This Week We continue our study of Acts with the meeting of Festus and King Agrippa II. We have very little in common with these ancient men of influence, but we do share one thing. In fact, we meet for the very same reason that Festus met with King Agrippa II. It’s the reason we…

This Sunday Big Words Sometimes, just a few words define a person. Here I stand. I have a dream. Give me liberty or give me death. Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country. See how it works? Big moments in life often provide the opportunity for…

This Sunday A knowing smile A “knowing smile” is one that implies that the person smiling is aware of circumstances that put him or her at an advantage in a situation. One of the best examples is from the opening credits of the old Perry Mason series. You can watch the video here. The judge has…

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…