Here are some of my favorite posts since starting this site way back in April 1997.
And click here to find even more hope and humor from Faith’s and my book Praise the Lord and Pass the Prozac
CHRISTMAS
THE 365 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
No, these aren’t additional verses of that already-too-long song, but an opportunity to experience the love, joy and peace of Christmas throughout the entire year. And in a Leap Year, 365 days!
THE CHRISTMAS STORY IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
The three gospel accounts harmonized into one complete story.
HAVE YOURSELF AN INTROVERTED CHRISTMAS
It’s not that we hate Christmas and all the Whos in Whoville. It’s simply that the holiday activities tend to suck us as dry as a year-old fruit cake.
HOW CHRISTMAS SAVED A ‘GRINCH’
K-Mart’s decorations had been up since October, the Sunday school program was history, the Advent candles were burned to stubs, and all the angel hair was finally vacuumed up. But I hadn’t felt any change! Gasp! Had I become a Scrooge at the tender age of 16?!
TOP TEN POLITICALLY-CORRECT HOLIDAY SONGS
At the risk of coming across as The Grinch,” Ebenezer Scrooge, and Henry Potter all gift-wrapped into one big “Humbug,” I’d like to propose putting some P.C. in our Christmas celebration. But before you click BACK, let me change the meaning of P.C. to “Purposeful Concession.”
COLUMNS
ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTES?
Do you really want a “tolerant” mechanic at the brake shop? “I don’t like to use the words ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’ when it comes to brake shoes. I prefer to think of them having mechanical diversity.”
THE EMOTIONAL STRAIN OF POLARIZATION
People are not all black or white and neither are issues.
POST-ELECTION STRESS DISORDER
Depending on who you voted for, you’re either ecstatic or experiencing Post Election Stress Disorder.
WE’RE PRO-CHOICE
Ethics is a personal choice, not a political or religious concern. That’s why we’ve established “Planned Bank Robbery.” Now, we personally don’t approve of bank robbery, but we don’t want to inflict our morals on anyone else either.
YEP, I’M INTOLERANT
Do you want a “tolerant” mechanic at the brake shop? “I don’t like to use the words ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’ when it comes to brake shoes. I prefer to think of them having mechanical diversity.”
EASTER
I’M GIVING UP FEAR FOR LENT
I have in my right hand, direct from the home office in Corn Borer, Indiana, The Top Ten Things I (Jim) am giving up for Lent.
IT’S SUNDAY, BUT JESUS IS COMIN’
Tony Campolo’s most famous sermon on Easter is “It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Comin.’” But what if it’s Easter and the world is still filled with chaos and corruption?
THEY DON’T MAKE CROSSES LIKE THEY USED TO
Two thousand years ago, the Romans hand-crafted them out of real wood—rugged, solid, durable—stained with natural colors. Awe and respect were felt for the manufacturers of these creations. But not today!
ENCOURAGEMENT
ARE YOU LISTENING TO GOD OR GOLIATH?
One of my favorite keynote talks is “I’m a Giant Killer” based on the classic story of David and Goliath.
KEEPING YOUR DREAMS ALIVE
We all have dreams, no matter what age: to be a firefighter, a princess, a parent, a successful businessperson, pastor of a “mega-church,” a retiree in Florida. But somewhere between the womb and the tomb, those dreams die.We all have dreams, no matter what age: to be a firefighter, a princess, a parent, a successful businessperson, pastor of a “mega-church,” a retiree in Florida. But somewhere between the womb and the tomb, those dreams die.
FAITH
ACTION-FIGURE JESUS
Most Hollywood portrayals of “Jesus” look like he stepped off the cover of a romance best-seller—blow-dried auburn hair with blonde highlights, immaculately manicured nails, a pure white robe, and of course, heavenly good looks. Nope! Not even close!
A CASE FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY
Some denominations allow women to be ordained and to fill any pastoral and administrative position. Some limit women to children and women’s ministries. And all believe they have biblical arguments for their case.
‘DO NOT JUDGE,’ BUT BE A GOOD JUROR
Only judges can judge, but all to be discerning in recognizing biblical errors.
IT’S ABOUT OBEDIENCE, NOT ORIENTATION
We will not be judged on how we identify sexually, but how we obey God’s commandments.
THREE WAYS TO ‘FIND’ GOD’S WILL
It would be great if God was still in the business of talking verbally to his kids. God talked with Adam and Eve in “the cool of the day.” He spoke to Moses from a burning bush and Mount Sinai. He talked directly to His prophets. So, we sometimes feel we’re left in the dark!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY?
With over thirty-one-thousand verses to choose from, you can find a verse to prove your point on almost any subject. So, how do we find the true meaning of God’s Word to us?
WHY? SOME THOUGHTS OF LIFE’S BIG QUESTIONS
Excerpt from God, I Don’t Understand: Unanswered Prayer, Unfulfilled Promises, Unpunished Evil. It’s my most transparent book as I’ve struggled with those questions.
HALLOWEEN
SHOULD CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN?
Search Google for “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” and you’ll get about one thousand sites covering everything from “it’s completely harmless” to “it’s completely hellish.” Here’s site number 1,001 that’s somewhere in the middle.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
CELEBRATING ‘DEPENDENCE DAY’
May we acknowledge what our leaders of the past have humbly believed—that we are indeed dependent on God as a nation and as individuals
WERE FOUNDING FATHERS ‘CHRISTIAN’
That’s a complex question! The “revisionist left” would like to make them secular and the “religious right” would like to make them saintly. Let’s take a look at some of the more prominent Founding Fathers’ beliefs . . . in their own words.
NEW YEARS
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THE NEW YEAR
The tabloids are no longer making their outrageous predictions for the New Year. (Perhaps my mocking of their dismal record had something to do with it.) So, let me make some of my own predictions for the coming year. (Well, actually, I’ve stolen them right out of the Christmas story in the Gospel of Matthew.)
THANKSGIVING
My daughter, Faith Watkins, the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and I have written a hopeful, helpful, humorous devotional on mental health issues: Praise the Lord and Pass the Prozac.
Here, you’ll find articles, book excerpts, encouraging music and lots of resources for those with mental health issues.
ADDICTION
KICKING HABITS BEFORE THEY KICK YOU
The Who, What, When, Where and Why of breaking habits.
AGING
ALL’S NOT LOST WITH ALZHEIMER’S
A dreadful poem, attributed to the Alzheimer’s Association, is being spread across social networks in which the author laments, “The best of me is gone.” Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
TOP TEN WISHES FOR AGE 50
I have in my wrinkled right hand, direct from my home office in Corn Borer, Indiana, today’s top ten wishes for my fiftieth birthday.
DEATH/GRIEF
DEALING WITH DEATH
Here are some excerpts from my book, The Why Files: Is There Really Life After Death?, that I hope will be helpful.
DEALING WITH IMPENDING DEATH
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, the author of On Death and Dying, believes that the terminally ill—and their families and friends—pass through five stages in [leading up to the] death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
EMOTIONS
DARK CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU
University study after university student reveal dark chocolate has real medical benefits!
EMOTIONS REAL . . . BUT NOT REALITY
The Bible’s psalmists certainly didn’t deny their emotions. (One third all psalms are “laments.”) But neither did that make their emotions their god.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Quick quotations to give you an emotional boost
MOOD ALTERING HUGS
Hugs—not drugs—are actually good for your health.
LOVE
THE CHEMISTRY OF LOVE
Hallmark movies and Harlequin Romance novels want us to believe that falling in love is all about that magical chemistry between the hero and heroine. In reality, it is chemistry, but not in the heart but the brain!
CHILDREN WHO MARRY THEIR PARENTS
Researchers believe we begin to fall in love even before we’re born. Here’s how they explain it:
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE
Queen belted out that ditty. Tina Turner pleaded, “What’s Love Got Do with It?” Huey Lewis proclaimed “The Power of Love.” And the BeeGee’s wanted to know “How Deep Is Your Love?” One of the problems is in English, we have one little word for emotions that are as complex as a strand of DNA!
LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES
How do we find real, lasting love? Love that lasts forever!
SELF CARE
DARE TO BE ORDINARY
From motivational posters and speakers to “positive thinking” and “prosperity” preaching, we’ve been taught that we can be whatever we want to be. Jesus, however, would disagree.
FINDING BALANCE IN LIFE
If I hear another pastor, teacher or speaker proclaim, as if from Mount Sinai, “Put God first, your family second, your ministry third and your self last,” my “self” is going to scream! Here’s why:
HAVE YOURSELF AN INTROVERTED CHRISTMAS
It’s not that we hate Christmas and all the Whos in Whoville. It’s simply that the holiday activities tend to suck us as dry as a year-old fruit cake.
TURNING YOUR SHAFT INTO A MINE
We can turn our mental health challenges to our advantage. Here’s how:
SEXUALITY
MY GENDER IDENTITY CRISIS
I went through a time of wondering Am I gay? I didn’t feel any attraction to guys, but why didn’t I like “manly” activities?!
THE HIDDEN HABIT
Ninety percent of males and 8.5 percentage of females have dealt with this: masturbation.
NO HABLO ESTROGEN: BECOMING BILINGUAL IN RELATIONSHIPS
Men and women speak two dialects, so how can they communicate?
THREE SECRETS TO SENSATIONAL SEX
Sexual athletics simply cannot provide long-lasting or deeper satisfactions, and to expect them to is asking for disappointment—disappointment that is destructive to all areas of the relationship.
CAN I BECOME A VIRGIN AGAIN?
Yes! It’s possible!
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE?
Please know that you are not alone. And please know there is hope and help. Let me share how I’ve walked back from the ledge.
DO THOSE WHO COMMIT SUICIDE GO TO HEAVEN?
Christians are not exempt from depression and, at times, sucumb TO despondency.
CONTACTS
Emails
FaithAnne0508@gmail.com
jim@jameswatkins.com
Social media
Faith’s Facebook and Instagram
Jim’s Facebook and Instargram
Agent
Bob Hostetler, The Steve Laube Agency
CONTRIBUTE
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