Category: Uncategorized

  • More Like Jesus, Week 8–Consistency

    More Like Jesus, Week 8–Consistency

    “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” –Hebrews 13:8 During two summers of my college years, I worked as a bank teller. It was an enjoyable experience that taught me a great deal about how to relate well to a diversity of people. I liked my co-workers and working inside, thus escaping Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 7–Discerning God’s Will

    More Like Jesus, Week 7–Discerning God’s Will

    “I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” –John 5:30b I got my answer. Some of you may recall one of my first blog entries entitled “The Nudge.” That January post told of a trip Lori and I took to New Mexico in September of 2023. As Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 6–Knowing Oneself

    More Like Jesus, Week 6–Knowing Oneself

    “Why were you searching for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”      –Luke 2:49 In the spring before the start of seminary, I traveled to Great Britain for nearly two weeks. It was my first trip overseas and I enjoyed it immensely. I saw the Tower of London and Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 5–Changing Our Plans

    More Like Jesus, Week 5–Changing Our Plans
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    “Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’’’ –Mark 5:30 A number of years ago, Lori and I were sitting in a speech therapist’s office with one of our children. We had been there for a series of sessions and most weeks, the same woman sat with her daughter in the Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 4–Courage

    More Like Jesus, Week 4–Courage

    “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.”–Luke 22:40  In June, I had lunch with a dear friend who has come through a major health crisis.  A dynamic leader, he began having unexplained symptoms two years ago when he was out for a walk with Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 3–Judging Others

    More Like Jesus, Week 3–Judging Others

    “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” –Luke 7:5 A friend named Ellen told me of the moment her father met his eventual son-in-law. She was 19 and Leon was 21. The year was 1972 and her beloved, Read more

  • More Like Jesus, Week 2–Honesty

    More Like Jesus, Week 2–Honesty

    “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” –Revelation 3:16 The words above come from the last of seven letters to a first-century church.  Each letter was shared by John as part of Revelation, but unlike the other six, the one to Laodicea Read more

  • Fruitful Labors

    Fruitful Labors

    “I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” –John 15:16b  For the first three years after college, I worked for the Bell System in North Carolina. As an undergraduate economics major, my goal had been to climb the corporate ladder and in those days AT&T was the largest company in the Read more

  • The Gift of Sight

    The Gift of Sight
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    “And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored.”–Acts 9:18a This week marks one year since my retirement.  The past twelve months have brought all kinds of adjustments and nearly all of them good ones. Yet the anniversary has also caused me to think back on the blur of activity Read more

  • Living with the Questions

    Living with the Questions
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    “As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.   His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?’–John 9:1-2 Ten years ago this month, I visited the community where three wonderful chapters of my life began. A few days after our wedding, Lori and I Read more