Christmas: Declaration
The days have grown shorter. The air has turned a bit colder. The brilliant colors of fall have faded to the barrenness of winter. The year is nearly over. It’s…
Month: November 2021
The Soundtrack of Life
Ever notice how filmmakers use music? Through the soundtrack, they telegraph feelings and provide glimpses into what may be just around the corner. Think of the movie Jaws and how…
A Life of Gratitude – By Ben Hoerr
For nine years—when our two boys were in Middle and High School—we ran a lawn mowing business named Hoerr’s Lawn Care. In peak season, we mowed 25 yards per week,…
The Prodigal God
For the past few weeks, we’ve focused on the three main characters in Jesus’ parable known as The Prodigal Son. Along the way, we’ve reconnected the story with its setting…
Listen Up!
I hate talking points. It seems that in every area of debate each side has their points, their pat arguments that must be aired at all cost. We see this…
The Word of the Cross
No one likes to be foolish. Even those times when we do something foolish there is an edge of wisdom behind it. It seems foolish to jump from a perfectly…
The Prodigal Lost Son
Jesus’ parables in Luke 15 demonstrate the joy of finding lost things. I think it is something we perhaps have all experienced at times. A set of keys, important papers,…
The Art of Imitation
Have you ever noticed how easily and quickly we imitate the world around us? The way we say things are affected by what we hear. For instance, whether we say…
For Such a Time as This
There is a pivotal question in the book of Esther. “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” It is also a question…
The Prodigal Father
Jesus’ parable in Luke 15:11-31 is known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son. But neither Jesus nor Luke gave us that title. A more appropriate title may be the…
One Another – Humility
There’s a game that kids like to play. It goes something like this. One kid will say something along the lines of “You’re stupid.” “No, I’m not,” the other replies.…
The Song That Never Ends
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1, NIV) Sheri Lewis was a puppeteer/ventriloquist. Her best-known creation is a wooly-looking sock puppet called…