News & Updates

Getting your mother’s tests results back after bone scans, MRIs, PET scans, blood tests, and CAT scans is a big deal. I know all about that one. Waiting for a publisher’s feedback on a submitted manuscript is a big deal. So is the rejection email. I know all about that one all too well. A job change is a big deal. Your promotion was a big deal; so was losing your employment. Your wedding, your graduation, your baptism, and your…

The greatest story some still haven’t heard involves these four parts: Creation—Fall—Redemption—Restoration Great marriage stories have these same components.  Epic sports stories and great songs, movies, and books often contain the same ingredients. Think about the best movie ever filmed, “Remember the Titans.”  A diverse football team was created. The struggle with racism was the fall. The Titans’ beating other racist teams begins a redemption process. And when the team pulls together to win the state championship, there is a…

This time of year is good for finishing things up. The school year gets wrapped up. College finals are in the books. Spring is finishing up. Mother’s Day… check. Prom… done. Yard fertilized… yup. See what I mean? TV shows are closing out their season with big finales. I can’t wait to see the one-hour “The Middle” series ender next week. Will Sue Sue Heck ever get together with Sean? It’s gonna be a big finish. This Sunday we finish…

I can remember mom holding down the fort after dad left. Mom, Greg, Lynn, and I moved into a two-bedroom apartment. Mom went to work as a bank teller. She hadn’t held down a job outside the home in the previous twenty-four years. Mom kept us going. Mom kept us in school, church, and engaged in life to keep us from falling off the edge. Greg was nineteen and ready to move out on his own. Lynn was navigating the…

On Thursday morning, the annual Cobb County Prayer Breakfast was held to participate in our National Day of Prayer. The focus of this morning’s prayer time was our armed forces. A Rear Admiral spoke and gave stirring details of the commitment that so many young men and women make on a regular basis to afford us the freedom to pray. The staunch, stern admiral melted as he gave emotionally charged details of visiting injured soldiers he had ordered forward. The…

My wife has flower bulbs buried all over our yard like treasures begging to be found. The bulbs grow beneath the ground until Spring’s warmth and showers beckon their flowery heads to burst to life. You can bank on it. THEREFORE… my wife prepares for it. How does she prepare? Here are five preparations Sherry makes for welcoming her beloved blossoms. 1. Exercise patience during the cold months. 2. Be relentless with weed extraction. 3. Use fertilizer and soil nutrients…

Does the name “Francine Rivers” mean anything to you? If you’re a female, there’s a higher likelihood you would recognize the name. If you’re a guy, Sports Center has probably kept you at a safe distance from knowing anything about Francine. Mrs. Rivers lives with her husband in Northern California and writes books for a living. She writes lots of books. Thick books. These are books with covers not enticing to the macho male mind. For years, Sherry read Francine…

I loved what Murray Tilles told us last weekend. “Jesus never celebrated Christmas or Easter.” That sentiment brought a slight smile to many of our faces. The question though is this: Why do we? Why do we celebrate Christmas and Easter? The best answer is to remember. The ancient Passover feast was a creative, God-ordained way to story-tell, ask questions, and remember God’s redemption. Interestingly, as we try to remember, our culture insulates our souls with lights, candy, reindeer, and…

In an article called “Don’t Waste a Crisis” for the Leadership Journal,1 John Ortberg provides the following illustration: “Imagine you’re handed a script of your newborn child’s entire life. Better yet, you’re given an eraser and five minutes to edit out whatever you want. You read that she will have a learning disability in grade school. Reading, which comes easily for some kids, will be laborious for her. In high school, she will make a great circle of friends, then…