June 2020

     Johnny Cash (1932-2003) recorded almost one-hundred albums in his long career.  Of all those many albums, he said his favorite was the last one he did, released just a few months before he died.  None of his best-known songs are on this album, none of the songs in that album were written by […]

   (…continued)  The Bible verse I am reminded of when I think of Gary is II Corinthians 4:16:  “Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”  Outwardly we are wasting away, Paul says, and we know what he means– especially after a

Many people’s ‘golden years’ are ruined by Parkinson’s Disease.  Gary was diagnosed with Early-onset Parkinson’s as a teenager, and it could have ruined his entire life.  But the disease did not ruin Gary’s life.  He did not let that happen.  He made the best of whatever Parkinson’s did not take from him, even though by

“Forgiving Iran: Long before I knew the true God, he helped me release my hatred” by John Majid (not his full name) as told to Kate Harris, from the May 2013 issue of Christianity Today, page 96f. ( http://www.christianitytoday.com ) —————————–      I was 8 years old when the turmoil that fueled the Iranian

“Amazing Grace Sung by Believers from 50 Different Countries, United by Jesus,” posted June 5, 2020 at:  http://www.epm.org , by Randy Alcorn.  Pastor and author Randy Alcorn is the founder and director of Eternal Perspective Ministries and the author of more than 50 books.  For more on this subject, see Randy’s devotional Grace: A Bigger View

The Five Stages of Grief Turning Grief into Joy  (John 16:20) ——————————–      (continued…) Expressing and sharing our grief are essential, but something more is needed.  Isn’t there anything more to be said to a grieving person other than to say death is a natural part of life, make sure you go through the

——————————-      Martin’s wife died when she was only 47, many years before I became his pastor.  Now in his late 60’s, Martin would still go to the cemetery every single day to visit his wife’s grave.  Martin would get out of his car, walk over to the grave, and just stand there for

  ———————————–      Carl Sagan said: Look again at that dot.  That’s here.  That’s home.  That’s us.  On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.  The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic

“You Are What You Sweep:  Why being made of dust is both terrifying and encouraging” By Andrew Wilson, posted April 20, 2020 at:  http://www.christianitytoday.org .  Wilson is teaching pastor at King’s Church London and author of Spirit and Sacrament (Zondervan). ————————————————      Dust goes unnoticed, for the most part.  It surrounds us, but unless

Luke 23:32-43  —  Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Jesus to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And