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Love in the Midst of the Black Death
Imagine yourself a six-year old child in 1349 when the infamous Black Death strikes. In less than a year about one half of the 30,000 citizens in your town have perished at the hand of the bubonic plague. It passes but breaks out again–six more times during your lifetime. With each outbreak, images of your… Continue reading
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Butterflies Among the Phlox
Butterflies flit among the phlox,Of white and pink on green.Why do they dance with such delightAs though they just want to be seen? The jolly old man who created themHolds them forth in his hands.And with a twinkle in his eyeSays, “See what my love commands?” Continue reading
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When a Virtuoso Played for Spare Change
As a 4-year-old, he strung rubber bands across dresser drawers and played classical tunes by ear, moving drawers in and out to vary the pitch. Today, Joshua Bell is one of the greatest violinists in the world. A number of years ago, a fascinating article appeared in the Washington Post about the “Joshua Bell Experiment.”… Continue reading
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Resurrection Surprise in Daily Life
The resurrection is the guarantee of victory over the powers of darkness, but it also affirms our craving for surprise and mystery. The impossible becomes possible. Things are not always as they appear. No matter how often the dead stay dead, they don’t always. Furthermore, it shows us that when things are not going our way, there can… Continue reading
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Jesus on Soft Hearts in the Kingdom
“A sower went out to sow and as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up.” So begins one of Jesus’ most famous parables. He says it pictures a person who does not understand “the word of the kingdom.” This lack of understanding leads to the evil… Continue reading
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ACRES OF DIAMONDS AND OUR TREASURE
In 1843 a man was born who was to have a profound impact upon the educational system of the United States. His name was Russell Herman Conwell. After practicing law for fifteen years he became a pastor. One day, a young man told him he wanted a college education but couldn’t possibly afford it. Dr.… Continue reading
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What I Learned When I Couldn’t Breathe
I use a CPAP machine at night in order to sleep better. It shovels air down my throat so I don’t stop breathing. On a getaway to Amherstburg a few years ago, I forgot to take it along. Twice during our stay, I partially awoke unable to breathe. Typically, when that happened, the growing fear… Continue reading
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Is “Accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour” the First Step in Our Journey to God?
“Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:14-15 My evangelical training taught me the gospel basically consists in believing that Jesus’ death and resurrection saves us. However, the… Continue reading
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God is a Baby (and not just in the manger!)
At Christmas we remember that God came in the person of the baby Jesus. However, the “baby stage” is only thought of as a necessary step to Jesus’ adulthood where the action really happens. I’m suggesting that the baby stage itself reveals the nature of God. God, in fact, is a baby. That, of course,… Continue reading
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Why Can’t We Be More Like Chatgpt?
Like many of you, I have been blown away by AI sites like Chatgpt. With the ability to dialogue with our own super knowledgeable tutor 24/7, the sky’s the limit for learning . But I’ve discovered another reason why human knowledge could explode–AI doesn’t have a fault that we do. I use AI sites for… Continue reading