“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” (James 1:2) 1995 was a watershed year for me. I celebrated my 42nd Birthday and only now affectionately refer to last summer as my “Summer of 42”. Everything seemed to be failing apart. I learned that my childhood asthma, which I was told I had outgrown, had returned; I discovered I had emphysema, even though I had not smoked a cigarette for almost 14 years; I had an annual physical only to learn that I had […]

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (I Corinthians 12:27) In October of 1977, 1 was confirmed in the Episcopal Church. I had no idea what being an Episcopalian meant and saw confirmation as something that would enable me to improve my station in life. You see Episcopalians seemed to enjoy more success than other denominations. I had been reared in a Baptist Church and later joined Methodist and Presbyterian churches in my search for peace and happiness. […]

“I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man abides in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 16:5) I took a course called “Experiencing God” a couple of years ago. It was an eye opener. For the first time in my Christian life (which is comparatively short), it planted the notion with me that God has more planned for all of us than we may think. We just don’t give Him the chance […]