We've all had doubts about God from time to time. Situations when broken people and systems impact our lives in a way that challenges our concept of God.

Returning to his ministry base in Capernaum, Jesus' encounter with the Roman centurion stands out for the lesson we learn when secular meets sacred.

A few years back, a tornado coursed within a mile of our house, lifting roofs off of places and causing millions of dollars in property damage. While the damage was extensive, the twister failed to move a single home off its foundation.

Conversations with a growing number of people reveal a common concern. There's a feeling that something is not right in the world in a new way. We see this reality through a string of back-to-back events impacting millions of people on a global scale.

When I maneuvered the push mower around a dying shrub surrounded by dust and small grass, there was an annoying pinch in my lower leg. And, then another and another until shock and reflexes kicked in with alerts that something wasn’t right.

During the Great Blizzard of 1978, some friends and I played Hasbro's The Game of Life board game on repeat between tunneling the deep snowdrifts and late evening sledding. Reflecting on those formative days, one can glimpse how the gameplay echoed social norms from an extinct culture.