Signs & Wonders Blog

I wish train travel was more accessible in the United States. Many Americans are car-centric, and avoid using public transportation. In Europe, I found train travel almost effortless. However, it is significantly limited here. Nevertheless, I’ve enjoyed using Amtrak’s USA Rail Passes . Despite its drawbacks, I’ll be keeping an eye on their website this week for another potential sale, similar to the ones they held in mid-January for the past three years. In the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, where I often spend part of the spring and summer, there are two light rail lines. The blue line connects downtown Minneapolis with the international airport and the Mall of America in the suburb of Bloomington. The green line runs between the downtowns of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Additionally, new stations are being constructed in the southwestern suburbs and are expected to open next year.  There’s also a train called the Northstar Line that ran between downtown Minneapolis and Big Lake, ...

Photo courtesy of  2wayradiodirect.com Last Sunday afternoon while riding with a pastor to his church, we got to talking about ministers hiring security personnel for protection. My friend told me of a Messianic pastor he knows who has bodyguards because of death threats. Little did we know a mass shooting had just taken place at a church in Texas. A lone gunman killed twenty-six people plus wounded  twenty others at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. Two men then chased after the killer who was eventually killed himself. Ever since 9/11, many places in America have implemented increased security including churches. Occasionally, I’ve been asked to have my backpack examined, which I use to carry my laptop for taking notes during services. This used to annoy me. Then last year at a church leadership conference, I attended a workshop taught by the man in charge of security there. The information he shared gave me a greater appreciation for what they do. One ...

Whenever a mass shooting takes place, there is increased talk in the media about gun control. That is happening again following the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, Nevada. From two 32nd story hotel windows, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock used automatic weapons to fire upon a crowd gathered for a country music concert. 59 people died and over 500 others were wounded. This surpassed last year’s Orlando nightclub massacre as the deadliest shooting by a lone gunman in U.S. history. Back in 2012, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend before committing suicide hours later at the team’s practice facility. The next night during a nationally televised football game, NBC Sportscaster Bob Costas stated, “If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins [Belcher’s girlfriend] would both be alive today.” Some Americans think taking guns out of public hands will reduce the amount of murders in this country. One of my Facebook friends posted th...