Then she cried, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When he awoke from his sleep, he said, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. Judges 16:20 He tweeted (or should I say “Xed”) a hot take and he didn’t know the…
Jonah and the Worm
We remember “Jonah and the Whale,” but I’m intrigued by another much lesser character- An itty-bitty worm. “So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.” Jonah 4:7 Notice that it’s not 1000 worms. That would seem to be what…
Is Revenge Really Sweet?
There is a pernicious seed that is programed into the heart of almost every man. We see it in movies, books and even short 30 second commercial storylines. It’s revenge. There’s no telling how much money we’ve all shelled out at the box office to see the hero stick it to the man. We all…
I love you. I must be going.
You can measure one’s faith by their ability to move on. Jesus encountered many people who fawned and queried Him, looking to work out some kind of bargain, complete with caveats and clauses. He presents each follower with a moment. These moments connect us to a point of decision. When that moment comes, you’d better…
Who am I?
I’ve asked myself this question for years now and I still see through a glass darkly. I am guided and shaped in the midst of my own perplexities. One fact counters the next, but this list is true. Everything else is still on the table. I am loved by Christ . . .often wrongrarely strongseduced…
I’ll Eat the Red Stuff
“Give that uh…. RED STUFF!” And on top of that, he got a nickname: Edom, meaning “red.”
60 Years
60 years most of them (I would claim) lagniappe something extra, but never promised. I could have found my resting place in 1983 as a log truck (sans lights), barreled down Hwy 165 in North Louisiana. I pulled onto the road, and for some odd reason on a moonless night, I hit the brakes as…
Why Your Character Still Matters
In 1996, when I was an editor at LifeWay, I spent a handful of days in the hospital. It was a difficult. I’d never spent a night in the hospital and we had four young boys. Needless to say, my wife was up to her ears in kid’s stuff and I hated that I…
Talking to Strangers
One of the great blessings in my marriage is this: My wife knows how to mingle. I just tag along. I’m not much a talker. As much as I’ve prayed for it, the Holy Spirit never anointed me with the gift of mingling. Perhaps something happened in my childhood or maybe it was that rule that I took…
That Click
Throughout most of the story, he is simply waiting for “the click” and that momentary ephemeral peace he craves.