It's strange to be thankful for battles, isn't it? I mean, who wants battles? Aren’t we all hoping for smooth sailing? That is, after all, what we think of when we hear the phrase “Promised Land,” right? Not necessarily. When the Children of Israel stood waiting to take the Promised Land, they were facing several [...]

I remember the day I almost drowned.             I was a little guy, maybe seven or eight. Our family--my parents, my sisters, and I—was visiting friends who had a house on Lake Chatuge, just over the Georgia state line in North Carolina. We were having a picnic at a place [...]

Did you know that although adult elephants weigh between three and eight tons, they can be contained by being chained to a stake in the ground? It starts when the elephant is just a baby. Someone will put a chain around the elephant’s leg and attach it to a stake. A small elephant doesn’t have [...]

I knew it was coming. My wife and I hopped into my truck, and I pulled away quickly, hoping my son wouldn’t see his mom burst into tears. At only twenty-two, Chase had saved enough money for a down payment on a house. Determined to move out and live on his own, he applied for a [...]

I have a special gift. I am able to lay my head on a pillow and be asleep within twenty seconds. I can go to sleep that fast. My wife is envious of this super power because she does not have this ability. Instead, she will sit awake, and as she sits awake, she seethes [...]

A few years ago, I traveled to Brazil with a buddy of mine, a businessman from Milwaukee. As we were checking in for the long flight at the Delta ticket counter at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport, my friend said, “I want to do something.” He gave the lady checking me in his frequent flyer number and [...]

Whether it's on the news, through social media, or my everyday interactions with people as a pastor in the metro Atlanta area, I constantly see the devastating effects of the current political and social climate. People are struggling with resentment, bitterness, and anger, and it's ultimately affecting their relationships. On the other hand, I've personally [...]

Harry just left my office. He had scheduled an appointment with me a little over a week ago. Every time I saw his name on my calendar this past week, I wondered what his intentions were for his visit. Upon arriving at my office, he was a bit out of breath having climbed the steps [...]