Tag Archives: joy

A Peaceful Heart

Photo by Marko Blažević “Peace is simplicity of heart,  serenity of mind,  tranquility of the soul,  the bond of love.  Peace means order,  harmony in our whole being…  It is the holy joy of a heart in which God reigns.” … Continue reading

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Make a Joyful Noise!

Tomorrow is the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish new year, traditionally tied to the birth of Adam and Eve, which is to say the human race. Its biblical name is Yom Teruah, or the Feast … Continue reading

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The Reason for Your Hope

Photo by Lina Trochez “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of being.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ≅

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God’s Faithfulness

My Featured Blogger this week is a first: Mary Sweeney of Unshakeable Hope is the widow of the late Bill Sweeney, a quadriplegic blogger who I’ve featured and written about several times in the past. Bill’s wonderful posts are still … Continue reading

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Should I Celebrate My Own Birth?

I hesitate to say, “It’s my birthday” because, well, merely soliciting “Congrats!” responses seems rather pointless. And, being an essayist, I always feel like I should have a point. But then, even as I type this, I realize I do. … Continue reading

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 167 Comments

How to Have a Merry COVID Christmas

Honestly? Like all the Whos in Whoville, my wife and I were pretty depressed when we first started talking about Christmas this year. It seemed Grinch-19 had stolen it right out from under us! For the first time in her … Continue reading

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Laying a New Foundation for Your Life

Connecting With God I wrote previously about rebuilding the “house” of my spiritual life. It’s my hope this example will inspire you to lay your own foundation, whether with these verses or others. The foundation is the least visible part … Continue reading

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Merry Christmas! (From an Insensitive Boob)

When I say Merry Christmas in public, I’m often rewarded with an Oh, that’s right, your generation doesn’t know any better look, and a corrective “Happy Holidays.” Just for the record, I do know better. The Christmases I grew up … Continue reading

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , | 62 Comments

Why I Believe: C.S. Lewis and Me – Part Three

Conclusion to the three-part story of my journey from atheism to faith To read Part One, click here.    “Surprised by joy—impatient as the Wind, I turned to share the transport.”       ~William Wordsworth Almost immediately after my … Continue reading

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Memoir, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 26 Comments

Marital Math

“Marriage halves our griefs, doubles our joys, and quadruples our expenses.” ~G. K. Chesterton

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments