By Cindy Koch –
Piles of whites, baskets full of darks. Towels, socks… Oh look, there’s the muddy jacket we’ve been missing. Hours of sorting, stain removing, washing, drying, hanging, folding, returning everything back to the closet drawers. As I’m putting away the last of the PJs and my laundry basket is finally empty, I glance at the little white hamper in my daughters’ room. It’s half full. And the laundry cycle is never over.
By Cindy Koch –
It’s not much, but I thought you should have it. My life should give glory only to you. And so I give my all to you. Every minute, every thought, your action will always be on my mind. Every morning I will give my time to you. In this crazy mixed up world, you should at least have the first few minutes of every day. My heart is yours, from the morning through the night. No other person or thing will stand in your way. God, you created everything, and I know this should all be yours, so I want to give it all to you.
By Josh Keith –
Just about everyone has heard these phrases in some form: “Rub some dirt on it,” “Man up,” and my dad’s personal favorite, “Hike your skirt up, Nancy.” These phrases all embody the same feeling of knowing that something is hard, while also knowing that it has to be done anyway. This feeling has become lost on the modern world, especially on much of my generation, deeming that if something is “too hard,” they can simply give up or put it aside for later.
By Cindy Koch –
Today I am sick with anger. Every moment that my own beautiful little children inch toward that front door, out into the bleak and dangerous world, I become frantic. There are murderers and swindlers out there, just outside a parent’s protection. They lay in wait, hunting our children, just beyond our doorstep. I am furious that these evil attackers can destroy such precious lives—moments, years, smiles, hopes, and dreams—for no reason at all. I am devastated that over and over a mother screams for her baby that will never come home, a father is defeated by an enemy that never looked him in the eyes.
By Tim Winterstein –
I’d been waiting to see The Florida Project because of all the positive press it was getting. I purposely don’t like to read synopses, however, because I’d rather have no expectations and let a given film do what it’s going to do, and then take it on its own merits instead of being influenced by what a critic has to say.
By Joel A. Hess –
In Jocko Willink’s wonderful book, “Extreme Ownership,” he begins with a story of the first significant time he failed as a leader of SEAL time expedition. He talks about it as a turning point in his understanding of taking ownership as a leader. More precisely, he realized the importance and necessity of taking blame as the leader. Not ceremonially or officially, but truly receiving blame for the failure!
By Graham Glover –
“I…do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”
These words are part of the oath that every person takes upon entering or being promoted in the United States military. These are serious words that speak to the importance of the profession and the purpose for which it was created. Although the military does many things, its primary purpose is and will remain the protection and preservation of the United States of America. Or is it the protection and preservation of the United States Constitution?
By Cindy Koch –
They shouldn’t scare me, but I find myself hiding from them. Smugly sauntering into any situation, armed with a knowing glare. They hold up their heads high, bold and unashamed. Stepping over the weak and lowly, they collect respect and fear from the quiet stares that follow their path. They flash their weapons, not made of iron or steel, but daggers made of Words. Powerful words once on the lips of the Almighty, forged into bullets and knives. Stinging words of Truth carefully selected to wound and murder.
By Joel Hess –
Everybody loves ‘forgiveness!’ Who would disagree with the importance and blessing of forgiveness? Sure, Christianity emphasizes it probably more than any other religion or philosophy. But it would be foolish to conclude Christians enjoy a monopoly on mercy, right?
By Jonathan Holmes –
Back in February, my son was born. He’s healthy, and a real chill dude. He only cries to get out of his crib; I think it’s more that he just wants to make sure that we hear him and don’t forget about him. After all, his life is dependent on my wife and me to care for him, especially now. He’s just starting to walk. I’m a proud dad, especially since we were told we most likely would never have children. That’s right, we stuck it to the science guys!
By Paul Koch –
We’ve all heard that cliché, “If you really love someone, let them go.” It is the foundation for most of epic love stories. It is the image of the distant admirer who plays the long game instead of seeking immediate gratification. The thought goes, that if it is real love, it will endure. It will happen without clinging too tight or restraining it to keep it close. There is a certain freedom that is inherit in love. In fact, this is one of the things that I enjoy the most about performing a wedding ceremony. The speaking of the vows, “Will you love honor, and keep him in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, remain united to her alone, so long as you both shall live? Then say: I will.” And no one can make her say it. She must speak the words. In the speaking of the words, in true freedom, love takes physical form as the two become one flesh.
By Paul Koch –
Well, it’s that time of year again. It’s time for the decorations, songs, gift buying, and parties. It’s time to celebrate that most wonderful time of year—it’s Christmas time. That means it’s finally time for you to kill the Elf on the Shelf.
By Graham Glover –
A few years ago, I wrote an article entitled, “I’m Fat.” Unfortunately, I still am. Fat, that is. And with an epic day of gluttony only 24 hours away, I don’t think my fatness is going to change anytime soon.
By Paul Koch –
Every year as the church celebrates All Saints Day, we turn our attention to our Lord’s words in Matthew Chapter 5. These words of blessing have become familiar to us. We have grown use to their rhythm and their simple beauty. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied…” Over the years we have heard many sermons on these words. We’ve studied them and digested them and wrestled with them over and again. They are a proclamation of blessing spoken by Christ to his disciples as they are surrounded by a great crowd of onlookers on a small mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
By Paul Koch –
500 years ago. Can you believe it? 500 years ago, an unknown monk and professor of theology at a small university in the town of Wittenberg, Germany let his frustrations with the bureaucracy of the church boil over. See, though the church was always a place where the gifts of Christ were given to the faithful, over the years it had become a place marked by systems of penance and work that obscured the gifts of Christ. To continue the growth and strength of the church, monetary payments were attached to your devotional activities. From viewing relics to buying indulgences the Christian was encouraged to ease their conscience and show their repentance by these acts of faithfulness. But this meant that the conscience of the people was always plagued with doubt. Did they give enough or do enough to be sure of their salvation? Where they good enough Christians? Perhaps just one more payment, one more pilgrimage, one more act of penance is needed. In fact, one more is always needed.
By Paul Koch –
We all do it. We all assume things. We assume things about our friends and family, about strangers and perceived enemies. Assumptions function as a sort of lazy shortcut so that we don’t have to do the hard work of actually engaging in the details of an argument or the context of a statement. It’s easier to assume things are written or spoken with a particular agenda in mind and then speed to our judgment.
By Ross Engel –
Recently I watched the 2006 Kevin Costner/Ashton Kutcher movie, “The Guardian.” The film centers on the training of the U.S. Coast Guard’s elite rescue swimmers. Kevin Costner is the seasoned veteran—a legend with more rescues than one can keep track of—and Ashton Kutcher is the talented yet cocky recruit who yearns to make a name for himself. Both men are running from tragedies and brokenness and the movie is dripping with themes of self-sacrifice and coping with loss. There is appreciable depth to this movie.
By Cindy Koch –
When I was young, I imagined a great many things about my future life unknown. I can remember the cool Colorado grass at just about sunset, gazing up at the colorful evening clouds. The light melted into orange and pink, blue and purple, casting faraway shadows and valleys above me. And somewhere in that fluid landscape in the sky, a little 7-year-old girl told stories about her adventures and loves and victories to come.
By Scott Keith –
“We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep into our own history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not men who feared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes which were for the moment unpopular.” These are the words spoken by Edward R. Murrow as encouragement to those who would stand up in opposition to then Senator McCarthy’s hearings designed to root out all dissenters, whether they were guilty of being communists or not. Mr. Murrow goes on to remind us all of a simple yet exceptionally difficult reality: “We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result.”
By Cindy Koch –
Until I taught a Bible study on Proverbs 31, I really didn’t know how very much women were hurt by this chapter in the Bible. Now, this is the inspired Word of God, and all of Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (1 Timothy 3:16). Certainly, women are in need of this, just like any Christian. Proverbs 31 is a beautiful Hebrew poem about a righteous woman who fears the Lord. But in the hands of our Christian women’s community, it is beginning to resemble a baseball bat in the hands of an ice skating maniac.
