A blind man sat at the bottom of the steps of a courthouse, where he knew many regulars would stop and drop change into his old tin can. He basked in the warmth of the sun on that chilly morning. He heard the first steps in his direction. Cling. A good soul dropped a coin. He reached into the can. His fingers recognized the quarter. He heard several more steps as giggly young women walked in his direction. Their chatter turned into a silent reverence as they read his sign. Cling, cling. Several Continue Reading
Life’s Workouts are Meant to Strengthen our Faith (Weekend Column for AJC)
My body hurt with each step. I felt pain in muscles I didn’t remember having. The aftermath of my first workout in months was certainly memorable. It made me keenly aware that my muscles had not been exercised in a long, long time. They say that once you’re in the groove, working out is really fun. Indeed, I faintly remember enjoying it until about eight years ago, when various health problems and major surgeries kept me from the gym for months at a time. But ever since then, exercising has Continue Reading
A Reflection on Bill Cosby and the Idols We Make (AJC Column)
Another idol crumbles. One can hardly turn on the news without hearing about allegations by women claiming decades-old sexual assaults by comedian Bill Cosby. The image of the man once dubbed “America’s dad” is forever tarnished in the public’s eyes. The shock is even greater because Cosby has been one of the few people in the entertainment industry to speak up for high morals and family values. We trusted him. And now, if the accusations are proven true, we are left with the strong impression Continue Reading
My AJC Column: Blessing the King
Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda, was a devastating storm that assailed the islands with unprecedented strength on Nov. 8, 2013. It is the deadliest typhoon in the area on record, killing over 6,300 people in the Philippines alone. Bodies were still being found two months after landfall. The storm affected approximately 11 million people, leaving a devastating number of homeless families and orphaned children. I remember reading about it, just as I read other news Continue Reading
Ebola, ISIS, End-Times Events – An Anxious Church?? – My Weekend Column for the Atlanta Journal
A second health care worker in Texas is diagnosed with Ebola. ISIS allegedly has control of chemical weapons. Border security agents are struggling to maintain enough manpower to contain the influx of undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Is it any wonder that worry is permeating our society as never before? The harmful effects of anxiety are well known to the medical community. In the U.S. alone, 40 million adults suffer from anxiety disorders. When our bodies are under stress, our nervous Continue Reading
It Takes Time and Patience to Follow God’s Plan
The clock showed 5:30 am. I could certainly stay in bed for another hour, but I knew better. I had been trying to fall asleep again for the past hour to no avail. So I dragged my tired self out of bed, thanking God for coffee. “Fortunately”, I thought, “I don’t have to wait for an entire pot of java to brew”. About two years ago, I discovered the marvel of one-cup coffee machines. Thank you, Lord. I hit the power button and waited for the three lights to announce that the machine was ready to Continue Reading
