I want to thank each of you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers/notes/love for me last night. In hindsight, I can think of a number of things that triggered it, but not since the early days following Jordan's death have I been filled with as much rage and pain as yesterday. It … Continue reading Losing My Way. And Finding It Again.
Suffering
Suicide and the Bible – Part 1 of 2
NOTE: On May 13, 2013, my son, Jordan, took his own life. He was 19. What follows is one of the blogs I wrote in response to that event. nw ALSO: If you have been, or are, suicidal, there is HOPE and there is HELP, in abundance! You matter. You are loved. You have infinite … Continue reading Suicide and the Bible – Part 1 of 2
What Evidence Do I Have That There’s a God? And That He’s Good?
The words of the ancient Greek philosopher (3rd century B.C.), Epicurus, sums up most modern atheistic/skeptic thought on this particular topic: "Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to; or he cannot and does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If … Continue reading What Evidence Do I Have That There’s a God? And That He’s Good?
The Depression Epidemic
As of this week, there were still a few things at my office that had been "undisturbed" since my son took his life on May 13th. I finally forced myself to go through a small stack of papers a couple of days ago. Inside that stack was an article I'd printed off on April 10th … Continue reading The Depression Epidemic
What Proof Is There That God Loves Me?
There have been moments these past months that I've wanted to give up on God. I'm simply being honest. As one who grew up in a severely alcoholic home, I witnessed more violence as a child than I care to remember. As a full-time pastor now for some 30 years, I've had, on occasion, the … Continue reading What Proof Is There That God Loves Me?
A Grief Observed
Grief – the type we’ve faced since May 13th – is unlike anything my family has ever known. It has changed us. That said, although we think of Jordan every minute of every day, some days are good – really good – as our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, slowly restores our souls. One thing that’s become … Continue reading A Grief Observed
Suffering: A Fishhook in the Human Heart
In his award-winning book, “Where Is God When It Hurts?”, Philip Yancey writes, “Novelist Peter De Vries has called the problem/mystery of pain [in this world] ‘the question mark turned like a fishhook in the human heart.’….Many suffering people want to love God, but cannot see past their tears….Sadly, the church often responds with more … Continue reading Suffering: A Fishhook in the Human Heart
Called to…..Suffer?
Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:3; Amplified) Dr. Erwin Lutzer has been pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago since 1980. After listening to a sermon of his the other day on Paul’s “thorn … Continue reading Called to…..Suffer?
Finding Jesus In an Asylum
Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. (Romans 3:24-25) It's … Continue reading Finding Jesus In an Asylum
Bitter or Better: It’s a Choice
[Job said], "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. (Job 1:21-22) It had been 25 years since I’d visited with him. We attended college together. We were members of the same fraternity. We had … Continue reading Bitter or Better: It’s a Choice