Devotionals

For a few years I worked as a prison guard for the state Department of Corrections, part of which was at a “super maximum” cell block.  One of the duties of graveyard shift officers was to collect and examine the outgoing mail.  Before sending it on to the post office, two of us were assigned to dump the pile onto a table, arbitrarily count [...]

According to a Pew Research Center poll, anxiety and depression, drug and alcohol addiction, pregnancy and gang affiliation among teenagers can be attributed to “major” peer pressure.  Young people can be subjected to intense pressure to make extremely poor decisions.  While generally associated with teens, peer groups have differing levels of influence on pretty much everyone at every age. If you visit a college [...]

A co-worker once told me an unnerving story about his friend that took an interest in exotic snakes.  The guy decided to purchase a python that was almost as long as him and, after taking it home, allowed it to roam free.  It even slept next to him.  The owner became concerned when the snake became increasingly inactive.  It would lay next to him, [...]

During a conversation with our church’s missionary to Ireland I learned that the recent legislative change to legalize abortion in that country was funded by an American billionaire.  The same man has funneled millions of dollars to multiple states to support the campaigns of those that want to expand abortion rights.  Across the United States he has invested staggering amounts of money into district attorney races [...]

Smell is a powerful sense.  Flowers, coffee, freshly baked bread, light rain, recently mown grass, each one has a distinctive scent that evokes positive emotions.  Smells also connect memories.  In the speed of a sniff an odor can hurtle your mind back to a place you haven’t been decades. Businesses know the impact smell has and they’ve explored ways to harness it.  In the [...]

Late night television is notorious for “infomercials.”  The first ones involved the sale of soap, giving rise to the term “soap opera.”  More famous ones include Snuggie, ShamWoW, the George Foreman Grill or Slap Chop.  But why would anyone watch an extra long commercial?  Well, advertisers know that a promise of results without effort sells.  Looking straight into the camera, fast talking salesmen confidently assert [...]