Keep Going Strong Text over black and purple background

Resilience

Our children are not our children. They are the sons and daughters of God’s longing for love. We may give our children our wisdom but not our possessions because they must earn their own way. We may house their bodies but not their soul, for their souls dwell in the mansions of the future, which…

Joyful Moments Text on Black Background

Joy

Joy is far grander than happiness. While happiness often relies on external circumstances, joy transcends situations, surroundings, and status. Sometimes, even painful experiences can lead to deep satisfaction and joy. For instance, consider a mother who endures significant pain during childbirth. After the intense labor, when her baby is born, the joy she feels is…

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Bible Timeline

14 Billion years ago Big Bang God spoke the Big Bang 4.5 Billion years ago Earth created – Young earth creationists claim 4004 BC 3.7 Billion years ago – Photosynthesis 550 Million years ago – Plants and animals development 65 Million years ago – Dinosaurs went extinct 2 million years ago – Homo erectus 270,000…

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Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and Christianity

Just about every religion contains some truth. Only Christianity contains the complete truth.  Let’s look at Buddhism, for example. I believe that Christians would agree with the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism as stated in simple terms:  And I believe most Christians would agree with all but the last point in the Eightfold Path:  The eighth step,…

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The Three Wills of God and Miscellaneous Thoughts

Fowler’s Stages of Faith: 1. Intuitive-projective faith–unable to compare ideas; simple belief  2. Mythical-literal faith–making mysticism literal  3. Synthetic-conventional faith–incorporating values  4. Individuative-reflective faith–critical thinking  5. Conjunctive faith–combining the mystical with critical thinking  Walker’s Stages of Faith: 1. Instinctive faith–child-like faith 2. Literal faith–the Bible says it’s so 3. Humanistic (enlightened) faith– philosophy/psychology + Christianity 4. Rational…

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Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?

Joe, a respected bank president, and Cindy, a tireless realtor, joined a prominent Charismatic megachurch where they developed a deep, abiding love for Jesus Christ. As their commitment grew their diligent and dedicated service in the name of Christ earned them veneration throughout the congregation.   Unexpectedly, a black mole on Joe’s forearm emerged as a…

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A Bible Synopsis with Commentary: Genesis 1-11

The Bible’s Old Testament tells the story of God’s gift of free will and how humankind turned that free will into self-will. The narrative of this self-will rebellion unfolds throughout the books of the Old Testament. God’s plan that humankind would love him unconditionally unravels in the first 11 chapters of Genius. The first few…

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Successful Attitudes

The famous line “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” comes from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” This quote suggests that an event is not inherently good or bad; instead, it is our perceptions and interpretations that shape our views of it as positive or negative. In essence, our perspective determines…

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A Bible Synopsis with Commentary: An Overview of the First 33 Chapters of Genesis

The Bible’s Old Testament tells the story of God’s gift of free will and how humankind turned that free will into self-will. The narrative of this self-will rebellion unfolds throughout the books of the Old Testament. God’s rigorous response and unfailing compassion become clear as we read through this account.  Genesis 1-11: The Primeval Story…

The Great Divorce

The Great Divorce, a novel by British author C.S. Lewis, explores his concept of purgatory. The ideas presented in the novel draw upon the writings of St. Augustine, Dante Alighieri, John Milton, John Bunyan, Emanuel Swedenborg, William Blake, Lewis Carroll, and George MacDonald. According to Dante Alighieri, C.S. Lewis, and others, purgatory represents a spiritual…

Thoughts on Prayer

The purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship with God. When we have a relationship with God, he blesses us. God desires for his children to prosper, but prosperity doesn’t refer to acquiring material possessions like money, success, or power. Instead, God wants us to prosper spiritually, to grow spiritually, to thrive spiritually. He…

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Random Notes on Jewish and Christian Writings

The Hebrew Bible, known as the Tanakh, is organized into three main sections: The Mishnah was created to preserve Jewish law and guide daily life. Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi, also known as Judah the Prince, compiled the Mishnah in Palestine around 200 CE. The Mishnah is divided into six primary sections:  The Talmud, a commentary on the Mishnah,…

The Squishy Center

A recent survey of 35,000 Americans by the Pew Research Center found that nearly one in four adults in the United States reported no religious affiliation. Economic uncertainty, global instability, technological advances, and demographic transitions have created a crisis within the church. The traditional definition of family has evolved; it is no longer just a…

Vindicated By Research

For several decades, I have recognized that attention deficit disorder can linger into adulthood. Finally, research confirms my convictions. Truveta, a healthcare data and analytics company, found that from January 2021 to 2024, the rate of first-time diagnoses rose 60 percent among those ages 30 to 44 and 64 percent among those ages 45 to…