Much of the time, I think, people define themselves by what they do for a living. In that regard, I will tell you that I am, both by training and calling, a pastor. But, I’m also a professional life development coach for physicians. That’s what I do. But that’s not how I would actually answer…
I recently made a trip back to Granite City, Illinois, the town where I grew up. Because I’m a minister, when one of the nieces or nephews has a wedding, it’s not unusual for me to be asked to perform the ceremony. And a couple of weeks ago, I did just that. One of the…
It took him ten years. You may not have read up on it lately, but it took Albert Einstein ten years of work to arrive at his Theory of General Relativity. Ten long years of ciphering numbers, and staring at equations, staring off into the universe he studied and was trying understand. I’ve seen pictures…
Recently, my wife and I celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary. Over the years, we’ve raised three sons and enjoyed an active ministry together. By training, my wife is a teacher who earned a Masters Degree in Special Education. And for many of the early years in our marriage, she taught students. But no matter whether…
What is it, do you suppose, about ‘normal’ life that is so perplexing? Somehow, most of us have a deep need or desire for understanding what ‘normal life’ is supposed to look like. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to wonder, at times, if I’m normal? Wonder if it’s okay…
Each evening, before bedtime, my wife and I sit in our living room across from each other, and we take turns reading aloud the Word of God. Our goal is to complete the entire bible by year’s end, and we are well over half way through our commitment. A few days ago, we finished the…
Charlie Clark’s seat in church was toward the back, on the left. He did not enter God’s house hastily. He walked slowly, deliberately. He carried a well worn Bible under his arm, and you could tell by the way he cradled it that the old Bible and the old man were good friends all week…
I’m Ken Jones, and this is A Classic State of Mind, with A Word About … Almost My normal routine, virtually every day, includes an early-morning drive. Before there’s much traffic. Before there’s even much light to see. I make my way to a little coffee hut in our village, a drive-thru. I order a…
His name was Hermon Miller, and he owned the grocery store on the street where I grew up. When it was hot and muggy on many summer afternoons, my mom would ask me to “go down to Millers Store and get some pork chops for supper,” or perhaps, “go down to Millers and get some…
Most reasonable people believe in God, I think. Most sensible people even talk to God, (if not frequently, at least on occasion.) When the daze and dizziness of life’s journey becomes too great, When the bewilderment about what’s going on becomes so egregious that men don’t know which way to turn … On those days,…