Choices

Dose of Truth Choices Columnist Bill Crowder wrote in a recent “Our Daily Bread” devotional that according to the Daily Mirror, a British newspaper, the average person makes an astonishing

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Burgers to blessings

Dose of Truth Burgers to blessings Ray Kroc was an incredibly successful entrepreneur. The 52-year-old believed he had discovered a gold mine when he entered Richard and Maurice’s restaurant in

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Has stealing become the new norm?

Dose of Truth Has stealing become the new norm? If you are like me, you are getting used to using self-check-out lines when you shop. Stores which hire fewer cashiers

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Love is kind

Dose of Truth Love is kind Love is kind I recently listened to Carol Burnett read her autobiography, “This Time Together.” The star’s story is both entertaining and inspiring. Since

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Better together

Dose of Truth Better together Sometimes a single word can bring a thousand memories to mind, words like: “Mom,” “Dad” or “Sweetheart.” Some names from the Bible are like that.

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Hearing God’s voice

Dose of Truth Hearing God’s voice My friend, Bob Johnston, was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Rolla for over 30 years. He recently retired, but since then has

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Dangerous up and down

Dose of Truth Dangerous up and down A few years ago, I read an “Our Daily Bread” devotional by Mike Wittmer about a mountain climber who reached the summit of

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Commitment to a higher purpose

Dose of Truth Commitment to a higher purpose Each Christmas someone in my family gives me a book they know I will use for future columns. This year my wife,

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God can bring good from bad

Dose of Truth God can bring good from bad Tim Richards I recently finished, “Before We Were Yours,” a fascinating novel by Lisa Wingate. Her book tells the story of

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A fresh start

Dose of Truth A fresh start Tim Richards Those who read my last column may remember I wrote about Michael and Matthew Clark; two brothers with leukodystrophy, a fatal disease

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Achieving maturity

Dose of Truth Achieving maturity Tim Richards Yahoo published a fascinating article in 2012 about two brothers living in England. In 2006, Michael and Matthew Clark were living normal lives.

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God never forgets, Fear not!

Dose of Truth God never forgets Tim Richards Each year thousands of people who are not typical ballet fans watch the “Nutcracker,” the  most popular ballet in the U.S. It

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The power of love

Dose of Truth The power of love Tim Richards First-lady Roselynn Carter passed away on Nov. 19, 2023. Her death and thinking about her family’s contributions to our country prompted

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The Lord is my shepherd

Dose of Truth The Lord is my shepherd Tim Richards The twenty-third Psalm is one of the most famous passages in the Bible. Part of what makes the ancient psalm

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Loneliness

Dose of Truth Loneliness Tim Richards In Sam Kim’s excellent book, “A Holy Haunting,” the author referenced a recent national survey released by Cigna, a global health service company, which

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Well done

Dose of Truth Well done Tim Richards Many years ago, I read best-selling author John Maxwell’s fascinating book, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.” Maxwell told a dramatic story about

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We need God

Dose of Truth We need God Tim Richards If watching world news these days makes you nervous you are far from alone. It is also genuinely concerning for many powerful

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God can use you

Dose of Truth God can use you Tim Richards When a mother who had taken cocaine and oxycodone during her pregnancy gave birth in May 2001, her baby boy was

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Second chances

Dose of Truth Second chances Tim Richards I once read about a man whose name was mistakenly included in the obituary column of his local newspaper. The notice that he

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Don’t forget to do good

Dose of Truth Don’t forget to do good Tim Richards Larry Davies and I are friends though we have never met nor spoken by phone. We have read each other’s

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The surprising power of kindness

Dose of Truth The surprising power of kindness Tim Richards Jimmy Abbott was born Sept. 19, 1967, without a right hand. When he started school his classmates teased him mercilessly.

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‘My Jesus I Love Thee’

Dose of Truth ‘My Jesus I Love Thee’ Tim Richards William Featherston was born in Montreal Canada in 1846. He would die there when he was only 26. His life

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Life is short

Dose of Truth Life is short Tim Richards The boy was barely a year old when the atomic bomb dropped just 100 miles from his home. Six years later during

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Being a hero by serving 

Dose of Truth Being a hero by serving  Tim Richards My niece, Jennie Randolph, was honored on August 17 as the Daily American Republic (DAR) 2023 Difference Maker of the

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God loves us unconditionally

Dose of Truth God loves us unconditionally Tim Richards I love the parables found in scripture. Jesus often used these fictional stories to teach spiritual truth in unorthodox ways. While

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The amazing power of teamwork

Dose of Truth The amazing power of teamwork Tim Richards A couple of weeks ago I was privileged to serve as the photographer for the “Joni and Friends Missouri Family

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Helping others Five-year-old Beth Usher experienced up to 100 seizures every day. She often injured herself when she fell during one of her seizures. When her mother needed to shower or get dressed, she would prop up Beth on soft pillows to watch “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.” Beth believed Mister Rogers was her friend. Interestingly, she never had a seizure while watching the show. Neurologists eventually diagnosed her with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis, a rare brain disease which slowly killed cells on the left side of her brain. The only cure was an operation which would remove half her brain. Beth’s mother called the studio where Fred Rogers filmed his show explaining Beth’s condition. She told them her daughter had no seizures when watching the show and believed Mister Rogers was speaking directly to her. She hoped her daughter might receive an autographed picture or encouraging note. The week before her surgery, Mister Rogers himself called. He asked if he could speak to Beth about her upcoming procedure. During the conversation she admitted she was scared but wanted her seizures to stop. In a nearly hour-long conversation Beth told him things she could not say to her parents. Following surgery her neurosurgeon explained it had gone well. However, later that evening her brain stem swelled, and Beth slipped into a deep coma. Soon afterwards her frightened parents received a phone call from Mister Rogers. He did more than listen, he also prayed with them. Beth’s family had not realized the well-known children’s entertainer was also a minister. Every day for two weeks, Mister Rogers called to check on Beth and pray with her mother. One morning he asked if he could visit the following afternoon. Her mother explained she was still in a coma and would not know he was there. Never-the-less, Mister Rogers flew from Philadelphia to Baltimore to visit. He asked her mother not to tell anyone because he did not want the press to be there. Several days later the child regained consciousness. Years later Beth described Mister Roger’s visit this way, “I’d love to end this story by telling you that right there and then I emerged from my coma but… what I can tell you though is that Mister Rogers became my real friend and… we remained close… for the following 20 years until his death on Feb. 27, 2003.” This story illustrates why Fred Rogers is so admired 20 years after his death. He may have been a well-known celebrity, but the man practiced his faith by serving others. Jesus challenges us to live the same way. “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” (Matthew 20:26-27, NLT) Those who live the way Jesus challenges us to live are like Mister Rogers, they help others and make our world a more positive place.

Dose of Truth Helping others Tim Richards Five-year-old Beth Usher experienced up to 100 seizures every day. She often injured herself when she fell during one of her seizures. When

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Honoring the overlooked

Dose of Truth Honoring the overlooked Tim Richards Far too often those who work behind the scenes are either ignored or viewed as less valuable than their upfront counterparts. This

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Grandchildren

Dose of Truth Grandchildren Tim Richards As my wife and I approach the first birthday of our first grandchild I have been thinking about my first year as a grandparent.

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Do your best each day

Dose of Truth Do your best each day Tim Richards Most of you who read my weekly columns do not know that my friend David Shaw helps me edit each

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Finding hope

Dose of Truth Finding hope Tim Richards Stories are one of the most powerful tools speakers have at their disposal. As a pastor I have used them for over 40

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God knows

Dose of Truth God knows Tim Richards In 1994, the FBI arrested Aldrich Ames for espionage. He was a CIA agent for 30 years; during nine of those he sold

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What America needs

Dose of Truth What America needs Tim Richards This week our country celebrates its 247th birthday. While Americans enjoy the freedoms our constitution affords us, America has become an increasingly

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God loves us as we are

Dose of Truth God loves us as we are Tim Richards Charlotte Elliot, born in 1789, grew up in the home of a minister in Brighton, England. She was a

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Gratitude is an attitude

Dose of Truth Gratitude is an attitude Tim Richards Over the course of many years, James Banks has had many devotionals in “Our Daily Bread.” In his devotional on Jan.

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Jesus loves you

Dose of Truth Jesus loves you Tim Richards For over 2,000 years the life of Jesus has fascinated millions. Even many who do not follow the teachings of Jesus are

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Sharing our blessings

Dose of Truth Sharing our blessings Tim Richards Each morning on his way to work, Glen went through the drive-through of a local coffee shop to order a coffee for

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A case for faith

Dose of Truth A case for faith Tim Richards Lee Strobel’s journey to faith was long and difficult. The former atheist was an award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune

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Consistent faithfulness

Dose of Truth Consistent faithfulness Tim Richards I enjoyed reading about young Nelson Bell in the Oct. 28, 2022, “Our Daily Bread.” Devotional writer Karen Huang described how Bell graduated

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Acknowledging failure

Dose of Truth Acknowledging failure Tim Richards Few outside the ranks of historians know much about President James Garfield and for good reason; our 20th president was elected on March

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Serving others

Dose of Truth Serving others Tim Richards All of us have read an inspirational story which made us smile, however, occasionally, a friend plays a significant role in one of

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An unexpected lesson from Einstein

Dose of Truth An unexpected lesson from Einstein Tim Richards I have always been fascinated by physicist Albert Einstein. His intellect is certainly amazing, but I also admire his search

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Hope

Dose of Truth Hope Tim Richards In “The Jesus I Never Knew,” award-winning author Philip Yancey examines the story of Jesus’ resurrection. He says those who reject the resurrection usually

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Overcoming loneliness

Dose of Truth Overcoming loneliness Tim Richards Last November an article from Michigan State University addressed the devastating impact of rampant loneliness in the United States. It spoke of a

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Revival at Asbury

Dose of Truth Revival at Asbury Tim Richards Did you hear about the recent Asbury revival? Continuous revival services began at Asbury University, in Wilmore, Ky., on Feb. 8, 2023.

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Surprising endings

Dose of Truth Surprising endings Tim Richards For many years country music fans have enjoyed the beautiful harmonies of the hit, “Song of the South.” It was written by Bob

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Amazing kindness

Dose of Truth Amazing kindness Tim Richards While I like sports, I have many friends who love them. Sportsmanship is important in the world of sports. The Merriam Webster’s Intermediate

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Make pleasing god your priority

Dose of Truth Make pleasing god your priority Tim Richards I decided to use the story of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler in a weekly column during Black History Month after

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Healthy marriages

Dose of Truth Healthy marriages Tim Richards Like most of you, I watched Sunday’s Super Bowl along with an estimated 150 million viewers, but the night before I attended our

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Sacrificial love

Dose of Truth Sacrificial love Tim Richards Eighty years ago, Feb. 3, 1943, on a frigid night in the North Atlantic, a German torpedo struck the SS Dorchester, creating a

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The limits of knowledge

Dose of Truth The limits of knowledge Tim Richards All of us have heard the statement, “knowledge is power.” I have a question, is this true? Nearly everyone recognizes there

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God’s help to overcome stress

Dose of Truth God’s help to overcome stress Tim Richards The Penn State Nittany Lions played the Memphis Tigers in the 2019 Cotton Bowl. Penn State’s running back, Journey Brown,

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Don’t give up

Dose of Truth Don’t give up Tim Richards Many people have heard the story found in Matthew 14 of Jesus walking on water. Most probably also know how Jesus told

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Leading by serving

Dose of Truth Leading by serving Tim Richards Few today know much about our 22nd and 24th president, Grover Cleveland. He was financially conservative in some areas while liberal in

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Wise words

Dose of Truth Wise words Tim Richards As we begin 2023, most of us are looking for ways to gain fresh perspective. Perhaps some of you read the recent Reader’s

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The power of kindness

Dose of Truth The power of kindness Tim Richards Most of us put a great deal of time and energy into preparing for Christmas. While New Year’s Day is seven

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Why Jesus came

Dose of Truth Why Jesus came Tim Richards According to a 2022 nerdwallet.com article, 84% of Americans buy Christmas gifts for friends and family. Another survey on YouGovAmerica.com reported in

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For you

Dose of Truth For you Tim Richards I subscribe to the 1440 Daily Digest, a politically balanced synopsis of each day’s top news stories. This news organization feels the citizens

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God is personal

Dose of Truth God is personal Tim Richards If you pay close attention, you may be aware advertisers monitor our online habits and create personalized ads that correspond to our

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Wisdom

Dose of Truth Wisdom Tim Richards Everyone knows our national government spends a lot of money. The federal budget for 2022 is $6.011 trillion. To determine how much money the

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Thanksgiving

Dose of Truth Thanksgiving Tim Richards Even if your family does not consistently pray before meals, surveys show more than half of U.S. families say grace before enjoying their annual

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The power of godly habits

Dose of Truth The power of godly habits Tim Richards I am currently reading Drew Dyck’s intriguing book, “Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets to Self-Control from the Bible

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Embracing change

Dose of Truth Embracing change Tim Richards The Bible contains many fascinating stories from Jesus’ remarkable life. One of the most interesting is in John 5:1-15. It tells the story

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God’s surprising angels

Dose of Truth God’s surprising angels Tim Richards I read Lisa’s story in the Oct. 4, 2020, Our Daily Bread devotional. Lisa did not know what to make of the

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An amazing answer to prayer

Dose of Truth An amazing answer to prayer Tim Richards I recently had the privilege of attending the 2022 Legacy Grandparenting Summit, which our church helped sponsor in St. Louis.

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Are you looking?

Dose of Truth Are you looking? Tim Richards Even if you are not a country music fan, you have probably heard Trace Adkin’s 2008 hit, “You’re Gonna Miss This.” The

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Persistence

Dose of Truth Persistence Tim Richards In 1954, Life magazine published a critical exposé of American education which captured the public’s attention. It focused on how grade-school students were falling

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Living for the Glory of God

Dose of Truth Living for the glory of God Tim Richards One of my favorite movies is the 1981 classic, “Chariots of Fire,” which tells the stories of two British

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God’s grace changes lives

Dose of Truth God’s grace changes lives Tim Richards John Newton was born in 1725. On Sept. 3, 2020, my favorite blogger, Jim Denison, wrote about an event which occurred

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New beginnings

Dose of Truth New beginnings Tim Richards In the late 1890s, Swedish Christian, Eric Lund felt God was leading him to become a missionary to Spain. He soon left Sweden

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My new grandson

Dose of Truth My new grandson Tim Richards My oldest nephew celebrated his 32nd birthday on Sept. 2. He was born on Labor Day in 1990. I still remember how

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Life is short

Dose of Truth Life is short Tim Richards Leo Tolstoy, one of Russia’s greatest authors, once penned the story of a young Russian farmer who inherited his father’s small farm.

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Offering forgiveness

Dose of Truth Offering forgiveness Tim Richards I quickly knew when I began reading, “Forgiving My Father,” by M. William Lensch in the February 2018 issue of Reader’s Digest that

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We have a lot to learn

Dose of Truth We have a lot to learn Tim Richards The Washington Post recently featured an article by John Greer and Mary Catherine Sullivan entitled, “How Politically Divided is

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Remembering Andrew

Dose of Truth Remembering Andrew Tim Richards Several years ago, I did a sermon series on the twelve. I found it interesting that Jesus called both Simon Peter and Andrew

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‘Precious Lord Take My Hand’

Dose of Truth ‘Precious Lord Take My Hand’ Tim Richards Thomas Dorsey, born in 1899, was the son of a Baptist minister and a piano teacher. His life’s work would

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Making a difference

Dose of Truth Making a difference Tim Richards Homelessness among our children is a tragedy, unfortunately, it is not a new problem. In 1850 New York City had nearly 30,000

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Active or passive?

Dose of Truth Active or passive? Tim Richards Sheridan Voysey’s July 23, 2022, Our Daily Bread Devotional caught my attention when he wrote about an animal of which I had

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Focus on faithfulness

Dose of Truth Focus on faithfulness Tim Richards In his book, “Holy Sweat,” author Tim Hansel tells the story of Clarence Jordan, a man with unusual talent and a total

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Money

Dose of Truth Money Tim Richards Catchy quotes often offer helpful perspective. A famous rich man once said, “Whoever says money can’t buy happiness doesn’t know where to shop.” However,

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Difficult moments

Dose of Truth Difficult moments Tim Richards I am a big fan of author Robert Fulghum and have read most of his books. I am always fascinated by how he

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Do more than talk…

Dose of Truth Do more than talk… Tim Richards Several years ago, my children gave me a book of presidential quotes for Father’s Day. As we prepare to celebrate Independence

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Jesus definition of greatness

Dose of Truth Jesus definition of greatness Tim Richards Tony Campolo is someone who consistently impresses me with his ability to see lessons in life which others typically miss. He

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Grace offers each of us hope

Dose of Truth Grace offers each of us hope Tim Richards Hubert Humphrey’s funeral was held on Jan. 16, 1978. Newsweek Magazine carried the story of the former vice-president’s memorial

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Murder

Dose of Truth Murder Tim Richards The former Chief Justice of the South Carolina Court of Appeals, Alexander Sanders, told the following story about his daughter Zoe. The judge came

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Prayer

Dose of Truth Prayer Tim Richards Philip Yancey’s excellent book, “Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference,” begins with a story from the author’s November 2002 visit to St. Petersburg, Russia.

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Committed to truth and tolerance

Dose of Truth Committed to truth and tolerance Tim Richards Contemporary society has made the word “truth” unpopular and has replaced it with another virtue that has become more highly

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Trust God to help you thrive

Dose of Truth Trust God to help you thrive Tim Richards In recent weeks I have been teaching a class based on Hal Seed and Dan Grider’s fascinating book, “The

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God cares about you

Dose of Truth God cares about you Tim Richards For as long as I can remember I have been a fan of an influential man whom I knew I would

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The importance of your name

Dose of Truth The importance of your name Tim Richards Although the name “Tim” is common in the English language, it catches my attention the moment I hear anyone say

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A holiday worth celebrating

Dose of Truth A holiday worth celebrating Tim Richards Jesus’ trial before the Roman governor, Pilate, in John 18 is fascinating. Pilate’s primary concern was the political threat Jesus might

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God’s love

Dose of Truth God’s love Tim Richards Earlier this year in my men’s group at church, we read James Bryan Smith’s excellent book, “The Good and Beautiful God.” It was

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Jesus’ countercultural perspective

Dose of Truth Jesus’ countercultural perspective Tim Richards The world’s most famous sermon was preached by Jesus; it is commonly called, The Sermon on the Mount. The best-known part of

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God is at work

Dose of Truth God is at work Tim Richards Each Christmas our church has a massive drive to fill shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse to distribute to children around the world.

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Responding to Ukraine

Dose of Truth Responding to Ukraine Tim Richards All of us have been touched by the tragic stories coming out of Ukraine. It is heartbreaking to watch the daily horror

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Blessed to be a blessing

Dose of Truth Blessed to be a blessing Tim Richards Dr. Jim Denison, in his Oct. 15, 2020, Daily Article, shared something a colleague told him several years ago. His

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A life well lived

Dose of Truth A life well lived Tim Richards If you follow men’s college basketball you know we are a mere two weeks from the start of March Madness, when

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We need God’s help

Dose of Truth We need God’s help Tim Richards Over the last few years Americans have become increasingly polarized about politics. With that in mind I try to avoid writing

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The people God uses

Dose of Truth The people God uses Tim Richards The Hebrew word, “Lemuel” means “devoted to God.” Lemuel Haynes took the meaning of his name as his personal calling and

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Jesus on divorce

Dose of Truth Jesus on divorce Tim Richards My church is starting a support group for hurting people whose marriages have been shattered by divorce. I recently learned another disturbing

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The surprising power of confession

Dose of Truth The surprising power of confession Tim Richards Several months ago my friend who helps edit my columns, sent me the link to an article Barton Goldsmith wrote

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Stay alert

Dose of Truth Stay alert Tim Richards Occasionally I hear a story which makes me simultaneously smile and shudder. One I recently read in the “Our Daily Bread” devotional for

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We need each other

Dose of Truth We need each other Tim Richards We live in a world which increasingly emphasizes our individuality. While personal rights are important, when taken to an extreme, they

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We could never imagine

Dose of Truth We could never imagine Tim Richards Future President Ronald Reagan starred in the 1939 Warner Brother’s film, “Code of the Secret Service.” He played the role of

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A remarkable partnership

Dose of Truth A remarkable partnership Tim Richards I consider Bob Johnston one of my mentors. In my early 30s, Bob had a little more experience but a lot more

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The hope of Christmas

Dose of Truth The hope of Christmas Tim Richards Many of us have left a door open at some point in our childhood only to have our mothers ask, “Were

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Living with purpose

Dose of Truth Living with purpose Tim Richards Some of you may have noticed my column did not appear in your newspaper in last week. (The Sentinel ran a previous

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An attitude of gratitude

Dose of Truth An attitude of gratitude Tim Richards An attitude of gratitude One of the challenges pastors and writers face is dealing with important topics like thankfulness every year.

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15 years

Dose of Truth 15 years Tim Richards As I write these words I am sitting alone in my in-laws’ living room reflecting on my blessings. I feel happy and content

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The power of proper perspective

Dose of Truth The power of proper perspective Tim Richards I recently began a sermon with this story told by author Randy Alcorn but in that sermon shared only the

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Grief and hope

Dose of Truth Grief and hope Tim Richards In the March 7, 2018, edition of the devotional guide, “Our Daily Bread,” Cindy Hess Kasper described the routine she and granddaughter

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The power of a kind heart

Dose of Truth The power of a kind heart Tim Richards In a recent national poll 81% of Americans believe life after COVID-19 will not return to normal anytime soon.

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Making a positive difference

Dose of Truth Making a positive difference Tim Richards What do Elinor Donahue, who achieved national fame as Betty Anderson in the 1950s sitcom, Father Knows Best, and 66-year-old actor

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Off our map

Dose of Truth Off our map Tim Richards About a year ago my oldest daughter, Johanna, gave me the fascinating book, “Canoeing the Mountains” by Tod Bolsinger, in which the

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Give 100%

Dose of Truth Give 100% Tim Richards I fear we often pay too much attention to professional athletes. While some serve as remarkable role models, many despite fantastic athletic ability

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God loves to help

DOSE OF TRUTH God loves to help Tim Richards Later this year I will celebrate 40 years as a pastor. Most of what I have observed during my years of

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Dose of Truth: Perspective

Dose of Truth Perspective Tim Richards All of us occasionally fall into the trap of viewing important things as if they are insignificant. At other times we make the opposite

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