And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Mark 16:20 I was saved in a Pentecostal church. Those who know that generally recoil whenever I bring up this verse. They just know I’m going to start talking about the Holy Spirit using ordinary believers to heal the sick, to perform miracles, and to cast out devils. And we all know that no longer happens, right? Right? That’s not my experience but

“An object at rest will stay at rest…” is the beginning of Newton’s First Law. The idea is that a physical body will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. Not, scripture, I know. That does not mean it is not the truth. Scripture does not contain all that is true. It does not even cover all there is about Jesus that is true. Don’t take my word for that, listen to John the Beloved. “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they shou

Writing can be confusing. I was once told that I was too much of a Pollyanna to call myself a horror writer. I’m told I have lost my way “writing all that devil stuff”. My writing is a nice hobby. So, I’ve been told in an isn’t-that nice pat-on-the head voice. Then, strangers confess they have all my books while wanting to know when the next one is coming. Reviews say that one of my stories was predictable. Another found my ending surprising and it made them think. Meanwhil

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Proverbs 8:14, 17 Most people are familiar with Jesus’ proclamation that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is also Understanding. Solomon was writing in this passage the words that God was speaking. God offers many wonderful promises in this chapter. All of them seem to hinge on gaining understanding. The most important thi

I’ve been cooking for others since I was thirteen. It helps that I enjoy it. As my children will attest, I’ve come up with some “interesting” combinations of ingredients through the years. Most of those dishes were inspired by whatever ingredients happened to be available. At times my cooking was limited to wild game or barnyard critter. Other times it was government commodities. When I began writing about Ed Landry, I took an interest in Cajun and Creole cooking. I’ve been

I grew up reading comic books and admiring superheroes. I exchanged comics for history books. My heroes still wore uniforms, but there remained something uniquely extraordinary about them. Any lingering fantasy that I could be like them disappeared when a fellow in a Smokey Bear hat stepped into the bus I was riding. As soon as he opened his mouth, I began to wonder “What the hell have I gotten myself into?” Some of the looks I got wearing that uniform only served to reinfo

And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a rive

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude v3 As a writer, I’m what’s called a “pantser”. That is, I write by the seat of my pants; no outline, or notes, just an idea. I sit down and start writing. I’ve often thought the writers of the scriptures may have done the same thing under the sudden

“It is not the responsibility of knights errant to discover whether the afflicted, the enchained and the oppressed whom they encounter on the road are reduced to these circumstances and suffer this distress for their vices, or for their virtues: the knight's sole responsibility is to succour them as people in need, having eyes only for their sufferings, not for their misdeeds.” Miguel Cervantes. Don Quixote is an interesting character. He is amiable, a well-reasoned convers

“Why don't you all fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation) And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)” The Who One of the things I remember most about 1969 is how a generation proud of being better educated than their parents and sure they knew how to run the world, decided to use their self-proclaimed victimhood and exclusion was a valid reason for the violent destruction of American values. Spurred on by teachers and employing a well-develo

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17 Diversity, equity, and inclusion, the words flood our culture and spring from the lips of the people around us as if they are holy writ and to suggest otherwise is sheer blasphemy. In its day, Corinth was a very cosmopolitan city, a crossroads for races, religions, and cultures. So, it is not as though Paul was writing in a vacu

I’m a fiction writer. It’s work even though I love it. Of course, there are some aspects of it that I love more than others, like typing The End...I really love that part. As a fiction writer, there are some assumptions I make about my work. The first is that my readers understand that I am spinning…not lies exactly, but imaginary tales that sound real. I don’t expect them to make life decisions based on what I say. This last week, I found there are others who make a living r

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world…” Titus 2:11-12 You need not be a Christian to recognize this truth. The major religions of the world do, and the minor ones generally have an amendment that says their deviations are really just another way of stating it. So, why bother with Christianity when there are easier a

“A despotic government knows no principle but WILL. Whatever the sovereign wills to do, the government admits him the inherent right, and the uncontrouled power of doing. He is restrained by no fixed rule of right and wrong, for he makes the right and wrong himself and as he pleases. Thomas Paine It is now taught that the American founding was not guided by Christian principles. The kindest reasoning behind that position is that the founders were Deists and thus more follo

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. C.S. Lewis calle

"I, Jack LaFountain, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." I took this oath fifty-four years ago. It is still in e

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners… 1Timothy 1:9 I have two fathers, an earthly one and a heavenly one. I share their image and likeness both physically and spiritually. They taught me many of the same lessons and formed in me many of the same values. There, I will depart for the expected and cover some unusual ground. My earthly father was not what most people would call a relig

A line from one of my favorite songs invites the hearer to “call me irresponsible”. If you’ve ever heard me sing it, you might be inclined to call me tone deaf as well. It might be a valid comment, but we’re not here for that today. The point is that while I spend much of my time living in imaginary worlds, I am not immune to opinions in the real world. The world has changed a great deal in the last seventy years, and so have I, just not as much as some would like. One thin

Very soon, I will be installed as the Commander of American Legion Post 237 in Huntsville, Alabama. I blame my penchant for volunteering and the fact that I ran unopposed for creating this situation. There will be times when I rue the decision and other times that I will feel happy with it. That’s the way life works when you follow your heart. Whatever the next year brings, win, lose, or draw, I am convinced that the effort will be worth it. That’s because I’m proud to be a

When I became a Christian in 1974, God seemed to care about a great many things. He cared about what I read and watched. He cared about how I dressed, how I spent my time, and how I spoke. He seemed to care about everything, even down to how I thought about things. The church had an opinion about many things too. I must admit, the two were not always the same. So, I studied the scriptures and sided with God where the two diverged in the woods. If you recognize the reference