Forks In the Road
The great philosopher Yogi Bearra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Indeed, so. This August 2025, I’m keenly aware of big forks in the road of life and history.
Inspiration
Grace Will Lead Us Home
God still loves us, and He wants us to live up to his standards. How? Read on!
The Girl Who Lost Her Leg
She was 10 years old. She got kicked in the leg, during P.E. class. No big deal. Happens all the time. But her leg started doing weird things. Something was definitely wrong. “My leg started swelling, almost the size of a baseball,” she remembers.
Shooting – Tribute to Mary Kathryn “Mary Kay” Wigger
She never fired a shot at Camp Perry, but her fingerprints are on a thousand targets. She never wore a medal, but she helped hang hundreds around the necks of others. In every generation of American rifle shooting, there are traces of Mary Kay Wigger—the quiet force who kept the team on time, in line, and always believing they could win.
Virginia Is For Dog Lovers
The news reporter said the dog was from Rustburg, Virginia. The dog is named Sweet Sienna. She has become a celebrity in this state. It all happened a few days ago in Campbell County.
Life’s a Beach
Seldovia, Alaska, sits somewhere near the top of the world. It’s a nanoscopic village on the North Pacific. Population 225. Tons of fishing boats. A lot of cold, icy, Kachemak Bay water. A few days ago, a local spotted something huge stranded on the beach. It was a minke whale. About the same length as a mid-size Toyota.
When You Wish Upon a Child
I want to tell you a story. In February of 1979, a 7-year-old named Chris Grecius, of Scottsdale, Arizona, found out he had leukemia. It was the end of the world. No, it was worse than that. It felt like the end of a family.
You’ll Never Leave the Airport Alive
It was the third time my flight had been delayed on the same day. I was alone. I had been trapped inside the Fayetteville airport since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
A Day in Rogers, Arkansas
My plane hovered over Fayetteville, Arkansas, preparing for landing. The elderly lady in the seat next to me was gripping the armrest. She had been using aggressive armrest etiquette throughout our flight.
Questions From Readers
I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, I read every email, letter and message I receive. Many of these messages are questions. So I’ve compiled the most common questions in a letter
Think Fast!
Fasting–deliberately giving up food and/or drink–is not an uncommon occurrence in the Bible. Moses fasted. Jesus fasted. What’s the point?
A Mom in the Park
She was a youngish mother. Her son was maybe 10. They had the whole playground to themselves. She wheeled his chair along the rubbery mat, and they were playing make-believe.
A Little Bit of Sole
It was a big park. A big city. The man was sitting on the sidewalk. Directly on the ground. And he was barefoot.
The Fishermen
There were two men who went fishing. The first man was old. He moved a little slower on account of his arthritis, his bad hip, and his recent hurt knee. The second man wasn’t even really a “man” at all, technically. He was a boy. The young man was brimming with energy, skipping ahead, swinging his tackle box.
The Challenge Period Has Ended: A Tribute to Lones Wigger
In the grand scope of American marksmanship, no name holds a more undisputed place in that pantheon than Lones Wigger—a man whose achievements, discipline, and character have set a benchmark few will ever touch.
The Persistent Caller
Ring, ring.
I answered the phone. “Hello?” I said, disguising my voice.
“Is this Sean Dietrich?” said the little girl’s on the phone. So grown-up sounding. She gets a little bigger every day.
What Do You Know, Joe?
When Joe turned 18, he was going to join the military like his dad, the officer, wanted. But there is a well known saying in the military, “You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken excrement.” We are who we are.
I Have No Fight Left
Dear Sean, I’m useless. It seems like the world just doesn’t want me here anymore. What happens if I give up and send myself same-day shipping to God? Would it truly be a loss?
There’s no more fight in me.
In Remembrance of Eugene Lofton: A True Gentleman, a Marksman, and an American Original
When I was just a kid—maybe 10 or 12—I met a man who would leave a quiet but lasting impression on my life: Eugene Lofton. To me, at that young age, he wasn’t just another face on the firing line; he was something extraordinary