Category Archives: Faith & Witness

Tealight Candle on Human Palms

Grace vs. Legalism: Wherein Lies Our Strength?

Renewing our strength is unnecessary if we do not deplete it to begin with. Doing battle with an already defeated enemy while relying only upon our own strength in lieu of relying upon the strength of the Lord is what depletes our energy and discourages

Tealight Candle on Human Palms

Relationship

How each of us renews our strength with God depends on our relationship with God. Most people use the traditional methods of reading the Bible or devotional books, prayer, and going to worship services. For anyone who is part of a ministry, be it spoken

Tealight Candle on Human Palms

Be Still and Know

“Be Still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) is one of my favorites. It reminds me to let go and trust God to do God’s will. The word “be still” in Hebrew literally means “let go”. The New American Standard Version says, “Cease

Tealight Candle on Human Palms

The Light at the Ocean Depths

In times like these in which we practically can cure aging with the ingredients of Mother Nature and modern science, children are still starving in the world, while others are killing one another. The rapidly encroaching lack of safe spaces in the world prompts me

Tealight Candle on Human Palms

Stand Up

New Light With God Community Church, Los Angeles, Calif. But Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

With Feeling / Two: When I Think of Home

Read the rest of the series But Daru had been born here. Everywhere else, he felt exiled. (Albert Camus, The Guest) I have a pet peeve. I like to call it “middle-class, white boy angst.” Characteristic of this blight on American culture is a whiny

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

When I Was a Child

When I was a child, growing up in a fairly strict home that centered around Lutheran fundamentalism, one of the most punishing things that I remember hearing from either Mom or Dad, in terms of correction, was the phrase, “Shame on you.” In my memory,

Three wise men silhouette over a full moon

Two Christmas Stories

A Gift For Jesus Mary gave him her womb for nine months, then her love for thirty-three years. Joseph gave him his name, Jesus bar Joseph. The Magi brought him gifts — gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, and myrrh for one who

Christmas ornament with reindeer Santa and sleigh

Is It Christmas Yet?

Each year there is a moment when Christmas arrives. It doesn’t arrive before Halloween when some stores start putting out their Christmas stuff. It doesn’t happen when the panic hits that old Cousin George will be here for Christmas, too, and you have no bed

Hands doing an explaining gesture

The Power of Story

As I walked out of the movie theatre recently with a friend he turned to me and asked, “So, how did you like the movie?” We had just seen the new Star Wars movie and though I had enjoyed the spectacular special effects, I was