I was in a conversation once with a teenager about freedom. The teen defined freedom as the ability to do what you want. This teenager is not alone; many people define...

Some things are just counterintuitive. For example, if we want more energy, expending it through exercise generally gives us more energy than resting too much. If we want to steer a...

After becoming the first disciple to declare that Jesus is the Messiah, Peter turns around and rebukes Jesus for saying that he must suffer, be rejected, and be killed. Some interpret...

As a pastor—as a professional “person of faith”—I am keenly aware that I am expected to set a good example not only in my congregation but also for the people I...

Recently I officiated the funeral of a 96-year old man. He and his wife had three children, eight grandchildren, and twenty-two great-grandchildren. It was necessary to block off at least five...

It’s astonishing how easy it is to forget the amazing things God does for us. Not long ago I was doing some reorganizing and came across a shoe box filled to...

My all-time favorite novel is Jane Austen’s Persuasion, first published in 1818. It tells the story of 27-year-old Anne Elliot, the daughter of an English baronet. When she was nineteen, Anne...

Like many Presbyterian pastors, I lead a congregation where older members far outnumber the younger ones. Some of them need canes and walkers to navigate their way to worship now. Others...

As Christians, we each need to make a conscious effort to discover what God calls us to do. God’s call isn’t the same for everyone, and it is only through prayerful...

For me the most joyful moments of hiking are walking along the ridgelines of the mountains that surround where I live in southwestern Virginia. They often follow sheets of rock outcropping...