a developing nation for several years. His mission agency provided him a car, but after a short time, it wouldn't start. For two years, he push-started the vehicle each morning by "borrowing" some boys from the local school to give it a shove. Then he made his rounds for the day, always parking on a hill or leaving the engine running.
Read MoreVery few people are aware that I am a Scottish lord. That’s absolutely true. Well … at least technically. Here’s the story. A few years ago my sister must have figured I needed to rise a little higher in life. She discovered a company that sells tiny plots of land in Scotland. We’re talking really tiny—one foot by five feet to be exact. She purchased a tract for me, which made me a landowner in Scotland, and technically qualified me to be a Scottish lord. Try not to be too impressed. My dining room table is twice that size. I tried to
Read MoreOther than a paper route, my first job was digging postholes on a ranch. After day one, every muscle in my anatomy ached, and despite wearing gloves, my palms sported blisters on top of blisters.
I wonder if that’s how Christ’s disciples felt? After Jesus supernaturally fed 5000 people, they headed home across the Sea of Galilee. The gospel of Mark reports that in the midst of their voyage, his followers encountered rough waters, and were “straining at the oars”—all night long. The text states, that “shortly before dawn” they saw Jesus walking on the water, and terrified, thought he was a ghost. Makes sense. What would most folks think, seeing a being wearing a sheet, floating on a lake in a storm?
Read MoreThe Major League baseball season has concluded, and now the playoffs are underway. Shortly before the regular season ended, a few teams had such good records that they had already clinched a spot in the playoffs. Even if they lost all their remaining games, they had mathematically qualified. Those games had no effect on the outcome of their regular season. Their spot was secure, and they could not lose it. Imagine how it would feel to be on one of those teams. You could relax and play the remaining games the way baseball was intended, simply for the love of the game, instead of the fear of losing. As followers of Jesus, that’s where we are. We’ve already won.
Read MoreI woke up this morning thinking of Linda. One year ago today, she died. For the past week, I’ve felt as if a dark cloud was hanging over me, dreading this day. But now that it’s here, my heart overflows with joy. I miss Linda terribly, especially at night. I miss having someone to come home to, someone to bounce ideas off, someone to snuggle with. But I’m slowly healing, and life is good.
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