What's Thanksgiving Got to Do With It?By Mark Lauterbach In a few weeks, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. Our sense of urgency about gratitude may be diluted by the busyness of the season. My question is this: Is giving thanks a high priority for us as people who have come to know the true God? God says it is. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. Paul summarizes the res...

Last August I officiated at the memorial service for one of my best friends. Though 20 years apart in age, God gave us a bond which endured more than 40 years, until he was overtaken by dementia. Dick knew me as I considered proposing to Rondi and walked with me through marriage preparation. Then, with his wife, mentored us. Most of the mentoring took place while eating c...

Perhaps I was nave. Perhaps I lacked doctrinal understanding. As a new Christian, I got it into my head that God invites us to ask him to work. And he promises he will answer. There it was, in plain English: "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." (John 14:1314 ESV) I un...

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