Temptation In Transit

About ten years ago, I was helping put together a student conference in Dallas.  About five days before the event was to take place, I was missing one important item. Two weeks earlier, I had ordered some give-away items with the conference logo and theme imprinted on them. Nervous that they would not arrive in …

The Time I Used the Heimlich

Not long ago, my son and I were eating in a local restaurant. All of a sudden, a lady at the table next to us stood up and started shouting, “Somebody do the Heineken! Somebody do the Heineken!” I was pretty sure the word she was looking for was “Heimlich,” but this wasn’t a time …

Is Your “Inner Compass” Trustworthy?

Confession: using a compass is a challenge for me. I wish I could be cool like soldiers in the movies by whipping out the compass, giving it a quick check, and then stuffing in back in my pocket. But, truth be known, I have to stare at the compass for a few minutes, then I …

Priceless

Quick… what is the first book printed in the United States? Not the Gutenberg Bible –it was printed in Germany. But that’s close… The first book believed to be printed in the United States was printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1640. And yes, it was Scripture -specifically, the Psalms. It was published by the Puritan …

When Bible Study is Difficult

When I was little, I got the word “death” and “deaf” mixed up. This was especially problematic when my Sunday school teacher would talk about the death of Christ on the cross. I couldn’t figure out why we went on and on about the Lord’s hearing loss! As silly as that sounds, there are still …

Right on Time

After losing my wife in an automobile accident in 2008, I have struggled with recurring depression. The darkness of depression can attack without warning. It does not ask permission and it does not need a reason. Make no mistake; depression is real. I remember one difficult time in particular when I was feeling like a …

Escaping Virtual Reality: The Deceit of Pride

I was in seventh grade. My mom and dad had taken me to the mall for an afternoon of shopping. As usual, we planned to go our separate ways and meet back at the front entrance at a particular time. As I wondered through the mall that day, I noticed a new storefront. It was …