By DANNY MINTON And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.” So, I went

By DANNY MINTON Well, it’s that time of year again. It’s the time people make promises for the New Year. Actually, the only thing that has changed is that the number “2” becomes a “3” at the end of the date. Diet books and magazines will disappear from store shelves. Bikes, treadmills, weights, and many other exercising pieces will make

By DANNY MINTON On Christmas Day: Many will gather around the tree to open fancy gifts wrapped in bright paper and ribbons. Others will gather to open gifts not as fancy or as professionally wrapped. Some will gather with small gifts due to a loss of income. Others will have no gifts at all. On Christmas Day: Many will gather

By DANNY MINTON The fourth candle of Advent (third to some) is the “Shepherd’s Candle” or the “Candle of Joy.” It, first of all, represents the joy that overcame the shepherds in the fields when angels appeared and told them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the

By DANNY MINTON While Christmastime means a time of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, it is in Love that we find the true meaning of the night so many centuries ago. The glow in the lighting of the “Candle of Love” should be a reminder of how much God loves us. We rejoice at the birth of the baby Jesus,

By DANNY MINTON Churches vary on the lighting of the second candle of Advent, with some lighting the candle of peace and others the candle of love. I wasn’t sure which to do since my experience with the tradition of Advent is limited, so I decided to take the “casting lots” method of determining whether to write about peace or

By DANNY MINTON Until recently, the congregations I of which I’ve been a part have never had the Advent tradition. However, when I think about the meaning behind the practice, I realize that I have practiced its basic principles yearly and month after month. During this time of year, attention revolves around four central thoughts. Many churches will light a

By DANNY MINTON How far would you go to show your love for your fellow man? Would you sell your house and possessions, give up your freedom for their sake, or even die for them? Most of us never face the challenge that comes from giving to the extreme for someone else. One forgotten individual who did just that was

By DANNY MINTON The internet is full of sites telling of the event at the Burlada, Spain Cross Country Race in 2012. The lead had come down to two men, Ivan Fernandez Anaya of Spain and Abel Mutai of Kenya. Mutai was closing in on the finish line and first place in the race when confused and thinking he had