As spectator Paul Thompson drove away from the devastation at the Boston Marathon, a WSJ reporter approached him.
“For what? For what?” Thompson, a cardiologist, said through his tears. “These people are totally innocent.”
Dr. Thompson speaks for us all. God created us to be morally reasoning beings, but this wanton violence defies reason, and our hearts break into lament. We are not alone. Continue reading
Years ago, when my dad was very old, and in his last days, the thing he wanted the most was a bread slicer. I was reminded of this last Sunday when Mike Durante, missionary to 
Albania, came to Powerhouse. Dad, drawing very near to Heaven’s Gate, had wanted a bread slicer for use in the youth camp Mike was helping set up in Albania.
The Gospel had been almost totally suppressed in Albania for centuries. But in 1992 the atheist state ended, and the doors opened. Christians around the world celebrated this by moving there, connecting with underground churches, and helping them “go public.” A Christian camp for children and youth would have a huge impact. But how does one find all the needed equipment in a country where the economy has collapsed? Impossible?…….. Continue reading
If you watched the Super Bowl you watched a lot of ads. Did you notice the ads were not just selling chips and cars but also worldviews.
A worldview is the way you think the world works and how you fit into it. When you answer questions like “Why am I here?” and ” What should I do?” you are describing a worldview. So, which worldview are you buying…… Continue reading
Around here, after Superstorm Sandy, fallen trees are everywhere, not little ones, but giant pines and maples. As Sandy blew down my street, a mighty pine from Kevin’s yard succumbed to the wind and landed halfway across his neighbor’s. Kevin told me it was 80 feet tall.
Nearby, emergency workers came to a maple leaning toward a home. They propped it up and kept going. Firmly supported, the tree stayed up through the storm.
The Bible says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
The original Hebrew word for “stayed” means “braced” or “leaning on.” God will guard and protect the peace in your heart when the thoughts in your mind lean on Him. Continue reading
Despite the heat last Saturday, my son, a friend and I hiked up an Adirondack mountain. Most of the trail was through cool shady woods; we kept a steady pace, anticipating a great view from the summit.
The great view was there, and we enjoyed it for a few minutes as we stood on bare granite that had been baking in the sun for six hours, hot! Sweat dripped into my eyes as I chugged water and poured it over my head. But that was little relief. With no shade or water, we soon gave up our plan to relax and enjoy the view, returning to the company of trees and cooler air.
I’m sure you have your own summer heat story, maybe a traffic jam, broken A/C, or burning hot beach. Maybe your story also involves a plan that dried up in the heat of the sun.
Maybe you feel your life plans have dried up, leaving you in a lifeless place. Continue reading
Small groups can change the world. A small group met in Philadelphia 236 years ago. The outcome? On July 4,1776, delegates from thirteen colonies pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to the creation of the United States of America. The world changed.
Jesus invested more than two years in a small group of twelve men. On the night before he died, the group was down to eleven. Before dawn it was only two. Then only John remained. But two days later when the men regrouped to hide and grieve, Jesus appeared to them alive. Seven weeks later they rocked Jerusalem with this good news. The world changed.
How was it that these small groups of men, apparently powerless against great empires – Great Britain and Rome – changed the world? Continue reading
On Friday evening over thirteen million viewers watched Nik Wallenda walk a 1,500 foot tight rope. We sat transfixed for 25 minutes as he carefully placed one foot in front of the other, traversing Niagara Falls. If his rope had been 6 feet off the ground, no one would 
have noticed. But it crossed a 200 foot drop into churning cold water. Add the dark of night, a blinding mist, the deafening roar of Niagara, and the scene becomes terrifying.
How did he remain calm and focused? Continue reading
Time magazine caused quite a stir this week with its cover photo of a nursing mother with 
her 3 year old son. While the photo drew the attention, the article focused on a parenting style known as “attachment parenting” and the pediatrician associated with it, Dr. Bill Sears.
I’ve always been a fan of Dr. Sears, who is a Christian. Dr. Sears encourages parents to stay close to their babies and toddlers, respond quickly to their cries and, yes, keep the nursing bond going past the average six months. Continue reading
Google “pick-me-up,” and you will get over sixteen million hits. Many are recipes for herbal 
or coffee-based drinks. Others are filled with motivational quotes. One online dictionary defines pick-me-up as “something that cheers a person up, makes him happy or gives him more energy.”
Did you know that the Bible describes a “pick-me-up” and highly recommends it? Continue reading
What is the value of a great view?
A view from the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building, 1,250 ft, will cost you $40 and a long wait in line. For the more adventurous, the view from the top of Mount Everest will cost you $70,000. And the view from outer space is a bargain at $20,000,000.
But, whatever view your whereabouts is giving you today, high or low, cloudy or clear for miles, you are looking at the world through your own worldview. Continue reading