“Believe it or not, we need to forgive God,” the writer asserted. “When bad things happen, like illness or death or other setbacks, we may become angry with God or blame Him for the perceived injustices. Therefore, we need to forgive Him.” Initially, I rolled my eyes at this and

There is no l in the word chimney. Most people say they remember what they were doing when they heard the news of 9/11; I remember where I was standing when I discovered there is no l in chimney. It was on a box in the basement with the

Political disengagement has been an Anabaptist distinctive for hundreds of years now, rooted in Biblical theology speaking of two kingdoms, the surrender of power, and the rejection of civil progress as the primary solution to human need. We don’t vote. We don’t run for or hold office. But

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV) In 490 B.C., King

About 750 miles southwest of my house lies Fish Lake National Forest in central Utah. It is a typically scenic western national forest with a blend of evergreen and deciduous trees, mountain lakes, and various resident wildlife. Beautiful and predictable. Less predictable is the presence of the world’s largest

I would make a fabulous hypocrite. It would, in fact, be easier than finding my way among the carnivorous heathen. Growing up saturated in the language of Anabaptism, I know about the Articles of Faith, have listened carefully to the necessity of obedience, and can even share a devotional now

It ain’t what you don’t know that hurts you. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. —Mark Twain Belief can be defined widely on a sliding scale of commitment and intensity. For the sake of this discussion, bear with me and define belief

Those who own a fully restored ’55 Chevy will likely also own a car cover and garage bay for it because sun and rain will fade the paint and rust the metal. Earnest Shackleton wore coats, mitts, and boots when he was in Antarctica because frostbite hurts. Dwellers of the

The first day of the week our children have learned to recognize is Saturday. They recognized the rest of the week days by asking what comes after Saturday or before Saturday. They perfected their elementary counting skills by figuring out how many times they still needed to sleep until it

Dear M., Remember when you gave me Mere Christianity when I was in the thick of the pimples and teenage angst? I was honored you thought me mature enough to want this type of material. I do not remember if it was the content of the book or the fact