Illustrations

The great preacher Phillips Brooks is perhaps best known for writing the beloved Christmas song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Brooks also had something to say about Easter. He once wrote an Easter song that includes these words: Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;Death is strong, but Life is stronger;Stronger than the dark, the…

S. Truett Cathy passed away Sept. 8, 2014, at the age of 93. He had lived a remarkable life. He started his professional life at a small café near Atlanta, where he developed a chicken sandwich that became the foundation of his successful restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A. Cathy wrote five books. He won numerous awards and…

During the days of the British Empire, it was said the sun never set on the Union Jack. Because the Union Jack consists of three crosses superimposed one on top of the other, it could be said the sun never set on the cross. It is still true today. The day begins on the Island…

Robert Shannon tells the story of Edwin T. Dahlberg, who was a celebrated Baptist minister in St. Louis, Missouri. Dahlberg said he had an older brother who had the same name as he—a brother who died in infancy. He said that when the baby died, his mother was inconsolable in her grief until she learned…

A.J. McCarron, now a backup quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, had a spectacular college football career, leading Alabama Crimson Tide football to two national titles. It is quite amazing that he is able to play sports at all—or is even alive. When he was 5, he was badly hurt in a jet ski accident. It…

Homer Hickam has an impressive résumé. He served in the Army in Vietnam, where he won a Bronze Star and rose to the rank of Captain. Later, he fulfilled his lifetime ambition to be an aerospace engineer with NASA. He has written over 15 books. One of his books was turned into a popular movie.…

The Ron Chernow biography of Grant has caused a reappraisal of a man whose presidency has been unappreciated. While some of Ulysses S. Grant’s staff were corrupt, he was not and remained popular with the American people. While Grant was a tough general, his campaign motto was, “Let us have peace.” He worked hard to…

Verse three opens with a salutation of grace and peace, a common expression for Paul that functions both as a reminder and as a segue to his prayer. He reminds his audience that God is the source of grace and peace and that they are the recipients of that grace. Grace becomes the great theme…

John Quincy Adams was the son of a president, cabinet member, diplomat, member of Congress, and president himself. He came from a family that held strong anti-slavery views. After his presidential term, he was elected to the House of Representatives. Also in his post-presidency, he took up the case of some African tribal people who…

In the south of Scotland, there is an old legend about a Scottish lord whose daughter fell in love with a man, but the father refused to let them marry. The young man left the area, and the girl became overcome with grief. The father relented and said the man could come home and they…

In a recent Little League tournament game in the Southwest region, a young man named Isaiah Jarvis was hit in the head by a pitch. While his batting helmet protected him from serious injury, it was very painful and scary to all involved. Isaiah stood up and went to first base. He noticed the pitcher,…

Buck O’Neil was recently elected posthumously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He had been a star in the Negro League and was a promoter of the joys of baseball. He never got to play in the major leagues, but he did become the first African-American MLB coach. He appears prominently in the Ken Burns…