Hi. We are the Hoover Church of Christ. What’s your name?

Back in the summer, I heard about a little baby who died after accidentally being left in a sweltering car for three hours. That poor child. And that poor family. I can’t even fathom how overwhelming their grief is, how much guilt they feel, how many tears they’re shedding. It’s a reminder—if we needed one—of how many struggles there are in the world. How many people are suffering? How many tears they’re crying. When’s the last time you wept? It’s…

I was getting off the interstate a while back when I saw a man at the bottom of the exit ramp holding a “NEED FOOD” sign. I’m always stirred by different feelings when I see this—compassion, a bit of guilt, curiosity, shame. Why doesn’t he have food? Should I give him money? But it’s also interesting to recognize that this is the image Jesus used to start the most famous sermon ever preached. Most people in his nation thought the…

Several years ago one of my kids was withdrawn and quiet—a reasonably rare occurrence at our house in those days—so I asked him what was wrong. He hesitated, then with a little prodding told me that it was because I had spoken harshly to him earlier that day. I wish I could say it was a case of childish hypersensitivity on his part, that he was wearing his feelings on his coat sleeves, that he needed to toughen up .…

It was a fog-shrouded morning on July 4, 1952, when Florence Chadwick dove into the chilly waters of the Pacific Ocean. She intended to become the first woman ever to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast, but after she had been swimming for over fifteen hours she became exhausted, cold, and discouraged. She asked her trainers in the boat beside her to take her out of the water. They pleaded with her, telling her they could see the…