iChaplain

While watching the recent eclipse, I found myself thinking about how awesome God is. Well, "watching" might not be the right word. Everyone else seemed to have the proper eclipse glasses that they'd queued all day for.  Meanwhile, my plans were less sophisticated. My pinhole projector skills turned out to be completely non-existent, so I spent most of the eclipse running between the garden and the living room.  Obviously, I wasn't looking directly at the sun. I was trying to catch glimpses of what was happening outside and then dashing back inside to watch the coverage on TV. By this point, I felt less like an amateur astronomer and more like a contestant on some bizarre fitness challenge. My step count was excellent, even if my eclipse-viewing technique wasn't. This continued for a while until someone pointed out that I could simply stream it on my phone. That certainly made life easier. But even in the middle of all that running around, I was struck by what I wa...

Have you ever felt like you didn't have what it takes to do something God was calling you to do? Perhaps you've looked at your lack of experience, your past mistakes, or your own limitations and wondered whether God could really use someone like you. Maybe you've compared yourself to others and felt they seemed far more gifted, prepared, or capable. If so, you're not alone. Many faithful believers have wrestled with those same feelings. In fact, some of the people God used most powerfully in Scripture were people who, by human standards, seemed the least likely candidates. Alton Garrison, a Christian minister and Assemblies of God leader, once said, "If God qualifies you, no one can disqualify you." Those words capture a deeply encouraging biblical truth. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly chooses ordinary people and uses them for extraordinary purposes. He does not call people because they possess all the right qualifications, skills, or experience. Rather,...

Spoiler Alert: Ark Building for Dummies If you've somehow managed to avoid Evan Almighty over the last nineteen years, here's the plot in a nutshell: ambitious politician gets a visit from God, grows a beard he can't shave off, attracts every animal within a hundred-mile radius, and ends up building a massive ark in the middle of suburbia. In other words, it's Ark Building for Dummies with Steve Carell at his comedic best. I caught it on TV recently and realised I hadn't seen it for years. I'd forgotten how warm, funny, and genuinely feel-good it is. It's one of those increasingly rare family films that manages to entertain without cynicism, leaving you smiling by the end. Steve Carell is brilliant as Evan Baxter, a politician whose life is turned upside down when God calls him to build an ark. The film is packed with laughs, memorable moments, and a strong message about family, perseverance, and making a difference in the world. As entertainment, it works w...