Being Jewish and traveling worldwide over many years has played a large role in shaping my Jewish identity. Likewise, my Jewish identity has shaped my life experiences over what I estimate to be some two million miles of travels. Add to the mix that I...
Gardening is my exercise, therapy, and quite often the incubator that gives birth to new ideas and frequently provides me with creative answers when I’m stuck in my head on a writing project-in-progress. As springtime in Texas begins to reach its full potential, I’ve found...
What was Noah thinking when he came out of the ark after the devastation of a world-wide flood that destroyed everything familiar to him and his fellow-survivors? What kind of security could he now expect for life going forward? Indeed, the rainbow was a consolation,...
How can we set healthy boundaries, replace destructive habits, and undo damage that’s been done to our spirits? How can our lives come to be characterized by compassion, mercy, justice, and love when these feelings and traits are often buried deep under emotional pain and...
“God killed my mother!” Those are the words I spoke when my mom passed away, just three months after Yeshua claimed my heart on February 21, 1984—the date I asked our Jewish King to “save me.” I thought this was the beginning of the rest of my life. It was all great and glorious, and...
Parashah VaYakhal (“And he assembled”) “Va’yakhal Moshe et-col-adat bnei Yisrael v’yomer aleihem eileh had’varim asher-tsivah ADONAI la’asot otam.” “And Moses assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel and said to them, These are the words that ADONAI has commanded you to do.” (Exodus 35:1) John J....