Editor’s note: Kaylin Carlson led musical worship last Sunday at Rockford Rescue Mission. She read this personal reflection before singing Winter Snow. Maybe this season is coated with a bit of a sting. A sting from a harsh past Harsh people Harsh...
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” —Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) In 2014, researchers from the University of Virginia tested people’s ability to … well, sit quietly in a room alone. No devices, no reading material, no...
At the end of Pastor Luke’s first sermon in our “Make Room” advent series, he challenged us to try fasting, not only from food, but from anything in our life that is dulling and numbing our senses to God. That Sunday, I made a commitment to fast from social media by...
On the eve of Thanksgiving, a day when many Americans become competitive eaters, allow me to turn your attention to one Joey Chestnut. The Major League Eating website informs us: “Joey Chestnut is the greatest eater in history. … These days Joey Chestnut is truly an...
“We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and I accept it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to...
No one likes to think about death—especially their own. That’s true even among Christians, for whom death represents entering the presence of God. But a large church like First Free, with many older members, addresses death often. This summer has seen a funeral at...
