When I was a young minister, occasionally I would ask the congregation to kneel for prayer. A wise worship leader advised, “For some of our older members, kneeling is painful. It’s better to say, ‘If you’re physically able to do so, please kneel with us in prayer.’” I thought my friend was overstating the problem, […]

Located off the northern shore of Norway, the island village of Sommaroy attracts visitors to its white sand beaches and picturesque scenery. It barely occupies a dot on the map, but approximately 350 residents call Sommaroy home, and tourism and fishing drive its economy. The island is so far north that the months of November […]

Years ago I heard the CEO of a well-known restaurant chain speak to a group of Christian college students. He inspired the crowd with his speech and his answers during the Q&A session that followed. I was more impressed, though, after the event ended when our guest speaker got down on his knees to help […]

We use the word bummerto express frustration and disappointment. Maybe you say things like, “It was a bummer that our team lost the game,” or “You lost your cell phone? What a bummer!” Have you heard of an animal called a bummer lamb? Shepherds use that phrase to describe a lamb raised away from its […]

I grew up on a farm in Ohio with two brothers and no sisters. My wife, Candy, grew up near New York City with three sisters and no brothers. We started dating and quickly discovered cultural differences we needed to overcome. I introduced Candy to my family’s fields of corn and soybeans, and I gave […]