Monday, November 02, 2009
by Jay Close
“The wheel in the sky keeps on turning, don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow.” Maybe you remember the words to that old rock song. I thought of them while reading this week’s passage from Ezekiel. That Old Testament prophet has wheels in the sky that can go in any direction without turning from side-to-side. He also described creatures which went straight ahead. Wherever the Spirit went, they would go. What a great thing that would be, to go wherever the Spirit went! ...
Monday, October 19, 2009
By Mark Arsenault
During a storm, with the disciples rowing furiously across the Sea of Galilee, fear crept in. It’s dark and they’re three miles out - too far to go back. Suddenly, they see our Lord walking toward them on the water!! The Bible says they were terrified . . . I think that’s an understatement!!
Reminds me of the time we were fishing in Canada. There’s a group of guys from church that go on an annual wilderness fishing trip to the Canada/Minnesota...
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
By Ronnie Cordrey
Disclaimer: my mind is a highway with many exit ramps . . . I usually take every one. In other words, the following thoughts are random!
Remember the movie “Footloose?” In that movie, Kevin Bacon actually quotes scripture when he was trying to get dancing approved at his upcoming prom. Did you know that he read Ecclesiastes 3:4, " . . . a time to mourn and a time to dance?” Interesting.
I'll tell you what else is interesting — in this...
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
By Mary Clift
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2.
Don’t you think God loves mystery? You know those times, when we sense His presence and know He’s at work, but we just can’t figure out how. Reading through the passages this week, there were instances of mystery. They brought to mind a curious event from 20 years ago that I’ve never been able to make...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Growing up, I can’t tell you how many times I was told to be a good boy. Whenever my parents were leaving me with a sitter, sending me off to school, or counting on me to behave, it was a phrase I heard most often. In many homes, it’s almost a mantra recited to our children. “Be good.”
In the scriptures for this week, Paul instructs Titus twice in chapter three (verses 8 & 14) to remind believers to devote themselves to doing what is good. I wonder how you know...
Monday, August 17, 2009
By Chris Booth
I would not deem myself as a consistent reader throughout the year; however, if I get a chance to take a vacation I do like to be challenged and inspired through a good book. Recently I began reading a book by Wess Stafford, the CEO and President of Compassion International, an organization that is committed to feeding hungry children in the name of Jesus Christ.
In his book, “To Small to Ignore,” Wess writes… “We cannot claim that the Scriptures are...
Monday, August 10, 2009
By Joe Arnold
Really, in many ways, it’s a miracle that I became a Christian and am still, by His grace, a follower, however imperfect. You see, I’ve always been a questioning soul even though I was raised in church and have a strong Christian family heritage.
I’ll never forget the morning I was in my 6th grade Sunday school class at the Baptist church my family attended when the teacher asked, “Do any of you sometimes have doubts about your...
Thursday, July 30, 2009
By Michelle Melhorn
It's that time again . . . school supplies, litter the aisles, parents elbowing each other for the last box of markers (classic colors, not bold!), shopping for new school clothes, new bedtime routines. If you asked your kids right now, what would they say has been the best part of summer? That trip to the beach? The day at Kentucky Kingdom?
When I was growing up, I always had a 'best part' of summer. It was the same...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
By Randy Gordon
Luke 19:48 (NLT) But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.
Do you remember the old E.F. Hutton commercials? They all ended with E.F. Hutton speaking and everyone else stopping whatever they were doing to lean in and hear what he had to say. They always used the line, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.
”What about you – when you speak, do people listen? For me, it depends on the...
Monday, July 20, 2009
By Ben White
Spring ushers in new life. Grass begins to grow. Flowers begin to bloom. The bare trees are soon full of big, green leaves; that is, except for the tree that provides much-needed shade over the back deck at my house. As spring begins to spring everywhere else, this tree remains bare. However, within a couple of weeks, small leaves finally begin to appear. When we see the new leaves, we stop worrying about the health of the tree. ...
Monday, July 13, 2009
By Mike Mack
My 17-year-old son Jordan just purchased his first car, a sporty little blue Saturn (formerly owned by Jon Wren and then Murphy Belding). Jordan finally had freedom! He could drive to his friends’ houses, to the movies, to run errands for his parents. I say had freedom because it lasted all of one day. On day two, something in the ignition stopped working and, to make a long story short, Jordan was without wheels. Today, a week and $200 later, Jordan is...
Thursday, July 02, 2009
By Wendie Gabbard
A few years ago, 3-D pictures came out called Stereograms. They grew in popularity and seemed to be everywhere; in art shops, department stores and endless merchandise carts in the shopping malls. They looked very detailed and the idea was to look “through” these pictures and the hidden image would float out and you’d see it. People would stand staring and suddenly you’d hear, “I see it! Can you?”
I never did. Still can’t. ...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
By Joy Clevenger
My best friend and I worked at a summer camp for four years and became friends with the caretaker’s son. A huge deal to fifteen-year-old girls since he was definitely the “cool” kid. We’d hit the teenager jackpot at a time when who you knew was more important than who you were. I mean, campers came and went, but how many could actually say they were on a first name basis with the boss’s kid?
At first we wore the friendship like a badge of honor, but...
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By Melody Mathews
Eva: “Mom! Nate hit me on the head!!”
Nate: “No, I didn’t! I wasn’t anywhere near you!”
Eva: “Yes you did . . . you butt-head!”
Lily: “Make them shut up, Mom!”
Just a typical conversation (if that’s what you call it) in the Mathews home. One kid accuses another of doing something that he says he didn’t do.
Shocking. I know. I’m a Christian mom. Two of my three kids have been baptized....
Friday, June 05, 2009
By Cricket Hater
I will admit, I am a sucker for fashion makeover shows! I think you can probably find one on any time of day in some form or, fashion (no pun intended!). There are shows that ambush the couture-challenged. Shows that feature family and friends “turning in” their loved ones to experts who teach and train in the ways of wardrobe. You can see style victims rescued from their crimes of fashion and find out how to love the body you’ve been given and dress it appropriately. Look...
Thursday, May 28, 2009
By Mary Clift
I have always enjoyed making things. When I was young, I always had a new craft or project that I was working on. As I got older, the projects became larger and included things like furniture. There’s something about taking a box full of pieces and creating a useful object that gives me great satisfaction.
Shortly after I moved into my first apartment, I purchased an entertainment center that had to be assembled. It was no small TV...
Thursday, May 21, 2009
By Logan Murphy
During this time of year, there just seems to be a buzz about many things: school is close to ending, vacations are quickly approaching, pools will open soon, yard work doesn’t feel like a chore yet, bird nests are being built on playground sets and other convenient locations, fireflies are starting to make an appearance, hot dogs at the ballpark are now dinner, the Indianapolis 500, and the overall joy of summer’s arrival. Memorial Day weekend has become...
Thursday, May 14, 2009
By Steve Scott
In my spare time, when I can stay awake long enough, I like to read. Most often, I find myself reading leadership books or biographies about great leaders in history because I can learn so much from their experiences- both good and bad. Some of my personal favorites are Abraham Lincoln and George Rogers Clark. They consistently lived by a set of values that caused people to want to follow them even when times were tough.
As I read this week’s...
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
By Shannan Volters
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: she’s going to write about David and Goliath. (1 Samuel 17) You would be wrong - at least in part, because I plan on writing (mostly) about the other people in the story. The often over-looked people are the ones I seem to focus on more often. I don’t mean that in a good way. Actually it’s sad that I seem to identify more with these characters in the story. So, who am I talking about?
...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
By Jon Wren
“I love it when a plan comes together” – Hannibal Smith, the A-team . . .
Remember the A-team? Growing up I used to love to watch that show and see how Hannibal’s team put a plan together that involved different people, different skills, and different tasks to save the day. In this week’s Bible reading, I think you might find that while all four passages were written by different people at different times and for different reasons, they come together to help...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
By Laura Wingfield
While preparing for this writing assignment, my “blogger friend” told me to read through the Scriptures until I found one that grabbed me. Okay, that sounded easy enough. Here’s the one that got to me: 2 Corinthians 7:1 - “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” I called her hoping for more help and heard, “You’re on your...
Friday, April 17, 2009
By Jay Close Ever been lost? Not just temporarily misplaced, but really lost? I’ve been lost in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. On both occasions I tried to follow the map with bad results. My wife Darlene wandered through Ohio with me and didn’t like itat all. I was lost in Pennsylvania all by myself - in the dark. On my way to a chaplain’s conference in Pennsylvania, I unknowingly missed myturn. I prayed a lot, stopped and asked a drunk guy, and wandered over a lot of back roads...
Thursday, April 09, 2009
By Barb Gritton
When I read, I see pictures in my head. It could be a novel or a biography, a do it yourself manual or a script. A movie plays in my mind, illustrating whatever is on the page. The people and the scenes are so vivid in my imagination. No black and white for this girl. Technicolor and high def only.
Most of the time, I put myself in the picture. I suppose that is what drew me to acting and directing in the first place. It could...
Thursday, April 02, 2009
By Joe Arnold
I may not like to admit it, but I’m a struggler. I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years. I try and follow God everyday, but when times are difficult, I struggle. How about you?
The Psalms were written as songs of worship by those who trusted God in early Bible days. For strugglers like me, they provide a refreshing honesty that encourages me.
In this week’s Bible Reading Plan, I could really identify with the writer of Psalm 77. In the...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
By Tari Reynolds
Ah, family vacations, road trips, visiting relatives who live in other states. With all that our modern technology has to offer, the age-old question still persists: “Are we there yet?” Those little voices from the back seat still resound in my memory.
Can you imagine those little voices from the back of the covered wagon? Better yet, can you imagine those little voices, numbering 600,000 plus , calling from behind Moses: “Are we there yet?” Granted, it was only an...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
By Jerry Anderson
“Deuteronomy” means law. Ugh! Who wants to read about law except lawyers, right? Should we skip this book? Not so fast! Our passages in Deuteronomy this week capture the final instructions Moses gave to his people before his death at 120 years of age. Imagine being there.
In 1997 I was one of about 1 million who attended Promise Keeper’s (Christian organization for men) Stand-in-the-Gap rally at the Washington DC Mall. Men packed into the mall and surrounded the...
Monday, March 16, 2009
By Vicki Cherry
“Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold” is a modern translation of Romans 12:2, and I first heard that paraphrase when I was a teenager. It was probably said by one of my youth group sponsors, or some other adult trying to keep us kids from smoking, or drinking alcohol, or hanging out with the wrong crowd. But I have to admit, I have never forgotten it. And since I don’t have much of a memory, that’s kind of amazing. I have to wonder if I’ve...
Monday, March 09, 2009
By Bill Clark
After reading this week’s Bible reading plan, I’ve got some questions.
Do you ever lack faith? I do. When it happens, do you find yourself complaining about life, your 401k, your job, your spouse, your kids, your bills, the economy, cost of college? What would happen if we acted like Caleb during these times in our life? This week, we read about how Caleb trusted and had incredible faith. I admire that and strive to...
Sunday, March 01, 2009
By Tom Black
I’ve spent most of my life thinking that I should be able to do things on my own. I guess being told to “walk it off” or “deal with it” really stuck with me as a kid. It wasn’t until I walked away from a business partnership, our family’s entire income, and trying to figure out how we’d finish the house we were building that I finally began to see the light. The Bible makes it clear that certain relationships are pivotal in our spiritual development, others...
Saturday, February 21, 2009
By Murphy Belding
When I read the Scriptures for this week, I was struck with this thought: “Only willing believers grow.” John Stott, a British Christian leader who is noted as a leader of the worldwide evangelical movement, said “Holiness is not a condition into which we drift.”
The idea is that we have to be willing to submit our lives to God on a daily basis in order to experience the Abundant Life. So what about you – are you willing?
This week’s...
Saturday, February 14, 2009
By Deborah Dale.
Almost 3 years ago, our family had a sense that we needed to be doing something different. Bruce and I had had the privilege of going on a short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic together. The entire time we were there, we wished our kids were a part of the experience. Something inside us both knew that this is what our family was meant to do. We wanted to be missionaries. So when we returned home, we began to pray that God would show His will,...
Thursday, February 05, 2009
By Matt McFarren
I am a Kansas boy, born and raised. I grew up in a small town right in the middle of the state and of course, the stereotypes of Kansas for the most part are true. Yes, it is flat. Yes, there is a lot of wind and tornadoes. And yes, there is not much there - but my home town was just the right size for me. My family lived a couple miles outside of the city in the middle of a wheat field. Now again, I know most people love the mountains and I know they love the...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
By Bob Cherry
My wife thinks it’s absurd, but I love to read and study maps. Two nights ago I had my atlas (which lays right next to my Bible on my nightstand) and I spent about a half hour looking at the maps of Chicago and Baltimore—the two cities where my daughters live. I found Wrigley Field and Soldier Stadium in Chicago and Camden Yards and Ravens Stadium in Baltimore. I spent time trying to figure out downtown Chicago and the Miracle Mile. I found myself looking...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
By Diedre Wade
If you’ve known me for any length of time, you probably know that my favorite place in the world is Ireland. The people are hospitable, the culture is rich in history and tradition, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I’m constantly telling my husband Troy that my wish is to retire there one day. Getting him, as a Big Blue fan, to leave the Bluegrass State will be an issue!
I think my fascination with the Emerald Isle began as a child listening to my...
Saturday, January 17, 2009
By Mike Mack. What makes you say, “Wow! That’s amazing”? For me, it’s a stunning sunset, certain worship songs, especially when Gordon is singing, and that sacred moment when each of my kids was born. As a mountain biker, here’s some pretty amazing stuff!
This week, as I read through our readings, there were many wows. I’ll share a few of my favorites. As you read this week, see what makes you say, “Wow! Now that’s amazing!”
In our reading in Matthew, we see Jesus...
Thursday, January 08, 2009
By Randy Gordon.
As I went through this week’s reading, I was struck by some of the
situations that parents were put into. Most of these happened in the
Genesis reading. Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac.
As a dad of four, I thought , “I’m glad it’s you and not me!” If you
haven’t read that story, I’ll just leave you hanging about the answer.
(You can read it for yourself in Genesis 22) That was a tough story to
read for a dad of two...
Friday, January 02, 2009
By Ronnie Cordrey. Wow, week one is certainly full of some big events; events that we will read about throughout the year as others in the Bible refer to them.
Just a few that really caught my attention:
1. Birth of Jesus – yea that’s pretty big
2. Baptism of Jesus
3. Peter preaches and the first church gets started – pretty cool
4. The whole covenant thing with Abraham – there’s a guy I would love to...