In 2013 Pat Hembree took his son Chase to Uganda on a mission trip where the two would work at 15 orphanages. One orphanage in particular gave Pat the feeling that Christ was in this place – so much so he and Chase came home ready to focus their ministry on this specific area of...
I am a proud husband, parent, & pastor. If you share any of these labels, you (like me), have probably asked yourself the question, “where has the time gone?”. I’m not too old to have forgotten begging for time to speed up when I was a child and now it truly seems as though we’re...
As the pastor of my church for almost 30 years and having talked with hundreds of people, the number one comment I hear people say is, “I just want to be happy.” I have seen people try to achieve happiness in so many destructive ways. I have watched many achieve the goals they thought would...
Cathy Ray grew up in the small town of Fulton, Kentucky. She was the baby of 11 children in a blended family. Her Dad was a mechanic who never finished school, and her mom was a faithful woman. Cathy loved her parents greatly! Cathy grew up very poor and was determined to get an education...
As we turn into summer, for many the most awaited time of the year, many seek and try to find what society cherishes the most, Freedom. Freedom is a topic of priority today and has been for millennia. Men and women alike treasure freedom as a treasure in their lives. We celebrate the 4th of...
Spring brings a sense of vibrancy and newness as temperatures rise, flowers bloom, and (of course) pollen drapes everything. For Christians, spring brings a reminder that our daily hope in every season is anchored, not in a refreshed natural landscape, but in Jesus Christ who makes believers a new creation through faith in Him. ...
In the process of building financial portfolios, where and how we invest our resources is of great importance. If one is to gain dividends, wise investments are crucial. One thing is sure: if there is no investment, then any potential gains never exist. The risk-reward determination has to be made for a confident commitment to...
Love is a funny concept. In our culture, we say we love everything, from sports and food to our spouses and kids. I was browsing through a student’s Instagram page and noticed something strange in their bio. Under their profile picture, they had four emojis listed in this order: a heart, a cross, a taco,...
One of my favorite Greek words is kairos. It means the opportune moment or the ultimate moment. The English translation of this word is “opportunity.” Maybe you are unfamiliar with the word kairos, but you may be familiar with another Greek word: chronos, which refers to a broader span of time. This is where we...
You know that person who always seems to be “name-dropping” as if they really know important or famous people? If I was honest, I’m probably guilty of name-dropping too! The truth is we may know about the person, but we don’t really know them. We love to claim the association. We can act the...