The framers of the Constitution knew that the freedom they offered demanded responsible citizens. At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked an important question as he left Independence Hall on the final day of the meeting in Philadelphia. A woman asked Franklin, “Well, doctor,…
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On my most recent trip to Africa I was attacked by the most vicious animal on the continent. It wasn’t a rhino or an elephant or a cobra (all of which are still on my bucket list)—it was a mosquito. No kidding. I’ve been traveling to Africa for the last…
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The year was 2012. My daughter and four other teenage girls in a North Texas town wanted to pursue rodeo as their high school sport of choice. We had no coaches and no funding for them. As the only parent with a background in rodeo and western sports, I was…
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“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.” Luke 18:1 (NLT) I was 38 years old when Barry and I were married. Because of my age, we took the business of getting pregnant very seriously, but as happens to…
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How do you know if you've truly forgiven someone? Any time I find myself in an antagonistic relationship with someone else, I eventually realize that I am only arguing my point of view... with myself. My mind runs through all kinds of self-justifying scenarios to prove I'm right, but all…
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In Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus sent his disciples out onto the Sea of Galilee while he stayed behind because he'd had a long day. A big crowd had been following him, and now he just wanted to be alone with his Father. He said to his disciples, "I got an idea.…
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“Show me your friends and I will tell you what you are.” So goes the Spanish proverb. But do our friends make us or do we choose our friends according to who we are? Good question, and one that could be argued either way. One thing is clear: our friends…
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Joni Eareckson Tada went swimming at the age of seventeen with her sister in the Chesapeake Bay. She dove into shallow water and severed her spinal cord. As a result, she has spent more than fifty years in a wheelchair, unable to move her lower body or hands. Joni has…
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There is a verse in Ezekiel that leveled me the first time I read it. God describes how Sodom had sinned against him. In your mind, what do you think about when you consider Sodom’s sins? You may be surprised. "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She…
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In 1977 Mel Brooks released a comedy entitled High Anxiety. Even though Brooks played the leading role, the film did not do as well as expected. Why? In 1977 people did not find anxiety funny… they still don’t. In fact, “High Anxiety” is probably a good name for what we…
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