It's the most important question you'll ever ask yourself. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? It's a two-thousand-year-old question, and it started with the people of Israel when Jesus lived here on earth. In those brief three years of Jesus' public ministry, God led many to quickly recognize Jesus' true identity. When Jesus came to the…
It's August, so it's county fair season in the American Great Plains. My three-year-old grandson had never been to the fair, so on what must have been the hottest evening of the year, we shepherded our novice fair-goer through the animal barns at the Johnson County Fair in Gardner, Kansas. First, the chickens. The chickens…
It's the second most common full name in all of the United States. And it's mine. According to Ancestry.com, "Michael Smith" is the second most common name in America, behind only "James Smith" (and not far behind). I tell those whom I meet that they’re lucky if they only know three of us, as some…
My guest blogger kicking off the new year is my youngest daughter, Lauren Drapal. She’s our brain injury survivor. She’s also a successful hairdresser in Kansas City - check out her Instagram @hairlikeaqueen. But first and foremost, she loves Jesus. And she’s a pretty good writer, too. She doesn’t have a blog, but posted this…
So you've heard the Apostle Paul's admonition to take your thoughts captive. And you've also heard the world's siren call to let your thoughts run free, and do whatever you want. So why should you choose to bring your thought life in line with God’s Word? It’s simply this: Because God’s Son came to Earth…
What do you think about? When you're alone, no TV, no work, no friends, no Internet, what occupies your mind? The Apostle Paul had a lot to say about thinking. And perhaps one reason that Paul's "thoughts on thoughts" speak so loudly to today's Christian is that he so well anticipated the issues of our…
It's the most important question you'll ever ask yourself. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? It's a two-thousand-year-old question, and it started with the people of Israel when Jesus lived here on earth. In those brief three years of Jesus' public ministry, God led many to quickly recognize Jesus' true identity. When Jesus came to the…
Epiphany. That's a big word. How about "an a-ha moment?" Whatever you call it, that's what I experienced the day it dawned on me that the Old Testament was all about Jesus. All of the old stories were no longer just allegorical tales about good people. Those stories became signposts, markers that point to Jerusalem,…
I'm thankful every minute of my life that Jesus died for me on that cross. I know that if God had chosen, he could have punished me for my sins instead of punishing Jesus. But Christ's atoning death satisfied my sin debt, and the debt of everyone else in the world who believes in Him. Because…
Here’s to the makers of American decorative signs, who express complete thoughts of wit, humor, and inspiration in the smallest possible spaces. Finally, someone really gets me. Don’t ask me how few. Here, have some more potato salad... ‘Nuff said there. Just ask my 14-week old puppy! And speaking of the pup, here she is!…
Mike G. Smith 