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The Story, Chapter 30 - Paul's Final Days I am often suspicious of highly motivated people, perhaps because I am much more of a laid-back kind of person. I think they call those energizer bunny types a Type A personality. I'm more a Type Z - when stressed, catch a few zzzzz's and deal with it when you wake up. Anyway, in Paul I see maybe one of the most highly motivated people I have ever read of. He's not just a Type A, he's A+! Type A's kind of scare me. They must be selling something. They must have some ulterior motives. Behind all that activity must be some devious charlatan eager to deceive me. In Chapter 29 of The Story I saw another side of Paul. I guess I saw the man that I had missed in all the activity. I often associated Paul with doctrine. I love doctrine. I studied doctrine and Paul was the master theologian. I have always been impressed with his spiritual mind. I also often associated Paul with his fast and furious missiona...

The Story, Chapter 29, Paul's Mission Have you noticed that in the last few years movies don't end when you think they do? Oh, there will be an ending, but after the credits role for a few minutes there will be some outtakes or additional scenes. I've found myself standing up, brushing the popcorn off me, and ready to go only to take my seat again to see these usually entertaining postscripts. I don’t have any insider information why producers do this, but I suspect that they reserve these scenes so we'll stay and watch the names of the many people who have made that movie possible - and it does take a bunch of people! I'm amazed at all the work that goes into making a movie, and usually the only ones we give credit to are the stars of the movie and maybe the producer and director. The same can be said of the early church. Most of us can name the main characters - Peter and Paul. Outside of them we might be able to blurt out a few more names, but most...

When LeBron James burst onto the NBA scene after a sensational high school basketball career a well-known shoe company capitalized on his fame signing him to a lucrative contract. One of their slogans used to promote their LeBron James's commercials was "We are all witnesses." I suppose we were all to feel a certain sense of privilege to be living at this time and in this place to be able to experience this incredible athlete. And, as a basketball fan, I am, to some degree, honored and privileged to see such a talent - except when he recently defeated my Boston Celtics! I've been a witness to quite a few athletic talents in my lifetime. As a Boston fan I especially remember with fondness and privilege watching the great Larry Bird, Bobby Orr, Carl Yastrzemski, and Drew Bledsoe. And as time passes I regale my sons with tales from my sports-watching childhood. I boastfully recite statistics and proudly recall championships. I was a witness! I noticed that ...

The Story, Chapter 27 - The Resurrection On occasion I’ll stop by a fast-food restaurant and find myself silently complaining about everything from the quality of the food to the service. The person who took my order seemed preoccupied with flirting with the kid behind me. I struggle to find a table that doesn’t have the marks of a three year old’s eating habits. I open my sandwich, take a bite and am repulsed by the mustard that I specifically refused at the counter. I immediately try to wash it down to find my soda has too little fizz making it taste more like medicine than a soft drink. To add to all this mayhem I hear the annoying sound of a kid’s meal toy ringing in my ear like a siren! I’m exaggerating a bit, but sometimes I just get annoyed at the low standards I frequently encounter. But then I think and realize that that’s what you get for the $3.99 special! You see, I can’t expect fine dining at a restaurant that has a playground. It’s unrealistic to think that I will get...

The Story, Chapter 26 - The Hour of Darkness Sometimes people's fortunes can turn on a dime. Ask Jack Polz. The Washington native woke up one Monday expecting it to be just another beginning of another week. The most excitement he typically had was gathering all the lottery tickets he bought throughout the week and setting down at the store he bought them at to see if he was a winner. Well, Monday, July 18 one of those tickets paid off big-time. Jack Polz was the winner of $6.4 million from the Washington State Lotto. Imagine the party that followed! His fortune turned on a dime! Ask Hunter Pence. Last Sunday, July 31, Pence woke up as the starting right-fielder for the last place Houston Astros. Not only last place Astros, but worst-record-in-the-league Astros. He was putting up some decent numbers and had even played in the recent All-Star game, but the Astros were going nowhere fast. By the end of the day he had learned that he was traded to the first place Philadelphia Phillies...