Truths You Can Use

In less than a month, Jews around the world will set down for a special meal known as a Passover Seder. Begun more than 3000 years ago, as the Jewish people prepared to leave Egypt, the Seder is one of history’s most ancient continuous religious rituals. Its story and symbolism have influenced Christianity as well.…

The Catholic Church is at a pivotal crossroads. Many are still processing the events of the past three weeks. For the first time in 600 years, a Pope resigned. Then just a few days before the Conclave to elect the next Pope, a Cardinal withdrew because of sexual abuse charges. These events come on the…

When meeting with couples I am preparing to marry, I often share with them a nugget of wisdom: “The little things are the big things.” In other words, in sustaining a marriage, the daily acts we do make the greatest difference. It’s not how big or beautiful the wedding is. It’s how we express our…

Sometimes the Bible is startlingly relevant. In a recent podcast, writer and blogger Michael Hyatt pointed out the practical wisdom shared in the 18th chapter of Exodus, where Moses receives instruction from his father-in-law Jethro. Let us recall the context: Moses had led the people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. Since then,…

A new video is causing a sensation in the Jewish community. Rather than send out a traditional save-the-date card for his Bar Mitzvah (Jewish coming of age ceremony), 12-year-old Daniel Blumen decided to create a rap video. Weaving in various celebrities and political officials, the video highlights the meaning of his ceremony and his hometown…

On Wednesday Quarterback Tim Tebow cancelled an upcoming appearance at a Dallas Megachurch. The church’s controversial teachings and pastor Robert Jeffers seem to be the reason. Jeffers has spoken out vociferously against homosexuality, Islam and Mormonism. Has Politics Taken Over While I oppose Jeffers’ teachings, we all lose when religion becomes a political lightening rod.…

Do you believe in miracles? I believe in miracles of hope and of change. Miracles of character and of action. Miracles of transformation when we discover something inside of us we did not know we had. We witness this type of miracle in the story of the Jewish holiday of Purim. In a seminal scene, Queen…

Purim is not the Jewish Halloween. This is a common misconception because Purim does involve dressing up. Yet, it is not only a fun-filled holiday. It actually teaches profound lesson. One of them can be found through an exercise in Jewish numerology. A Secret Message in the Numbers Numbers have great importance in Judaism. Seven…

A story is told about a rabbi who always saw a member of his conregation running down the street. Every day, the man kept running without missing a beat. One day, the rabbi stopped him and said, “Why are you always in a hurry?” The man replied, “I’m running to make a living.” The rabbi…

One of the Bible’s central themes is the relationship between God and human beings. In particular, the text explores the way we communicate with God. The conventional term for this type of communication is prayer. It can take many forms and languages. What they all share is the desire to lift our words and thoughts…

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