I had searched everywhere for a Ninja Turtle! Everytime I would be in a store I would look to see if they had one. However, with the resurgence of Batman, Indiana Jones, and the Incredible Hulk there were no mutant turtles trained in the art of ninja by their rat master who mimmicked their owners movements to be found anywhere. Finally, while on vacation... read more

May the Lord smile on you. Numbers 6:25 (NLT)   *** *** *** ***   The smile of God is the goal of life.   Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that. The Bible says, “Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it” (Ephesians 5:10 MSG).   Fortunately, the Bible gives us a... read more

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)   *** *** *** ***   Today’s guest devotional is by Jon Walker –   Dear one, you were started as an idea in the mind of God! You exist because the God of the universe thought you up!   The God... read more

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)   *** *** *** ***   Today’s guest devotional is by Jon Walker –   Humorist Dave Barry says, “A perfect parent is a person with excellent child-rearing theories and no actual children.”   The same could be said of a perfect world or a perfect... read more

I recently spoke at a golf outing and dinner in the west Chicago suburb of St. Charles. It was organized to raise money to help families with children who are in a battle against cancer. Before being served dinner the 300 plus attendees watched a very emotional picture video celebrating the life of some of the children who lost this fight. Sad to... read more

Each night when I put my kids to bed, we read a book, talk about their day and pray for their sleep and their futures.   Sometimes after the prayer, they want me to scratch their back.    On special occasions, they ask for “Sleep Tonight”.    “Sleep Tonight” is really the song MLK by U2 sung in my best Bono voice.   I know.  My wife... read more

Another 4th of July has passed. As a kid, a teenager, a young adult, a father, and now a grandfather … I have seen more fire-works than I can count. There is one, however, that gets my attention every time. In the middle of the darkness, they light the fuse of a single rocket that goes almost silently straight up into the air … hesitates... read more

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)   *** *** *** ***   Today’s guest devotional is provided by Jon Walker –   Once upon a time my son came home from middle school and told me there’d been a Reward Day-type assembly, where they were giving away some really cool stuff.   At... read more