The Apostle Paul is the author of the Epistle to the Romans (see Rom 1:1). Do you think Paul was friendly? He seems too serious to me to be silly but he did have so many friends. Here are those he mentions in the last chapter of Romans: Phoebe, Prisca, Aquila, Epaenetus, Mary, Andronicus, Julia,…

It is interesting how just one sermon can change a life. Today’s sermon changed my year. I am always looking for more ways to grow in Christ. Pastor Mike, of International Church of Prague, preached on Psalm 110. By the end of the sermon a goal to consider is reading five psalms a day which…

I love Christmas. I love Jesus and know the value of the incarnation and still love the glitter and sparkle of the season. I think the devil was flying high until Jesus came to rescue us but I also know he shifted his attention to the things that distract us from the truth. Don’t let…

In Redmond, WA, in January 2025, a Perspectives class will begin. I had wonderful Sunday-school teachers at my home church in Lawndale, CA. I attended San Jose Bible College and Fuller Seminary and Grace Graduate (or something like that) in Long Beach, CA. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful experiences but taking a Perspectives course, one evening a…

Do you remember diagramming sentences? I liked it because, suddenly, language arts felt more like math and I like/liked math. I actually taught this art to fourth graders for a few years so it is fresh. I think the main skill is to find the action. What is the verb? Verbs are robust in action…

I learned that a man I met in Berlin was baptized on Sunday. I won’t use his name because I don’t know how to connect to share his story. I first met him at church and then he would come into the library once or twice a week. He worked on repairing books in the…

There is a placard in Mseno, Czech Republic, to honor Augustine Hermann, my ninth great-grandfather. We are related through my paternal grandmother, Ethel Keith. This information was provided by the fine research of my cousin, from that side of the family, Rebecca Orahood. Hermann was born on 12/10/1605 or 1610 and passed 9/10/1686 in Cecil…

Today Prague is celebrating the Velvet Revolution (called that because not a shot was fired). After 35 years of communist oppression, the Russian tanks left when the people gathered and said NO MORE. I believe that the basis of God’s creation is to give us freedom to choose. By kicking faith in God out of…

Could be countup instead of countdown, but I am checking things off my list. I have three weekends and two-plus weeks before returning to the states so, on this morning off, I did typical ‘Pam’ things. That would start with breakfast at a 1902 cafe called the Louvre. A ‘fit’ breakfast consists of a small…

I read this phrase in a book about transitions in cross-cultural ministry. It really applies to anyone who is not as conventional as the average. You look to your right, then your left, and you are doing different stuff. I’ve done a lot of normal stuff and am very grateful for a nice family, great…