I had four years of Army Junior ROTC training, as I entered the U.S. Army. I started as a Private First Class in Army Basic Training, but I was like every other soldier. You had to perform. No rank would guarantee completion, so I worked hard…

In college, students are slaves to coursework. We can’t disagree or demand change in the curriculum. We follow the professor’s instructions. During my courses, many times the professor gave a ‘pop quiz.’..

When I was in the U.S. Army, I was stationed in Kaiserslautern Germany. One winter we were in annual field training in Grafenwöhr. It was training in the event the United States entered a war in Europe. It was also the middle of winter…

My son played soccer many years ago. I coached his team for six years as they moved up to a different age bracket. He started when he was about 11, and ended when he moved into his senior year…

When I was young I used to get into fights consistently. Most of the time I let my anger get the best of me. After years of looking back, I realized how foolish it was. There were times when a fight was necessary. It was to stand my ground…

When I was a kid, we raked all the fallen leaves in the yard. When we raked them all, I asked Dad, “Can we play in them?” He let us for a few minutes, then he would set them afire. It was a great fire indeed!

I have a Magnolia tree in my front yard. Sometimes it will produce white blossoms. Sometimes it will not, because of fungus. This tree (for some reason) has been very susceptible to black tree fungus since it was planted…

Vineyards are an important part of Jewish life. “The typical vineyard was surrounded by a protective hedge or fence, and at harvest time the watchtower was manned to guard the crop from thieves (Job 24:18; Is. 1:8; Mk. 12:1)…

In time, Jesus is coming back. He is coming back to gather His flock. He told us now so we would be ready when He appears. Are you ready?

During the toughest time of my life, I remember experiencing days in and out of Mayo Clinic as our daughter slowly died. She would have turned 35 years old this year. She died from brain death, on January 15, 2018…

In the old days, when we traveled we used maps to navigate. Today, it is much easier. We can place an address into our navigational system in our car or phone and never get lost. What a blessing for those of us who sometimes get turned around…

In our church, the staff has meetings on Tuesday mornings each week. As we spend time going through the weekly events, each staff member is asked if they have anything to share. Funny enough, since my arrival on staff, there are now three people named Mark on staff. ..

I look back to a man who helped me immensely through seminary, I remember a dream I had a few years ago. Let me give a little back story first: Mr. Leroy was a card. He was a deacon, an usher, and an all-around funny guy. He wore wild suits each church week with a tie. The tie was normally something that came from the children’s department…

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” To understand this verse and the coming verses, it is important to understand the word “Another.” “Allos, or “Another” means other or another.” There are two words in Greek; allos and heteros which some have used…

I was saved at age 18, but did not understand God’s commandments. I did not read the Bible until I was about 28 years old. When I finally came back to church, my understanding changed from what I knew in the past (which was practically nothing)…

If you have heard the statement, “Name it and Claim it Gospel,” you might have a bad taste in your mouth by now. It also goes by the name, of the Prosperity Gospel movement. “Central to this teaching are the beliefs that salvation through Jesus Christ includes liberation from not only death and eternal damnation but also poverty, sickness, and other ills…

When I was younger, I got into trouble a lot. Many times my parents never knew what I was doing. I also got away with a lot without them knowing. My best friend and I spent so much time together we could almost finish each other’s sentences. It was funny…

One of the most shocking things early in my law enforcement career was working with a fellow deputy. He was considered by all, a respectable guy. He knew his job well and excelled. He also had the respect of his peers and staff…

In the early 2000s, our family took a trip overseas to see my sister in Germany. We did it for our son’s graduation present too. While there we traveled through Germany and the Southern Pass of the Swiss Alps…

To repeat a conversation with my mother earlier, she told me she didn’t want to be here anymore. She wanted to be at a place of peace… with Jesus, away from the chaos of society. She said, “So much has changed I don’t know if I want to be around for any more changes.” …