Signs & Wonders Blog

March 10th is a memorable anniversary for me. It was 39 years ago today when I started Basic Training. Weeks before I enlisted in the Army National Guard. Dissatisfaction with my life prompted a visit to the local recruiting office. I found out my college background made me eligible for increased pay and other bonuses. Since the Army would also cover my housing and meals during my active duty time, I could save up most of my paychecks for a planned move to Minneapolis . I was flown from Fargo, North Dakota to Columbia, South Carolina, and then driven to nearby Fort Jackson. For the first three days, I went through processing, which included getting my head shaved, receiving vaccinations , and being issued army clothing. Initially, the sergeants weren’t too hard on us. I remember one in particular who was quite funny. When a couple of soldiers didn’t line up properly in formation, the sergeant compared them to Sesame Street characters. The atmosphere drastically changed when my group...

This Saturday is Veterans Day (federal buildings will observe it by closing on Friday). Many Americans take their freedoms for granted. That includes celebrities making empty threats of leaving the country if Donald Trump becomes President again. Over the years, countless U. S. soldiers shed their blood so we can enjoy this prosperous nation God blessed us with. It’s tragic to see veterans begging on street corners. I go out of my way to minister to them as well as others wearing caps indicating they fought in specific wars. First, I approach these men by thanking them for their service. Then I mention my having spent time in the Army National Guard . If they’re hungry, I offer these veterans a snack and then a gospel tract explaining I’m now a soldier in the army of the Lord. One memorable encounter happened during a Living Word City Blitz in Brainerd, Minnesota. My team went shopping for souls at a Walmart in the nearby town of Baxter. One man I prayed with was a 99-year-old sur...

I was born in Fargo, North Dakota and raised across the river in Moorhead, Minnesota. Years later, I would appreciate the conservative values instilled in me and still shared by many F-M residents. Unfortunately, a growing number there are promoting ungodly ideas. I remember the ruckus caused by then-Fargo mayor Jon Lindgren proclaiming the area’s first “Gay Pride Week” in 1984. It’s since become an annual event. During return visits to my birthplace, it grieved me to see rainbow flags hanging on lampposts and pride parades marching downtown.  North Dakota’s largest city recently made news for another ungodly purpose. On August 9th, the Fargo School Board voted 7-2 to nix reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before each meeting (that decision didn’t apply to classes). The phrase “under God” supposedly didn’t align with the district’s values. The resulting backlash prompted the board to reinstate the Pledge of Allegiance a few days later by an 8-1 vote. Like the Lord’s Prayer and t...

Today is Veteran’s Day in America (known in other countries as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day). It was exactly 100 years ago when World War I ended. Since then on November 11th, military men and women have been honored for defending freedoms we often take for granted. Having spent time in the Army National Guard myself, I get to enjoy perks some businesses offer . Many of you may have never served in your country’s armed forces. But if you’re a Christian, then you’re a soldier in the army of the Lord and called to defend the faith. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” The New Living Translation of this verse reads, “if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.”  The apostle Paul faced many situations where he found himself “…in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:7) While evangelizing, I regularly run into...

As a kid in school, we began the day by standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Back then, none of my classmates made an issue about it. It would have been considered abnormal for refusing to do so. Patriotism wasn’t forced upon us. We were simply taught to honor our country and its leaders. Currently, there’s a controversy over football players and the national anthem. This was initiated two years ago by Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to a preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, Kaepernick took a knee not to honor God or fallen soldiers but as a protest against alleged mistreatment of blacks by police. He told reporters, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” I admired Kaepernick’s playing abilities but disagreed with him dissing a symbol that represents freedom for all Americans. Since becoming a free agent following the 2016 season, Kaepernick ha...

This coming Saturday, the United States of America will observe Veteran’s Day in honor of those who served in our armed forces. In recent years, I’ve gone out of my way to thank veterans who helped preserve liberties we often take for granted…especially the freedom to preach the gospel. A s a teenager, I cringed when a friend suggested the idea of reinstating the draft. I dreaded the thought of going to boot camp and having some drill sergeant yelling at me. But at 21, I became dissatisfied with my life and enlisted in the Army National Guard. The military taught me much needed discipline and respect for authority. Today there are national anthem protestors who I believe should spend time in the armed forces. Perhaps they would develop a greater appreciation for this country. A young minister I knew once wrote on her Facebook page, “I will not bow to a country nor will I pledge to a flag. This country is not my home. My home is in heaven as is yours if you know Jesus.” Exc...