It’s been a great week in the Great Smoky Mountains. The weather has been nearly perfect, with no rain and temperatures mostly in the 70s. The size of our group has felt ideal for this experience. There are a lot … Continue reading
I have the privilege of helping to staff H2O’s Smoky Mountain Retreat this week. Eighteen of us from H2O Kent have travelled together. Now we’re near the national park on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. We get to … Continue reading
The Scriptures tell us that, “Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise,” some of Jesus’ closest friends “went to the tomb” where Jesus had been buried. They didn’t have a well-developed plan, but they wanted to pay their respects. … Continue reading
It’s been a year of poor substitutes. Drive-by graduation is a poor substitute for traditional commencement activities. A vacation to “Europe in our Backyard” is a poor substitute for actually traveling to Europe. And while a “Driveway Christmas” may be … Continue reading
I have vivid memories of using last Spring’s COVID-19 shut-down to study the Bible in its own language. I used that time to create my own translation of Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians. Just a few weeks later, I … Continue reading
It’s that time of the year for retrospection. After posting my Top Ten Songs of 2020, Top Ten Books of 2020, and Top Ten Hikes of 2020, I thought that I would turn my attention to things that might be considered more substantial, … Continue reading
I recently finished reading Bruce W. Longenecker’s book, The Lost Letters of Pergamum. My friend Daniel loaned the book to me. For him, the book had been assigned seminary reading. For me, however, Daniel thought it might just be an interesting pleasure … Continue reading
It was snowing an inch and hour. Especially a bit north of us, in the “Snow Belt.” But I didn’t want to stay inside. Our church’s Staff team had plans to observe a special day of prayer. And because I … Continue reading
This has been such an unusual year. A year of pain and loss. Our family hasn’t suffered nearly as much as many other families we know; still, we’ve experienced grief. And grief makes an occasion like Thanksgiving more challenging. I … Continue reading
The weather has continued to be unseasonably warm and clear. I’m glad it hasn’t been a “full court press” by Team November. Still, I feel my heart pulling towards melancholy. It often does at this time of the year. The … Continue reading