I get this question a lot. Does God not heal the addict completely? Am I doing Him a disservice by bringing up that old stuff all of the time. I got an email today just as I was getting ready to write. Never one to waste effort (translate that..lazy) I decided to kill two birds… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Branches Blog
John 3: It’s Hard (and Easy)
Nighttime visitors are always a concern. Are they there because they are in trouble? Are they there to cause you trouble? What brings them out at such an inconvenient hour? When Doris and I were youth pastors living in a mobile home on the parking lot of the church in Augusta, Georgia, we had a… Continue Reading
Empty Pots and Perfect Joy
The morning sun rises hot but beautiful over the good-sized village of Nazareth. The whole town wakes up in celebration and anticipation of the day ahead. Nowhere is that excitement more vibrant than in the two homes of two young people, Benjamin & Sarai. Today is their wedding day. Their fathers have been friends since… Continue Reading
New Years Step 1
We are two weeks into the New Year. For most of us the holiday weariness is just passing and we are starting to get our traction again for the winter days ahead. Maybe we are reevaluating our New Year’s resolutions or 2013 goals. I was going to read through the Bible this year but I’m… Continue Reading
John 1: I Love You!
(This is a VERY long blog. Last week we began a Sunday night worshio/Bible study in Lebanon at Bates Ford. It was really neat. This is the message from that. Each week we are taking a story from the Gospel of John. I don’t know that I’ll post each week because they are long but… Continue Reading
Timing and Mr. Tumbles
Mr. Tumbles is my little hideaway cabin in the woods of Tennessee. It’s not much to look at and pretty austere on the inside. There are bunkbeds, a propane heater (nice to have), a tiny bathroom (even nicer), a kitchen area with a little gas stove, and a bookcase full of some of my favorite… Continue Reading
Merry Christmas From Mike and Doris
Customize a free photo slideshow Continue Reading
Regifting
We have a new word that a few years ago did not exist, regifting. It is the act of taking a gift given you and giving it to someone else as if you chose it especially for them. A number of years ago Doris was in a panic on her way out the door to… Continue Reading
Mary Did You Know?
As an evangelical protestant I am never quite sure what to do with the Virgin Mary, even at this time of the year when her story is so much at the center of our story. Oh, I have a great appreciation for her. I have even added praying the Rosary to my personal spiritual… Continue Reading
Maintaining Your SPIRITUAL Diet
It is a universal complaint, at least in our opulent, obese, western culture. “I was doing pretty well on my diet and then the holidays hit.” Or, “I lost 12 pounds this year and gained them all back between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.” A similar, though reverse-image difficulty is often found in our spiritual walk… Continue Reading