Recently a friend shared with me a column from the July 1 Victoria Advocate, written by Dave Sather, a financial planner. The article extolled the virtues of compound interest.

Roman Catholic Henri Nouwen wrote that when we are born, we begin the process of aging. Some will avoid the signs of aging by dyeing their hair, Botox injections, plastic surgery, the use of various creams or other available options. Others live in denial, seeking to do the things of younger…

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

Linda Grant Ross was a little girl in the 1950s when she first set eyes on a piano.

The other day, I had a conversation with a coworker who had recently taken up playing the guitar.

Have you ever met anyone in church or in any Christian circle, really, who claims to have the gift of speaking in tongues?

Of the two Muslim holidays where an eid, or celebration, is observed in the Islamic calendar year, Eid al-Adha promotes both service and sacrifice.

This has been a challenging year for me personally as I have lost a number of family members who have transitioned to glory – a brother, a nephew and three close cousins. I thank God for individuals who rendered words of encouragement. Encouragement is a need we all have. That is why we shou…

One of the biggest wake-up calls of my life came at 15 years old. I was out playing whiffle ball with my cousins, when I learned devastating news: My dad had had a heart attack at only 47 years old.

I’ve had three funerals in the last month. That’s an abnormally high number for a church our size. It looks like I may have another one very soon.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

Steven Argubright was 30 years old in 1987 when he approached his church acquaintance, Brent Goyen, then 29, about a business opportunity.

Have you ever had one of those morning where you’re flooded with gratitude?

Growing up, I never knew their names. I would watch them every week on the Muppet Show, mocking Fozzie the Bear incessantly. But it wasn’t just Fozzie. They made fun of every act, every celebrity guest and every performance from their perch in the balcony.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

One morning on Memorial Day weekend, a little boy was walking with his dad to church for a Sunday service. The church had a cemetery as a part of its campus with a big monument specially decorated for the holiday right in the middle of it. The boy noticed and asked, “What is that, dad?”

The Songfellows Quartet concert planned for the First Baptist Church in Bloomington on Aug. 8 has been canceled, said church pastor Chuck Stewart.

The Bible speaks frequently of the poor, imploring the righteous to honor God by serving the poor, never judging their circumstance or robbing them the opportunity for aid.

As a boy, before every meal, my family would pray a simple prayer:

I can’t quite tell if it it’s a millennial thing, or a slow-growing trend among the masses, but smart home technology is sweeping the mainstream.

I have a question for you. If you are a believer of Jesus, did you come to Him because you absolutely despised the life you were living before? I know some of us who may have because of how hard sin can be on us, but to be honest, most of us probably were happy sinners, if truth be told.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

In the 1997 movie, “The Shawshank Redemption,” Tim Robbins played Andy Dufresne, a quiet banker wrongfully accused of killing his wife. After 20 years in Shawshank Prison, Dufresne had enough. In one of the most dramatic scenes of the movie, he turns to his friend Red and in exasperation say…

I was on the phone with a dear friend of mine this week, listening intently as she spoke of the monumental life and career changes shaking her confidence.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

The Rev. Bill Hassel was working on his doctorate degree in church education 17 years ago – while pastoring First English Church – and came up with an event that would change and better the community for more than a decade.

These days, it can be so tough to understand what is actually true. People use phrases like “that is true for you,” or “speak your truth.” Of course, we should never be judgmental over someone’s choices. That is biblical. But we do have to make a decision regarding what is true and what is not.

Each summer, families throughout the Crossroads enter into vacation mode. Life slows down. Trips are scheduled. Fun is pursued. For some, vacation mode includes extravagant trips. For others, vacation mode is a quiet day on the bay. Summer is the time to take a break from the pace and pressu…

Ten years ago, John and Jennifer Vincent realized their marriage was making them miserable.

One Christmas when I was a kid, I was obsessed with one toy. It’s all I had wanted that year, and I asked my parents for it continually. It was a Slinky. (Apparently, a lot of people were obsessed with Slinkies because as of 2000, they are in the Hall of Fame with 300 million sold.)

There are many moments throughout history I wish I had been alive to witness.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

Psalm 149 begins with these words, “Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly.” This passage and passages like it speak to our preparedness to praise the Lord. The command is to “praise the Lord.” The question is, how prepared are we to do just tha…

It’s official. My family will probably never vacation in California. For years, my wife has been trying to convince me that California could fall into the ocean at any moment.

Everyone has heard throughout their life that we’re all responsible for our choices.

It is an oft-repeated scene in my ministry. I’m standing next to the bed of a person who is breathing their last here on Earth. I pull out my Bible and begin reading.

Why? It’s an age-old question. One we ask our parents, our friends, even Google. Thank God, He has answers we can trust.

There is an old adage that goes something like this, “You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” And this adage is absolutely true. As human beings, we have become quite adept at fooling others. We have learned to put on a facade that i…

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

In 1869, only four years after the end of the American Civil War, a war waged in large part because of controversies surrounding the slavery of black people, a little church in Cuero began to organize.

It was supposed to be another fifth Sunday worship service between the Rev. Dr. Paul Kirchner’s three country parishes. The three churches – Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church in Coletoville, St. Luke’s in Schroeder and Zion Lutheran in Arneckeville – which Kirchner helped join togeth…

The second month as the pastor of Faith Family, I did something really brave. So brave, in fact, that I scared myself! We had gone the first six weeks without anybody giving their life to Christ in our services, and I knew something needed to change. So I prayed and fasted.

Editor’s note: On Dec. 28, 2018, Elaine crossed over to that Eternal Shore and her family, friends and readers are missing her. The Advocate is reprinting Elaine’s articles for a year.

I still remember the first time my parents took me to the laser show at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. It was the Fourth of July; I was 5 or 6 years old; and there were hundreds upon hundreds of families sitting on picnic blankets laughing and toasting, munching and celebrating as children …

As I have waded into the waters of youth soccer coaching, among of the biggest and most frustrating challenges for me are the practices. I actually love working with the kids, but scheduling practices is difficult. Trying to find an open field and work around everybody’s schedules is almost …

Re-reading the Psalms is always a comforting, hopeful and exciting exercise. I am currently preaching through the Psalter in our church. A few weeks back now, I ran across this passage again: “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”(Ps. 12…

I heard a story about a company owner and one of his employees, John. One day, John was out working, when the owner went to check on his crew. He overheard John muttering, “Oh, Adam. Oh, Adam,” as he swung his axe.