This Sunday Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his powerful “We Shall Overcome” speech on March 16, 1966. It took two and half minutes (youtube.com/watch?v=VeHNbGE3tJw). The refrain, “we shall overcome,” didn’t sugar-coat the suffering that might be necessary for some, but expressed the hope that finally God’s grace will lift us out of suffering and into…

This Sunday What do I turn to when I feel burnt out, tired, or exhausted? At one time or another, all of us have felt like that in some way. There are so many things happening to us and around us that cause us to feel stressed and hurt and burdened. When we feel the…

This Sunday Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are . . . New? Inexperienced? Different? Short? Tall? How did you complete that sentence? The apostle Paul concluded that sentence this way when the Spirit inspired him to write to Timothy: “young.” Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.…

This Sunday “And always let your conscience be your guide . . .” Really? Take advice from Jiminy Cricket, bit character in the original Pinocchio? The author of Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi of Florence, Italy, made Jiminy Cricket a minor character killed off in the tragic children’s tale. Disney turned him into a whimsical sidekick who becomes…

This Sunday But I’m a citizen U.S. Embassies are positioned in most other countries around the world. They must have many functions, but one of their main duties is to support and assist U.S. travelers. If you lose your passport, get injured, or are wrongfully accused, you get to pull a “But I’m a U.S. citizen”…

This Sunday Click words Savvy tech operators track your online moves and suggest sites for you. They know your “click words.” That’s not so bad and might even be helpful. But most of us also have click words that close our minds. When we hear them, we have our minds made up already. It’s a kind…

This Sunday Courage to . . . What’s causing stress in your life right now? However you answer that question is also the answer to the question, “For what do you need courage right now?” Try it. Answer the first sentence in this paragraph. Does it also answer the second question in this paragraph? Heady…

This Sunday Get a haircut, even if you don’t need it Yes, that’s in the Bible. Of course, there’s more to it: respect for the weak, love for your neighbor, sacrifice for others, giving up your rights for the good of others, etc. In a haircut? Read Acts 21:17-26 and see for yourself. Then join fellow…

This Sunday Thy will be done Paul was within a few days of destination—Jerusalem. But old friends, new friends, and trusted brothers and sisters in Christ warned him not to continue: “Something bad will happen to you.” It broke Paul’s heart. But he went anyway. They all relented, “May the Lord’s will be done.” Could…

This Sunday Blest be the ties that bind So goes the old hymn. The author may have been recalling the ties the apostle Paul enjoyed with people everywhere he went. From our study of Acts, we know people opposed Paul wherever he went. But others wept to see him leave. The reason? The Word of…