One day when my daughter Sammy was three, I was holding her on my hip. We were standing in the dining room of our home, and she was trying to tell me something important—but she could tell that I was looking away at something else. So she grabbed both of my cheeks with her little … More Are you fully present?
Have you ever wondered why God wants us to pray when he already knows what we need and what we are thinking? The answer may be found by looking at human parent–child relationships. God is our heavenly Father, and we are his children. I hate when our children go from being small, wanting to share … More Talk to me my child!
The Bible is full of joy and celebration. The Old Testament contains lots and lots of parties—just think of all the feasts the Lord wanted Israel to enjoy. If you have ever been to a Jewish celebration, you’ve experienced celebratory singing, dancing, and shouting. The New Testament shows Jesus performing his first miracle at a … More Pride and Joy
My mom, at eighty-one years old, went home to be with Jesus on October 24, 2017. I had the privilege of sharing about her life at her funeral. What follows is a condensed form of the testimony I gave to honor her. Here are seven phrases that describe her: Diligent Worker As a young girl … More A Tribute to My Mom
We live in a very discontented society, surrounded by discontented people. The media constantly tell us not to be content with what we have. We are constantly told that we need a newer car, a more powerful computer, a smarter phone, and cooler clothes. We never seem to have enough of anything. But then we … More Talk back to the TV!
Life is too short to always be playing it safe. Most of life’s significant events don’t happen in the comfort zone. I think our society has elevated safety too much. Of course there is wisdom in basic safety—but if we make safety our highest priority, we run the risk of losing our courage to face … More Do you want to be safe or brave?
Becoming a father has helped me begin to understand the heart of my heavenly father. As a father of three children, a deep desire began growing in my heart on Christmas mornings and on my children’s birthdays: I wanted to give them a gift that would wow them when they opened it. I hoped for … More A Daddy’s Heart and a Christmas Horse
As I mentioned in my last post, I have not always felt loved by God. I grew up with a father who had quite a temper—I was constantly afraid of him. Unknown to me, my relationship with my father superimposed itself on my view of God. I have spent much of my life trying to … More Afraid of Dad-Afraid of God
I have not always felt loved, especially when I was growing up. I grew up with a father that was very difficult to please. I don’t think he did it intentionally, but his critical nature caused me to try to perform for his love. I eventually became an obsessive “people-pleaser” with an insatiable desire for … More Hitting a Triple or Striking Out
One morning several years ago, I received a shocking wake-up call. I was in a hurry to get to work when my preschool-aged daughter, Sammy, lying on the couch in the family room, caught me just before I reached the door and yelled, “Daddy! Would you find Barney for me on the TV?” My first … More An Overturned Semi-Truck
