Blessed Are the Peacemakers The night was Christmas Eve, 1914. World War I raged across the ravaged countryside of France. Read more
The Power of Appreciation I have a new respect for teachers. Of course, I respected them before accepting my new role as a faculty member at Union College, but now I really respect them. While having summers off and weekends free is a new (and welcome) experience, first-ye... Read more
The Best Gift An old proverb says, “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.” There’s wisdom in these few words. The idea is to focus on just one thing. If we keep our eyes on what is most important and pursue it with all our heart, we will have... Read more
An Encounter With Jesus I grew up in a Christian home. My parents were active in church, and they gave me every opportunity to build a strong relationship with Jesus. But as a teenager I began to drift from God. Read more
The Egyptian Plate My father, Victor Duerksen, turns 101 years old this September. Overall, he’s in good health and has a positive outlook. He lives in his own place, and the home-care worker who comes in several hours a day has become a good friend. Yet, when I was... Read more
Servants of the Sanctuary, Part 2 The world doesn’t need the Bible Answerman as much as it needs the good Samaritan. Read more
Speaking Truth in Love The art of thoughtful dialogue is fast becoming a lost commodity among us. Considering opposing viewpoints is increasingly distasteful to many. Read more
Relationships Beyond Mere Words I’ve seen it on social media and heard it via concerned phone calls — a growing urgency among those seeking a church that makes a tangible difference in this increasingly polarized culture. This urgency is not only shared by many of our members, b... Read more
Nasty Man Jose was a nasty man. Anybody in town would tell you that. No one wanted to be near him. Not even his wife. Read more