Blog

This week I went with Camilla for a checkup on her pregnancy. She is 33 weeks along, and baby Theodore is starting to get really big! He is already about 5 and a half pounds! I got to feel him move for the first time. He was having a case of the hiccups, which is normal, and Camilla put my … Read More

Have you been to a funeral that was a joyous celebration of life? A funeral where people look back at the life of someone else and just want to shout “well done!”? As a pastor, I’ve had the privilege of officiating many of these. Faithful men and women who made an impact on the people around them for good, who … Read More

 Have you ever taken “the fall” for someone else? When you receive the punishment that somebody else deserves? Perhaps you saw a friend in need of help and you stepped up to pay the bill. You have to really care about someone to take their debt on your shoulders. When we see someone stand in the gap for another … Read More

When was the last time you were surprised? When something unexpected, or unanticipated happened in your life. Something happened recently in the Rice household took me by complete surprise. It seems like overnight, our little 2-year-old, Matthew, turned into a complete chatterbox. It is fascinating to watch children grow. They start off as these little things that are completely helpless, … Read More

How do you know you can trust someone? This is a very important question in this day and age- where promises are continually being made and broken. Which politicians do we trust, or is that even possible? What sources of news are reliable? Which brands do we feel will get the job done for us and our families? Who do … Read More

  What comes to your mind when the word ‘eschatology’ is mentioned? Some of you may be thinking “whaaat in the world is that?” Or you may have heard the term and you think you know what it means, but aren’t totally sure. Simply put, it is the study of the end times. Now cue the images of modern-day prophets … Read More

I went to the San Diego Zoo a few years ago with my family, and it was an amazing experience. My parents have been long-time supporters of the zoo, and we got to go behind the scenes and see some animals up close and personal. One experience that I’ll never forget was going to see the lions in their holding … Read More

Have you ever heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? I first heard this saying several years back, and found it to be catchy. It actually makes a lot of sense. Do you know where the quote came from? An alcoholics anonymous group in the early 80s. Now … Read More

In October of 2016, American Presbyterian pastor Andrew Brunson and his wife were snatched up by Turkish authorities on charges of inciting rebellion against the state. They had been faithfully serving as leaders of a small congregation of about 24 for 20 years. In this time, they were active in sharing the Gospel and helping refugees, including the Kurds, who … Read More

I remember vividly one morning when I was in college and I was walking up the sidewalk on my way to class. It was a clear, brisk Kansas morning, and I had my swimming parka on. My mind was flooded with things college students typically think about- all the things that I needed to do, balancing schoolwork and relationships, and … Read More