That is the approach many people take toward difficulties they face. It is after we are beyond our “trees” and look back that we often see a divine purpose. 

Those thoughts rattled around in my brain after yesterday’s events and what I read this morning. As chaplain of our local sheriff’s department, I take part in what are called Interventions. Debriefings if you prefer. Those involved in the incident-police, dispatch, EMT, etc-get together to talk, analyze, shed some tears at times, and come to grips with what happened. Recently one of our local LEOs was shot (he will be okay) while conducting his duty, but those involved met to talk through their response. As I spoke with someone after everyone was gone, lessons learned kept coming up. “If I had done this” or “If only…” 

This morning as I read during my devotional time, the subject of healing was brought up. The writer spoke about the multiple times she was approached about being healed. Each time was a failure. Of course, the huckster (or two) accused her of not having enough faith (their go-to accusation). She ended the devotion with a very insightful paragraph. After saying, “I know God does not promise us healing on this side of heaven” (p.142) she wrote the following, and it struck a chord with me:

I don’t understand why or when or through whom God chooses to heal, but I do know God has done a deeper healing in my life because of my disability. He has taught me to trust Him. He’s refined my character and given me joy in Him apart from my circumstances. And those gifts have become far more precious than any physical healing. (emphasis mine) (“Watching for the Morning” by Risner-p.143)

I’d say, “Lessons learned.” Case closed. 

I’ve been rereading Glad You’re Here by Walker Hayes and Craig Allen Cooper. I read it a couple of years ago and decided to reread it in prep for a sermon series planned for September/October. One of my “fears” is that when we get into the new addition we will lose sight of the closeness of a church family. The book is the unlikely friendship that developed between a pastor and his family (Cooper) and a country music, beer-loving, atheist (Hayes) and his family. God broke down the barriers that existed, especially in Walker’s heart and mind, until in the end they bought houses next to each other and tore down the fence between them. 

But there was some “deeper magic” (as Narnia speaks about) that was going on. To quote Craig: “But Christianity is not about what we must do, it’s about what God has done.” Later in the next paragraph he wrote this:

“Salvation is a gift of grace that comes though the perfect life and sacrificial death of Jesus. If we think we have to earn it, salvation will never be ours. But if we can for a moment stop all the arguing and justifying of ourselves in our own minds long enough to simply embrace the beauty and the glory and the wonder of the gift of God, we will see that God freely gave what we could never earn.” (Quotes from p. 75)

It was this free gift-offered in unconditional love-that eventually broke down the barrier surrounding Walker’s heart. 

Come to think of it, Walker is not alone. I’m included in that as well. And if you have accepted Jesus, so are you. 

Pride. 

As I drive into our little town or as I leave, I have to drive past a local business that celebrates this month. (He has a son who is of that persuasion). Everything in me cringes because of what it means. I refuse to celebrate sin. “Happy Adultery Month.” “Happy Lying Month.” “Happy Gossip Month.” How many of us would celebrate those? I’m fairly sure we would all turn a deaf ear to those suggestions as being ludicrous. So…why should I celebrate Pride Month?

Oh, I know what they mean. But, I ask again: why should I celebrate sin? I can’t. I can’t bring myself to celebrate blatant disregard for God’s Word and God’s words. 

What’s ironic is the double standard which is being passed off as acceptable. First, they ask for tolerance, but if you disagree with their stand, they suddenly become the most intolerant of all. Plus we have this fiasco going on in Major League Baseball. Christian baseball players are being required to wear Pride caps during the game, but some have taken to printing Scripture verses on their caps. The verses they are using tell the truth behind the rainbow. They want to reclaim the rainbow’s real meaning. But the MLB is threatening them and penalizing them for their stand. Now…let’s talk tolerance. We have employees who refuse to celebrate a sinful lifestyle being fired or harassed or disciplined for their stand. Let’s talk tolerance. 

The Bible says, “Pride goes before the fall.” The book of Proverbs speaks over and over about humility and pride. The Greatest Man who ever lived said “He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” He constantly spoke about being a servant, about not seeking to be first or to be elevated to positions of prominence. Check out the reaction of the religious leaders who pridefully sought places above others. Pride was their bane, not their blessing. 

Nope, sorry not sorry. I love you but I won’t celebrate your sin. My suggestion is instead of pride, one should learn a bit of humility. Kneeling and bowing before a Holy and Righteous God and acknowledging that He is Lord and His Word is true is a good place to start. 

I know I said I would not be on this blog for a day or two because our 53rd anniversary is today, but I have an urgent request for you, my friends. As you may know, my daughter, Janna’s boyfriend, Mike, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer which has spread to his liver and lining of his abdomen. He is being tested for a new drug (I can’t pronounce it, but it is the same one Ben Saase has been taking and has seen some good results), but the verdict on that is still possibly a week or so away. Pray, that if it’s God’s will, he will qualify for that.

But the urgent request is that he begins chemo today. He spent the weekend in the hospital in extreme pain (it has been off and on with the hospital), and Janna texted us last night that he begins today and it will be done around 6:30. I don’t know what all to expect, side effects (although I have a pretty good idea from other cases), and ensuing results. I know the doctor is wanting to try to shrink the tumor. Please pray for that. Please pray, also, for his spiritual condition. May God use this to draw him to Christ and Janna’s faith to grow deeper.

I do have one question: why, when things are so serious, does it take 2 or 3 weeks or more for them to start chemo? Anyway…

Thank you so much for taking this request seriously and praying. I will keep you updated when I hear something. I rely on your prayers to combine with mine before the throne.

That is the day two people totally different from each other said, “I do” to a lifetime together. 

• Extrovert vs Introvert
• Athletic vs. Interested but not participatory
• Social glad-hander vs. Reserved fly-on-the-wall
• Arrogant vs. Humble
• Boisterous vs. Quiet
• Tall (6’5″) vs. Short (5’2″)
• Reader vs. Watcher
• Teacher vs. Listener
• Spouts off vs. Weighs words 

What gave it away? The height difference? Tomorrow, June 16, Jo and I will celebrate our 53rd anniversary. It hasn’t been an easy 53 years. It’s been full of highs and lows (as most marriages are). We moved a lot. I’ve lost my job a couple of times due to my arrogance and vocal personality. I went from a legalistic cad to a grace-filled pastor (which also involved in changes doctrinally which put me on the outs of my previous strain of thought and group of friends). We had 2 daughters (Tami & Janna) who still light up my life. But nothing and no one compares to the one I chose 53 years ago. I haven’t been the perfect husband (I know…shocker), nor always the most sensitive person to her needs, but as I wrote last Mother’s Day: “I would do it all again.” 

We met in 1970 at a small college in KY. Spent time with and as friends. Our first date in 1971 went terribly awry, but in the Fall of ’71 began showing interest in each other. Got more committed and she dumped me twice that year (I told her 3rd time was no charm). Got engaged in November of ’72 and married in June between our Jr and Sr year in college. I gave up basketball to concentrate on my grades and being a husband. We graduated in ’74 and immediately moved to Akron, OH where I began as an Associate Pastor. In ’76 we moved to a small country church where I became the “green” pastor. Except for a short ill-advised stint in ’81 as a Youth/Associate Pastor, I have preached ever since. We served several short ministries until we moved to Terre Haute (13 years); Sandusky, OH (5 years); and now Spencer (21 years). Through it all, Jo has been my rock. Never wavering in her love or support, she gladly went with me. 

We celebrate our 53rd anniversary tomorrow. But really, I celebrate “her” and “us.” I will be away from this blog for a couple of days. I will respond when possible to any comments, but will not post anything new. Thanks for listening. 

That was the question posed to John D. Rockefeller. His answer:  “Just one more dollar.” 

Sad, isn’t it? And telling. Sad because we put so much emphasis and lay so much of our happiness on what we attain. Telling because it shows how really bankrupt we are. I’m not an expert in many things, maybe in nothing! But at the age of 73 and having been a pastor for over 50 years, there is one thing I AM SURE OF: no man or woman will ever find happiness and contentment in possessions, particularly money. Rockefeller’s answer ought to haunt each person who thinks that having “just a little more” will satisfy the longing in the heart. 

There is no question Solomon found that out. Take a few moments and read the book of Ecclesiastes. In fact, I double dog dare you! Solomon’s words will set you up straight in your chair as he details all he had accumulated and all he had done, and yet, still says it was all worthless. Oh, how I wish people would realize that today. Actor Brad Pitt sounded so much like Solomon when he said,

“The emphasis is now on success and personal gain. I’m sitting in it, and I’m telling you, that’s not it…I’m the guy who’s got everything. I know. But I’m telling you, once you get everything, then you’re left with just yourself.” (quoted in When Leaders Lose Their Way-p.58)  

Seems to me Mr. Pitt ought to go back to the childhood faith that he abandoned years ago. 

The follower of Christ doesn’t pursue happiness; he pursues joy. The difference? Happiness is dependent on circumstances; joy is in spite of your circumstances. 

How much does it take to make a person happy? Some might think Rockefeller is right, but they will come up empty. The real answer is not happiness but JOY. Therein lies the peace and contentment we all crave. 

Yesterday I wrote about the qualities that make a person great. It came down to Love God first; Love my neighbor second; Love myself last. Rather than continue writing in the abstract, I’d like to relate the story of Peter and Jessica. 

When they were first married, Peter was serving in the New Zealand Army. At graduation he was the youngest full lieutenant. He was on track as a top student for captain. As a newlywed couple and then expecting their first child, Peter and Jessica saw the impact of deployment on marriages and family. So he stepped away. 

He began work with a commercial diving school where he quickly excelled as a manager and part owner, training divers for the oil and gas industry. But soon he found himself consumed by work and pulled away from from his family. His oldest son asked him when they could be a family again. He was heartbroken-not because of having to give up a job he loved-but at becoming an absent father. (My note: Children can sometimes be brutally honest, can’t they?).

Once again Peter changed course. His new mission became to look at the impact of fatherlessness on the way people relate to God as Father.  His mission: “Teach every believer to love God, love others, and teach others to do the same.” (Story condensed from How Leaders Lose Their Way by Greer and Heisey- Pages 48-49)

The desire or ambition to be the best often drives us to places we don’t need to go or even become people we don’t want to become. According the Solomon in Ecclesiastes, it’s all vanity, worthless. 

Some choose poorly. Let’s choose wisely WHOM we will follow. One more thing: may Peter and Jessica’s tribe increase. 

Before I tell you what answer was given, a little background. I’m reading How Leaders Lose Their Way, revised and updated in 2025, by Peter Greer and Jill Heisey. It has been quite eye-opening. To write down all my highlights would take several pages. Here’s one: “Staying on mission requires effort, but our first effort must be to reframe our way of thinking, to recognize that entirely apart from our achievements, aspirations, and machinations, we are the beloved of God, who absolutely delights in His children: mess-ups, mistakes, and all.” (p. 47)

Now back to that opening question. That question was put to LeBron James. His answer? “Discipline. You have to sacrifice loved ones for a long period of time if you want to be great.” (p.47)

He set up a hierarchy: greatness above loved ones. I say, “Aaaah no.” Our love for achievement, our love to be first, fails the test of Matthew 22:37: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” (NLT)  LOVE. GOD. FIRST. Not achievement. Not fame. Not fortune. Not your name in lights. Not to be known as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).

Sorry LeBron. You may be a good basketball player, but in life, you got it wrong. The successful life, the valued life, the one worth pursuing is the well-ordered life: Love God first; love your neighbor second; love  yourself last. I’ll share with you tomorrow about a couple in the book who got it right. 

Until then…ask yourself what qualities make a great (fill in the blank)? Then go back to the litmus test of Matt. 22:37. 

Summer is supposed to be the time of slowing down and refreshment. Vacations. Lazy, hazy, crazy days. Days of riding a bike. Watching kids play ball. Leisurely walks. Camping and campfires. Amusement parks. Well…you get my drift. Some of those apply to me; others don’t see the light of day.

But these past several months have been a blur. Crazy busy is a more apt term. Granted, some of it has been my own doing. Jo and I love watching the kids play ball, but the downfall has been a nightly trek to the local ballfields, lest any of the kids feel left out that we didn’t support them. Every. night. My heart goes out to the parents who have kids who play on 2 or 3 different teams. 

Add to that the stress of daily pastoral duties: office work, sermon prep, people who need support or a shoulder/sounding board to lean on, and even personal grief (a cancer diagnosis of someone close) and you have a recipe for a full plate or even disaster (I’m nowhere close to that yet).

Enter last night. A balm. A night with friends. Salmon at Texas Roadhouse (my favorite food and place). Laughter. Catching up. Ryan and Amanda have been friends for close to 20 years. They moved away several years ago and my life had a hole. But we get together as often as we can (family and jobs affect that) and we do exactly what we did last night-laugh and talk with no agenda. Sadly, I had ridden 12 miles and climbed several hills during that ride, so my goose was cooked for standing long outside. I had to cut our visit short. 

The Bible talks about those kinds of friends-those who stick closer than a brother. But one I experienced last night was Pr. 17:22- “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Even though I was feeling the ride, I relished last night. Laughter was indeed good medicine. It was a balm to a ministry weary heart. Thanks Ryan and Amanda. 

Be a balm, not a bane. 

Please hear me out. I’m not talking about the commonplace “Thanks” you might say to someone, maybe even offhandedly. I’m talking about saying “Thanks” for something that is unforgettable to you. 

Last night I received a text from a young man who is going to do some work for me. He refused to take any money so I insisted on something else. Since he is doing a big project for me that involves wood (a fence), I bought him a nail gun. He ordered it; I paid for it. Since I wouldn’t let him off the hook for his work, this is a win win for both of us. He gets a nail gun to use for future jobs and I get a fence done right. Here is his text (with some slight word modification):

You forget the word ‘pastor’ and the hours and miles and all that you’ve done over the years. You reap what you sow. Your prayers and support for my parents during my drunken days and dealing with me when I was drunk last time around can never have a price put to it…and what have you done for every other family in the congregation? I’m the one taking advantage of you having you buy the nail gun. I have other tools, but you wouldn’t settle any other way. Thank you. You are appreciated.

WOW! I was overwhelmed to say the least. And I DID NOT post this for you to toot my own horn. With health stuff going on inside and outside my family; with being in the midst of a very busy season (when it should be slowing down) in church life; and more; I was humbled by what he wrote. Here was my text back to him:

You are right. I wouldn’t settle for it any other way. It was either buy the gun or pay you. It was a win win for both of us. As for the other, I am deeply honored to pastor this church. After 21 1/2 years I love these people more than my own breath. As a shepherd I know no other way than to love them. And your parents? I consider them more than sheep. I consider them friends.

I write this to make a point (and it is not to bolster my ego). Being a shepherd to sheep involves more than staying in an office and being distant. A shepherd is among his sheep. A shepherd watches over his flock. To borrow from The Way of the Shepherd by Leman/Pentak (a book every leader ought to be required to read): “Know the condition of your flock.” That is principle #1 of 6. I’ll share the others in future posts. 

This young man lightened my load last night. All it took was a well-timed and well-worded text. YOU CAN DO THAT!