Saint Augustine, the Fourth Century Bishop of Hippo, wrote in his book, Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” Over the centuries these words have described the human condition. Many of us have...
Growing up in Illinois, I became familiar with Daniel Hudson Burnham. Burnham was a prominent city planner and architect. He played a major role in the development of the city of Chicago back in the day. He crafted a powerful vision of what a major American city might...
Robert F. Kennedy once said, “The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.” The calling is to make a difference. The message is the need to “be something, do something, and leave something.” The Apostle Paul was a wonderful example of...
The month of December is paradoxical. There’s no other way to say it. From one perspective, this month is sacred. Our Western culture is more religious this time of year. We have extra worship services, festivals, rituals, and traditions to honor. These events help us...
Our church celebrated our 60th anniversary in August. It was wonderful to gather with former members and pastors to recall the events that have taken place at Lovely Lane since 1962. Our church has been a shining light in this corner of Cedar Rapids for so many...
As I write this column, Hurricane Ian is preparing to hit the west coast of Florida. My heart is already going out to the good folks who will need to pick up the pieces after the destruction and start over again. As a friend of mine recently said, “there is nothing...
