Reminders: Doubt or Disbelief?

Is it okay to have doubts about God?  In fact, it is not unusual for people to have doubts, especially when we are feeling vulnerable and insecure.  When we don’t feel worthy of God’s love, and when things aren’t going well, it is easy to wonder if God has abandoned us, or if He was…

Reminders: What Would You Do?

If you saw someone back into someone else’s unoccupied car in a parking lot, and cause a big dent or a broken headlight, and then just drive away, would you take the time and effort to leave a note on the windshield giving the license plate number of the hit-and-run driver?  Or would you just…

Reminders: Who Are You?

A thought-provoking plaque in a gift shop reads: “Learning changes your mind.  Exercise changes your body.  Who you choose to love changes who you are.”  Think about that! We didn’t have a choice about who brought us into this world, but at some point in our lives, we do have a choice about who we…

Reminders: The Seven Wonders of Faith

Most thinking people can’t help but wonder why we exist, and what it all means.  Rev. Charley Reeb, preacher and author, has compiled a list of seven questions people want answers to: “I wonder if God Exits.  I wonder why bad things happen to good people.  I wonder why my prayers go unanswered.  I wonder…

Reminders: Why Am I Here?

Have you ever wondered why you are here?  Not the old “senior moment” joke where you go into a room and can’t remember why you are there, but the bigger question of why you were put on this earth.  It’s the kind of thing that sometimes comes up when we feel like we could be…

Reminders: Mercy and Compassion

There are many stories in the Bible that demonstrate the concept of mercy.  The first one that comes to mind is the story of the Good Samaritan. That story is particularly instructive in light of the history of the time. Jews and Samaritans were not on the same social level. The Samaritans were considered inferior.…

Reminders: Inside-Out Thinking

Two teenagers were at the mall killing time until they could go see a movie at the adjoining theater.  One said to the other, “Let’s buy popcorn and candy at the grocery store before we go.  It’ll be a lot cheaper.”  To which the other teen said, “Haven’t you seen the sign at the theater…

Reminders: What Keeps You Going?

In a previous article in this series, the topic of hope was put into the context of the ultimate hope of life after death.  In this treatment of the topic the focus is on hope as a means of dealing with the problems of everyday life, i.e., hope vs. hopelessness. A person, let’s call her…

Reminders: Followers

Two little boys in kindergarten were walking to school.  One of them noticed that a lady and a little girl had been following them.  He turned to his companion and asked, “Do you know who those people are?”  The other boy replied, “Yes! I think I do.  Last night when my mom was tucking me…