Unplanned destinations

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people." —Genesis 50:20 (NLT)Joseph was the first human to be ghosted. His brothers didn't like him, so they sold him to slave traders, told their father, Jacob, he'd ... Continue reading

The man who lost his mind

So they [sailed to] the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town. As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and ... Continue reading

The Martian and lifegiving hope

Imagine you're an astronaut, part of a team sent to explore Mars. Then imagine what you would do if by a weird and terrible set of circumstances, your team abandoned you and left you alone on the red planet.That's the premise of Andy Weir's engaging science fiction novel, The Martian, which has ... Continue reading

Creation groans

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present ... Continue reading

From despair to hope

The actor Jim Carrey, 53, and Cathriona White, 28, were on and off lovers in the modern way of things. They apparently started up their relationship again in May, only to separate again in the last few weeks. This time, the breakup seems to have been too much for White, who committed suicide, ... Continue reading

Walking backwards

I do not consider myself to have "arrived" spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect. But I keep going on, grasping even more firmly that purpose for which Christ Jesus grasped me. I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it even now. But I do concentrate on this: I leave the past ... Continue reading

More power

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. — Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV Out here in the sticks where the city sewer ... Continue reading

No going back

We are stardust, we are golden And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden — Joni Mitchell, Woodstock I hiked the Old Baldy trail in Madera Canyon last weekend, making it to Josephine Saddle at 7,080 feet before starting back down the longer and hotter Super Trail. The hike was about 6.5 ... Continue reading