To the Back of the Line!

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By Alex Rodriguez

The airport in Amsterdam is fairly large. Shawn had flown through it in the past, but it was new to me. As we made our way past the gates, we came to an extremely long line. Two things caught my attention. First, it was really long. Second, it was not a single-file line. It was something like what you would see at the entrance of an amusement park right before the doors opened—just a mass of people stretching back as far as you could see. As we made our way past this line, we wondered what was going on. Looking toward the front of it, we noticed it was a security checkpoint.

Behind the Scenes

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By Jean Boonstra

We are just a few short weeks away from our first Sponsorship weekend of the year, and that means everyone is working full speed ahead to make the event a blessing to those who attend. We started planning this year’s Sponsorship weekends last fall, and we’ve been marking the calendar ever since.

Does the Bible Teach Karma?

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By Shawn Boonstra

What they all have in common is the notion of cause and effect. Right ideas and behavior lead to right consequences, and bad ideas and behavior lead to bad consequences. 

But karma is impersonal—a cosmic principle without a personal face. It's like gravity; it works because it's a law of the cosmos.  

Racism and Police Brutality

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By Alex Rodriguez

As I continued scouring the internet for more information, I learned the special agent was a narcotics officer who was killed during an undercover drug deal gone bad. Instantly, a flood of emotions and memories of when I was a narcotics agent for the TBI rushed through my mind. How many times had I lived through similar scenarios? I vividly recalled a couple such incidents where, if not by the mercies of God, the news headlines would have been about my tragic death. 

11 Verses for the New School Year

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By Jean Boonstra

I love the fall and everything it brings—cooler days, colorful foliage, steady routines and all things pumpkin-flavored! As summer gives way to fall, I reflect on the balance of the year, put my schedule in order and have a second go at all of my New Year's resolutions. Maybe it is the childhood memory of new, unmarked notebooks and still-sharp pencils that still make this time of year feel like a time of beginning—a chance to start over again.  

Hashtag Christianity

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By Shawn Boonstra

One candidate would present a set of ideas for an hour or three, while the audience would listen intently, and then his opponent would present a counterargument for a number of hours as well.  

The Witch of Endor

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By Alex Rodriguez

What would you have done if you were in his shoes? The book of Jonah tells a story of God declaring to Nineveh that they would be destroyed in 40 days. Nowhere in the text does it indicate that they had the option to repent. Clearly God had passed judgment on the wicked city and its destruction was inevitable. Or was it? In response to the startling news, Nineveh’s king did something radical. He stepped off the throne and put on sackcloth and ashes. He then commanded that all in the city do likewise and declared a fast for man and beast. They were not to eat or drink!

Chosen

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By Jean Boonstra

In the midst of another busy summer season, I've been reflecting on a lot of things. Things like my never-shrinking to-do list at work and my weekly inability to plan a meal menu and shopping list instead of creatively "winging it." I've spent many quiet hours in prayer, searching for the answer to the question of where I need to focus my limited time and energy. In the process, I've studied the lives of a few people that I think had a clear focus in life. The first is Elijah.

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