The blog
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Short essays on faith, story and the craft of telling the truth well — published several times a month.
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Sam's Dilemma
Sam sat straight up in bed. What could the old man want at this time of night? Strange, but it was not the role of a servant to question his master when called.
Why Did Paul Write to the Romans?
Since Paul said he didn’t build on another person’s foundation (Romans 15:20), we might think he would leave Rome to others. Something must have made that area an important exception to the rule.
How Frightening Are God’s Words?
The scary thing for me is assuming that God wants what I want. Is it possible that he has a plan for the struggles I endure?
What Proves God’s Existence?
We can believe whatever we want. It doesn’t have to be true. To believe a lie, all we have to do is reject all evidence that conflicts with what we want to believe.
Did Creation Take Only Six Days?
What we do know for sure is that he took whatever amount of time was needed for each stage of creation to perfectly suit his purpose, since each “day” was judged to be “good.”
Strange Math — Part 2 of 2
If you’ve ever shopped at Aldi, you know that to get a cart, you put a quarter in the slot and get it back when the cart is returned. After just a few trips, I learned how to make the math work in my favor.
Strange Math — Part 1 of 2
The most important thing I learned in school was to think and ask questions even if it got me into trouble. If my thinking wasn’t weird, it was at least unusual, different from the other kids.
Time to Pray
As a kid, I wondered about the sign hanging on my wall: Prayer Changes Things. I understood that promise to mean my prayers would always produce results.
Pandering Prophets
How people respond to our thoughts and questions tell us a lot about what they’re thinking. With a little practice using this “sixth sense,” we might have others believing we are clairvoyant or psychic—even divinely prophetic.
Something of Value<br> — Part 4 of 4
Apart from microscopic inspection, cubic zirconia gems look just like diamonds, but they aren’t worth nearly as much. Why? Because perception of value determines the amount people are willing to pay.
Something of Value<br> — Part 3 of 4
We should not confuse value with cost. What’s the distinction? Cost has to do with the amount. Value has to do with the reason behind our sacrifice.
Something of Value<br> — Part 2 of 4
The week before Easter, I went to the drugstore and bought an ice cream cone in exchange for an egg, which was possible because eggs were in short supply, of more value to the store than an ice cream cone. Life was so simple back then.