Author: Jon Gauger

Our pergola’s beautiful new steel roof looks fantastic, and it’s so much cooler sitting outside now. But we scarcely had time to enjoy our now-shady space when I looked up to find a hole in one of the boards I didn’t recall drilling. I chose to ignore it, hoping it was just my imagination. Except the next day, there was no imagining the bits of sawdust raining down on the covers of our outdoor furniture. You guessed it—we had ourselves an infestation of carpenter bees. And did I mention that their toilet tank empties directly onto our deck chairs when…

The landscaping is as manicured as any garden at Kensington Palace. Inside, the walls are adorned with soothing art. A sunroom lined with rocking chairs beckons us to pause and unwind. But we are not here to relax. We are here to say goodbye. As we inch down the halls, I struggle to harmonize the solitude I see with my eyes and the storm I feel in my gut. We are here to visit my brother and his dying wife. She has courageously fought three types of cancer over three decades, and her journey now takes her to a hospice…

It’s a teenager’s worst nightmare: waking up with a giant red pimple in the middle of their forehead. In the world of dermatology, it’s just a blemish, but to a teen, it’s life and death. But for followers of Christ, there’s a much worse blemish: an attitude of grumbling. My wife, Diana, has observed that I can easily whine—which is Grumble’s twin. Diana’s right (she usually is!). So, I’ve had to confess this sin. For some of us, grumbling is a visit. For others, it’s a destination. And some of us don’t appear happy—unless we’re grumbling. But if you and…

What if the only people allowed to sing worship songs this Sunday were those who had worshipped God by sharing the gospel with someone? What if the only worship leaders who could stand up on stage this weekend were those who’d offered a verbal witness for Christ within the last twelve months? How loud would the music be in our churches? I suspect “not very.” Has any generation in the history of Christianity had more worship songs than ours? We love inspiring worship music (I do!). But is it possible we love to sing more than to obey? Many believers…

It may not be the rodeo capital of the world, but Shipshewana, Indiana, hosted an action-packed, cow-punchin’ event I’ll always remember. The pros there made it look easy, but trying to lasso a calf in just three tries (while being stop-watched) is no easy task. Once lassoed, the real fun began. The cowboys had to tie up the calf’s legs and “brand” it with white paint. But not one of those calves had the slightest interest in being tied up, so they raised plenty of dust. We saw one team lasso their calf almost immediately. In just a few more…

Passports are serious business. If you’re traveling internationally, you better have one. And it better be valid. I once flew with a group to Ghana, West Africa. Upon arrival, one team member couldn’t get in! They told him his passport was invalid because it was less than six months from expiring. The guy flew thousands of miles only to be turned around and sent back on the next flight to America. Passports are serious business. Above all, they vouch for our citizenship. They speak to the rights and protection offered by our home country. But believers have a different passport….

“Are you mean?” It’s not a question I was expecting from Emma. At five, she is what my wife calls the ultimate “snuggle buddy.” And we’d done plenty of that the night before as Emma fell asleep on my shoulder.   So, how should I answer her?  Since children see right through us, I figured I’d keep it simple, straightforward—and brutally honest. Like kids.   “Sometimes, we’re all mean,” I offered. “Sometimes you get angry and say things that are not nice. Sometimes I say or do something not nice. That’s why we have to say ‘I’m sorry.’ And that’s why we have…

A digital photo frame—for only $4? It seemed like the garage sale deal of the century. And the frame came with a story. On top of the box was a Christmas card affixed with a Santa gift tag. The card was addressed to Linda, who (according to the card) had recently lost her mother. The hope was that Linda would fill that frame with photos of her mom—to fill up her soul with good memories. It never happened. The photo frame was not just in the original box. It was still covered in shrink wrap. But seven years after it…

When was the last time you got hammered by Scripture? In Philippians 2:20, Paul says this about his spiritual protege, Timothy: “I have no one like him.” What made Timothy so unique? Was he a great preacher, a great scholar, or maybe a great evangelist? Paul’s answer: “For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.” Timothy’s focus was outward, others oriented. And that’s what made him so valuable. Turns out, in every age, the genuinely concerned have always been in short supply. Comedian Milton Berle once quipped, “An egoist is someone who is…

Purity. It’s big in today’s America. Pure Fitness is opening a ton of new workout centers across the country. And when showering after your workout, you can rely on Dove soap. It’s “99 and 44/100% pure,” we’re told. Thirsty? Grab a bottle of Pure Leaf Tea or Mr. Pure orange juice. And every well-equipped home should consider installing a Pur brand water filter system (not sure why they dropped the “e”). Today, we insist on pure diets, foods, and workouts. We might purchase Pure brand olive oil or Pure Food protein powders and supplements. And let’s not forget about Pure…