Author: Jon Gauger

When a five-year-old gets saved, does she turn from a life of sin and embrace radical change?  Lucy has. At this summer's Vacation Bible School, Lucy received Christ as her Savior.  She understood the definition of sin—and her guilt.  She understood that only by receiving Christ's offer of forgiveness purchased by His death on the cross could she become a child of God. Lucy’s mother says there is now a marked difference in Lucy’s conduct. So much so, there is no way to account for such a radical turn-for-the-best other than this little child’s decision to receive Jesus.  The other…

It’s not every day you get asked to shoot photos of an NFL star.  But it happened this week when former running back Matt Forte visited Moody Radio’s studios for an interview. At age 32, Matt is still tall, still buff, and—frankly—an intimidating presence.  Chicago fans easily remember watching him blasting through tacklers, spinning past brute defenders, and carrying the Bears’ offense—game after game (9,796 career yards).  No matter how you look at him, Matt Forte is impressive.  While most running backs last less than three seasons, Matt played ten.  And two of those seasons, he was elected to the…

When Africans visit the USA, I wonder what stands out to them.  What makes them scratch their heads and say, “Why?” As for what makes this American scratch his head while visiting Africa, that I can answer in one word: insects. Ten trips to the vast expanse called Africa have done nothing to dampen my love and admiration for this massive continent.  But frankly, I do wonder about the bugs.  I’ve come across insects so bulbous and so massive, their wingspans appear to rival small aircraft (well, almost that big).  Indeed, Africa’s flying insects are an air force unto themselves. …

How large does a rudder need to be to steer a ship? Perched on the upper deck of the Volunteer, I sensed the hull of our 29,000-pound boat gliding noiselessly through the shaded waters.  The complete ease of our ride belied the sweat equity invested by thousands of workers over 12 years.  Consider—at a pay rate of $1 per day, they dug the 97 miles of the Illinois & Michigan Canal entirely by hand.  After the canal’s completion in 1848, ships transporting fruits and vegetables and other goods were all hauled by mules.  Calling us back to those simpler days,…

Kids and Supper.   You never know what’s on the menu—and I’m not talking about food. I speak of the delectable dialogue that often spills on to the table (along with the occasional glass of milk).  The other night over dinner, our daughter and son-in-law engaged the family in a conversation about the gospel. Eleven-year-old Josie was there.  So were Caleb, age seven, and Lucy, who is five.   It wasn’t long before someone quoted Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and….” Boom!  At that precise moment in the verse recitation—before they could go any further than that first phrase—Lucy interjected, “But…

Flames of fury.  Choking smoke.  Paris in shock. Last April, we gawked at our phones, tablets, and TVs as the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral smoldered.  The sight prompted me to grab a book that had long sat on my shelf unread: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel unfolds the epic tale of a beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Pursued by the evil archdeacon Claude Frollo, she is protected by Quasimodo, Notre Dame's disfigured bell ringer.  His one eye, bulging forehead, and trademark hump make for a grotesque character that evinces shock and shun from nearly all. Quasimodo "has a…

It was an uneventful train rain ride on an uneventful afternoon.  Until it wasn’t. Stepping off on to the station platform in my home town, I heard a voice yelling.  Actually, it would be more accurate to say he was screaming: "No!  No!  No!" As he shouted, the train conductor's arms were flailing—but only for a moment. That’s when he dove off the train. Having managed to dodge him, I had to know why he was rushing with the power of an NFL receiver. Then I spied a little boy one car back exiting the train with his dad.  Somehow,…

When you're two, being with Grandma and Grandpa is cool. When you're ten—not so much. Tim was at that awkward stage but never failed to hug his grandparents every visit. Wishing to reinforce good behavior, I once told him, "You know, I love the way you give such great hugs to Grandma and Grandpa. That's very nice of you! And I know they love, it too." Timmy's reply: "Well, they won't be around forever. Someday they're going to die" (umm…a bit blunt, I thought). But what he said next, I have never forgotten: "That's why I always give a good…

Before traveling to Vicente Guerrero in Mexico, I had never even heard of, let alone met, a Oaxacan. They are among the poorest of the poor. Partly because of their “lowly” heritage and partly because they are indigenous, they are looked down upon by many, so they typically get the crummiest of the crummy jobs. If it’s dangerous or back-breaking or low paying, a Oaxacan is usually doing the task.  My daughter and I were there to learn about them and minister to them, under the care of a beautiful Mexican ministry. Our host, David, told me that their team…

“We all wonder.” The bold white letters against the black background make a big statement.  Maybe you’ve seen the billboards or web banners for the Explore God website.  The ministry addresses the fundamental questions most of us have about God, the Bible, and the Christian life.  The other day, while boarding the train heading home from Chicago, I bumped into one of those very ads as I hiked up the steps into the passenger car.  Except, just underneath the message, “We all wonder,” someone had scratched in the rebuttal, “No we don’t.”  And there it was—the argument of the ages.  …