This Mother's Day, I find my heart dwelling on the ways in which we who never knew the thrill, the pain, the fear, or the joy of the miracle of birth mother the children around us. As my 21-year-old nephew prepares to make the long journey from West Virginia to Idaho in order to live... Continue Reading →
It's been a while since I've written a post about a movie, which is strange given how often I go to the movies--combined with the fact that I believe we can find the spark of the Divine anywhere, even in (especially in) secular pop culture. Last week I ventured out for my Sunday evening routine... Continue Reading →
Wow! There is more good news about young people thanks to reports from CBS News and The Huffington Post (click here for the story and video)! Here is the breakdown: The students at Olivet Middle School in Olivet, Michigan have a special young man on their team named Keith Orr. Keith is learning disabled and... Continue Reading →
No. Not that one. Not the General Omar Bradley of World War II fame and former Chief of Staff of the US Army. I'm talking about this one: Omar came into my life in early September of 2008. I had recently graduated seminary and began my first appointment as a full-time minister in the United... Continue Reading →
Apparently, I was giving my mother fits before I was even born. My mother has told me the story many times: The fear was that I was going to born breech. Nothing was persuading me to turn around. It just seemed I was determined to come out backwards--that's me. I do things my own way.... Continue Reading →
The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. ~Acts 2:42-44 As I ate my dinner in a hurry today, with a 6:00... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, an interesting video was making the rounds on social networking sites. A child abuse prevention network called Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk Foundation has launched a new ad campaign which makes use of lenticular images. Essentially, anyone standing below 4.5 feet tall will see a different image from those who are taller than... Continue Reading →
In light of the events of the past week, I am pretty much emotionally drained when it comes to digging deep to offer a devotion or reflection on all that has happened. As Secretary of State John Kerry said, "In the past few days we have seen the best and we've seen the worst of... Continue Reading →
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are... Continue Reading →
Just this week I saw a variation of this slogan on the bumper of a car in front of me in traffic. And I couldn't help but shake me head. Is this really how we want to be known as a country? A nation filled with angry people? A nation that thrives on outrage? Anger... Continue Reading →
appalachianpreacher.com 