Stone of help In I Samuel 7.12, it is recorded that after God provided a great victory over the Philistines, Samuel took a stone and set it upright and he named it Ebenezer, “the Lord has helped us to this point.” Ebenezer primarily means ‘stone of help’. Why would Samuel have been led to do […]
Girl Dad Last Thursday noon at Northwest Bible Church, we had our monthly Fathers Forum. Joseph Hildebrand was our guest speaker. He was raised in a family with all boys and found himself married and the proud father of three young girls. Including his wife, four girls. Joanne and I were blessed with two girls […]
Jorge Rodriguez Mentor, model, pastor, father figure. My uncle, Jorge Rodriguez, played a very special role in my life as my mentor, model, father figure and eventually a pastor. I remember vividly how every afternoon he took time to help me with my homework and especially with school projects. Back then there was no technology […]
Bruce Springsteen I’ve been friends and ministry partners with Bill Dotson for over 30 years now. One of the many things that sometimes give Bill doubts about me is my lifelong love of the music (not necessarily the politics) of Bruce Springsteen, who I’ve seen live in concert 40 times since 1976. As Bruce sings, […]
Reflection ANNIVERSARIES…are a time of remembrance, reflecting back on what has gone before, what has brought one to this time and place. And I believe the longer the period, the more revered it is. We have had many over the life of our nation, and more keeps getting added. 4th of July, Pearl Harbor, D-Day, […]
A poem from prison Below is a poem written by one of the dads in our curriculum at Hutchins State Jail where I teach each Wednesday. Since I have written poetry most of my life, I was encouraged by Dustin S. and his ability to grasp a subject and express it poetically. Us ‘rhymers’ stick […]
Significant names NAMES…are so very interesting. Every culture has theirs. The latest figures I have seen on U. S. population is 327,556,972. The U. S. Census Bureau reports at least 151,671 last names and 5,163 first names in common use. Multiply that across the world plus the several millennia since creation. So, what’s in a […]
A movement is born In early 2016, the vision for a movement was born. Abiding Fathers is a ministry dedicated to helping fathers understand the God ordained role each has been given. We produced some great personal testimony videos, and in the process, the vision became a reality. The question to be answered was how […]
Swimming upstream SALMON…is a unique ray-finned fish. Seems to be always swimming upstream. I’m not a fisherman but many of my friends are. Some go to Alaska and bring back an incredible amount to feast on during the year, even to share with family and friends. There are varying species, freshwater and saltwater (wild and […]
Solution=Dad SOLUTIONS…to today’s complex issues in the world are reasonably simple. Let’s look at a few. Be my guest if you have some also. CRIME—A dad in the home who disciplines out of love for their children; showing right from wrong, consequences of actions, manners, self-control, respect for others’ lives and property. POVERTY—A dad in […]