by Roger Ross | Dec 19, 2024 | Blog
Would you want this for Christmas? Ralphie didn’t either. His Aunt’s idea of a perfect gift didn’t exactly match his idea. In the classic movie, A Christmas Story, Ralphie has his heart set on a Red Ryder BB gun. But when he mentions it at the dinner table, his...
by Roger Ross | Dec 13, 2024 | Blog
What is Christmas about, really? Before there were big box stores and little boutiques, before big budget advertising and blow out sales, before Christmas was for retailers to finish in the black…it was just about a baby born in a manger to change the world. To...
by Roger Ross | Dec 6, 2024 | Blog, Calling, Quitting
It was a confession, really. A long-time pastor friend sent an email saying, “This last year has been my hardest ministry year ever. I’ve asked my wife if I have any other marketable skills. I’m thinking of applying to the new Walmart.” I know a lot of pastors who...
by Roger Ross | Nov 29, 2024 | Blog
It’s begun. The official Christmas shopping season is off and running. Awhile back, I rewrote a familiar poem for us all. Enjoy. ‘Twas the night before Black Friday, when all through the house Some creatures were plotting, “How ‘bout a blouse?” The Ads were...
by Roger Ross | Nov 22, 2024 | Blog
Ever felt like quitting? In my sophomore year of college, I went through the most emotionally painful break up of my life. I had fallen head over heels for a girl and thought she might be “the one.” Suddenly, she started dating another guy and dumped me. I fell...
by Roger Ross | Nov 15, 2024 | Blog
When our kids were young, one of the games they loved to play was hide and seek. They especially liked it when Daddy counted and they got to hide. At age 4, our daughter, Janie, had her own twist on the game. I would go into a room and say, “Where is Janie? I wonder...
by Roger Ross | Nov 8, 2024 | Blog, Courage, Faith, Fear
A while back someone asked me, “If you could do anything God wanted you to do, and you were guaranteed it would not fail, what would you do?” After offering my answer, the person replied, “Then why aren’t you doing it?” We all know why. Because there is no guarantee...
by Roger Ross | Nov 1, 2024 | Abide, Blog, Spiritual Discipline
“Wait. You mean, he said he would do this and then he blew it off at the last minute because it might not make him look good?” “Oh, I see. She never intended to follow through on that commitment. She just said that to get us to do what she wanted.” We’ve all been on...
by Roger Ross | Oct 25, 2024 | Blog
There is a debate going on right now in our culture and the church about the value of a person’s character. A popular view contends that it simply doesn’t matter who a person is. What we say or do in our personal life is of no consequence. All that matters is our...
by Roger Ross | Oct 18, 2024 | Blog
One-by-one, they randomly stopped by to talk. In each case, friendly banter gave way to the real reason for their visit – a big decision weighed on their hearts. After laying out the options, every conversation came to a standstill. Answers refused to emerge. In sheer...
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