Jeremiah is often called 'the weeping prophet' because the devastation of God's chosen people was so painful to him. Jeremiah and his people wept as victims of hate, but what do we do if our hand has touched the sword? In the complexity of the world today, am I victim… or perpetrator… or mere spectator of the horror? And if spectator, have I no place in God’s plan for the redemption of this world?...  Read More

In Him was life, and that life was the light of all. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5 I love Christmas lights…I know for many of you, January 2nd is a little late to make that declaration, but I can’t help myself. I just love Christmas lights! I love understated homes that are decorated with warm, white lights gently draped across their bushes and...  Read More

Have you ever seen someone yawn… not just a little catch of air… but one of those deep, face-contorting yaaaaaaawns that defies you to look away? Do you chuckle inside as you observe that long draw of air and hear the little squeak at the end of the yawn? You wonder… have the demands of that last-minute Christmas list robbed her of sleep… or perhaps, like too many of us, the concerns of the day ha...  Read More

We learned years ago that presents come and go, but a shared experience can last a lifetime. That realization came to us when our children reached their teens. Suddenly, birthday and Christmas shopping became a nightmare of teenage whims and social expectations that we seldom navigated with success. Presents offered by well-meaning parents were often met with disdain, or worse yet indifference, le...  Read More

Several years ago, my mother-in-law invited the family on a Disney cruise to celebrate her 80th birthday. Grandmother Bell was the matriarch of a rather large family- 10 children, with accompanying spouses, and 30 grandchildren. Her birthday was always a big event, so most of the family gladly joined in a week-long celebration on the cruise. Dinners were lively with boisterous laughter from our co...  Read More

Today, in the afterglow of Thanksgiving, I give thanks for the faithful witness of our mission partner, Bruce Main. In 1988, God inspired Bruce Main and Tony Campolo to begin an outreach to the children of Camden, NJ. Thirty-five years later, Urban Promise impacts the lives of hundreds of children from preschool to young adult, with a thriving school, after school and summer programs, leadership t...  Read More