The Dead Wood Needs to Go
A dead tree (and a battered Jeep) remind you that God, the gardener, prunes away what’s no longer alive in you so what’s fruitful can thrive.
Inspiration
Sweet Georgia Barbecue
Columbus, Georgia. I was eating at a barbecue joint not far from the state line. My cousin, John, insisted that this joint serves the best barbecue in the state of Georgia. He made me promise to try it.
The Three Human Rebellions: Lessons from Genesis and Modern Reflections
In the early chapters of Genesis, we encounter three pivotal instances of human rebellion that have left a profound impact on the course of human history.
Empty Airports
When life puts us in an unexpected holding pattern, we can trust that God is present and working—even when all we can see is an empty concourse and a flashing DELAYED sign.
Where You Come From: A Modern Roadside Parable
There was an old man sitting outside the dusty bar. He sat in a plastic lawn chair. There was a dog with him. The dog was either asleep or dead.
He was whittling a stick for no reason—the old man, not the dog. This is what old men did before TikTok.
The Queen of Savannah
Tonight, we walk the streets of Savannah with royalty. Traffic does not part when she walks by. Her unwitting subjects, trudging along the sidewalks, do not pay her a genuflecting glance. When they see her, they do not even recognize her sacred station. But they smile just the same. For one cannot help but smile at royalty.
Some Good: A few friends you might like
The old dog was found walking on the highway. She had no name. No home. Nobody.
The guy who found her was a guy we’ll call Peter. I call him this because this is his name.
Spiritual Dog Days
Even during the spiritual “dog days,” when our hearts feel weary and our motivation fades, God invites us to keep seeking Him and promises to renew our strength.
The Woman Who Tried to Die
It happened in Washington, the Evergreen State. It was late. There was a woman about to kill herself. She was young. Standing on the ledge of an overpass. Holding a stuffed animal. Hair blowing in all directions. She was really going to do it.
Uncle Sam’s Children
I was late for a plane when I saw him. The freckled kid was in uniform. Operational camouflage combat fatigues. Reverse-flag patch on the right shoulder. High and tight haircut.
George Patton’s Secret Weapon Wasn’t a Tank—It Was Faith
Before the skies cleared over the Battle of the Bulge, General George S. Patton didn’t call for another committee meeting—he called for a chaplain. While modern America places its faith in technology, data, and bureaucracy, Patton believed victory required something more. He prepared relentlessly, commanded fearlessly, and then bowed his head in prayer. Days later, the weather broke, Allied aircraft filled the skies, and Patton pinned a Bronze Star on the chaplain who had written the famous weather prayer. Whether you call it coincidence or providence, one of America’s greatest generals never apologized for believing that faith belonged on the battlefield alongside tanks, artillery, and courage.
A Woman Named Honey
Her name is Honey. She is in the meet-and-greet line after one of my shows. She holds one of my books. White hair. Tiny frame. Maybe five-foot.
A Forecast You Can Believe
God pours out showers of grace and righteousness on His people, then sends us into the world to become a blessing to others.
Why I Stopped Writing And Started Listening
I’m sure some of you have noticed I haven’t been writing as much as I used to. I get lots of emails asking why this is. Many of these emails are ultra-friendly emails, beginning with the words, “WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!!!?”
To answer this, I need to start by telling you about our trip to Spain.
Dear You, Whoever You Are
You’re going through something right now. Something bad. Something truly, inexplicably, wholly, and everlastingly crappy.
I don’t know what it is. But it’s ugly. And it’s getting the best of you.
The Rainbow Bridge
A little boy walked into the little church, unannounced. It was a weekday. A country church. Clapboards. Tin roof. The kind of church that—until a few years ago—only had window-unit A/C.
Lessons From a Goldfish
I have no children. The closest I ever came to having a child was when my wife got me a goldfish for Christmas. His name was Gary.
Words and Actions: the Inherent Misuse of Each, by Citizen Writer: Alan Hand
When we leave this world, if our bodies are dug up, our sex will be that assigned as that we are given by God at birth. Our Genetic material, our skeletal remains with not be what we associate our self as being. We will be labeled man or woman based on birth.
You’re Here for a Reason: Lessons from Esther
God has placed you exactly where you are, at exactly this moment, with the gifts and opportunities you need to faithfully serve Him—for such a time as this.
How to be a Real Columnist
Here is how the typical morning of a columnist goes. You sit down at the computer. And before you write, you begin by asking yourself the age-old question, “Why should anyone care what I have to say?”