O taste and see that the Lord is good.” The eighth verse of the psalm states the central theme of this hymn of individual thanksgiving. I have quoted this statement many...

The story of Job comes to an end. On one level it feels something like a storybook ending, but we know there is much more to it than that. Job’s heart...

The empathetic narrator of the book of Job plumbs the depths of perennial mysteries about life. Rather than answering the many perplexing questions—particularly the mystery of suffering—the story itself opens up...

During my teenage years, I heard a preacher talk about a young man who climbed the corporate ladder to become CEO by the time he was thirty. Feeling burned out, he...

The war in Bosnia (1992–1995) was horrific, killing at least 200,000 people and displacing two million. The danger was so severe that the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) was one...

Each week, my second-grade teacher, Mrs. Darden, chose a student to be room monitor for the week. There were enough weeks that everyone would have one turn. The room monitor’s job...

Authority is important. Before many of us make major purchases or investments or seek medical care, we consult with an authorized and experienced person. Authorities are credentialed. I debated on my...

An employee at a church where I once worked proved to be a morale problem for the entire staff. She constantly criticized individuals, decisions, and policies but claimed innocence when confronted...

In my first theology class, we studied various theologians, which excited me because these people provided answers to questions I had not considered. Then, we explored other theologians who contradicted the...

Pastor Joe grew up in a very poor family during the Great Depression. One day, he asked his mother how she and his father got by with six children. His mother...