Snapshots and Synapses

How can anyone remain silent after viewing the horrific murder of George Floyd? As I watched the video, I asked myself: How would I respond if I was part of the crowd that was pleading for the police officers to just let him breathe? How would I respond if I find myself in a similar situation? Would I rush the cops? Would I attempt non-violent resistance like Gandhi? Would I conspire with other onlookers to place these rogue cops under citizen’s arrest and hope that somehow that would stick? Would I dial 911 and plead with the dispatcher to help stop the murder? Could I stand by helplessly and watch someone die for no apparent reason?  Conservatives and Liberals can all agree that what happened was wrong… tragic… senseless… reprehensible! It represents what the Black Community has been repeating for years: that America is a racist country. Demonstrations have emerged across our nation, some peaceful and others violent. People who have become frustrated with a system they beli...

My freshman year in high school I was bullied by another guy, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. He would sarcastically make comments about me in mock praise, and at the time, I remember feeling so frustrated. I knew his words were insincere, but I couldn’t confront him directly or call him out on his attacks. I finally figured out that if I “praised” him with equal sarcasm, he would eventually stop.  I feel that same frustration with what has now become an obvious attack against the things I believe. The words are smooth and nice, filled with empty platitudes that everyone should support, but the results and trends are destroying freedom, not just in America, but throughout the world. Sadly, Hitler’s minister of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, was correct when he said that people will believe a lie if repeated often enough. I wonder how many people take the time to look at the facts, both what is known and unknown, and examine what people have to gain from their position. ...

The Lord promised me years ago that He would be my inheritance. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, and I’m still figuring it out. However, I do know that He put me in a position of dependency upon Him and has shown me consistently that He is faithful to provide for my every need. Despite this, I am continuously drawn to the illusions of peace and security. I have walked the dual path of expecting His imminent return while following the command to “build houses… plant gardens… get married…” ( Jeremiah 29:5-7 ) and otherwise live in this world, believing that at some point in my lifetime, the harvest will reach fruition and this age will come to an end. Walking a dual path without being double-minded is a struggle. I am little bit like John the Baptist, who started to doubt if Jesus was the Messiah. In his last days, John sent word to Jesus asking for reassurance. Because of the peril in John’s present circumstances and the gap between his expectations and reality, John ne...

I've procrastinated writing this blog. It's uncomfortable for me to look at myself honestly, write about it and then publish it for the whole world to see. I'd rather portray some nice image of myself, a picture of who I want to be, someone who always gets it right. Historically, we put on our Sunday best image at church, playing the part of the perfect family for a couple hours each week, rather than being honest about our imperfections. And that's what we do on social media, right? So you may be thinking: “Then why do it, Mitch? What’s the purpose? What’s the benefit and the cost?” Yes, my thoughts exactly. Why not portray an image of my best self? It only shows part of the truth. God wants each of us to be authentic and has prompted me to do this… insistently… for several months… with ever-increasing intensity. Yet just as Jonah took a ship in the opposite direction, I’ve set this topic aside repeatedly. Consistently Inconsistent I wrote before that the one...