I try very hard to make Christmas about the birthday of Jesus. Rather than spend money on gifts for my friends at Christmas, for example, I instead celebrate their birthdays. As for me personally, it would be perfectly fine if there were no gifts under the tree with my name on them. I would prefer […]
Every Christmas I study one particular facet of the glorious Christmas story. This year I have been a bit taken by Christ’s humanity and the unbelievable reality that He left heaven to begin life in a young woman’s womb to be born a baby. Today I contemplate Christ’s humanity through His birth story and am […]
This week I had the privilege of speaking at two events, one for students and one for women at a Christmas luncheon. I knew about this event for one year in advance, which meant I was praying for a year. I prayed that the woman I needed them to be would be the one that […]
Every semester I assign persuasive speeches that give students an opportunity to practice the public speaking skills needed to address a hostile audience. Each student is required to deliver a persuasive speech about a minority view — one the student holds but believes most other people do not. Afterward, each student fields questions for 3-5 […]
Well, Thanksgiving week has arrived. As always, it arrives at the end of November in the middle of my end-of-semester crunch. Students are submitting their largest projects that demand my swiftest grading so they can take their final exams knowing their interim course grade. And somewhere in the mix I have to shop, prepare and […]
Last Sunday our twin daughters played the last soccer game of their careers that began in first grade and ended in their senior year of college. Our team had made it to the finals in their conference, but lost. November 8, 2015 at about 3:00. This photo was taken after our very last soccer game […]
Could Jesus have sinned? While in the process of writing my book years ago, I interviewed a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary asking if Jesus could have sinned while He lived on earth. In other words, was He just like us in the battle with temptation? Sure, I knew He miraculously fought temptation and won, […]
Last week I wrote about a superb week I had with people. For as lovely as last week was, this week was the opposite. Most of my conversations with people were difficult. Words were said that hurt me and words were overheard that saddened me. I suppose some would understand if I curled up into […]
Today is October 18, 2015. 29 years ago today — October 18, 1986 at 1:00 p.m. — my world fell apart. My dear brother Dan was in a motorcycle accident and died eight days later from injuries sustained in the crash. I posted about Dan last October but since this week’s post is […]
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1 Thirty three years ago this fall I remember running in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park on a beautiful day while in college. I still remember […]
