March 28, 2018 A small river behind our home runs year round. Right now, there is a lot of water, but even in the dry summer season, it has never failed since we have lived there. I have pondered why I enjoy just watching it whenever the opportunity arises. It is a beautiful setting and […]
March 21, 2018 I read a story about a missionary doctor in the 1960’s who, along with her co-workers, faced unimaginable cruelty from guerrilla soldiers who took over the hospital and occupied it for months. Feeling overwhelmed by the experience, she allowed herself to question why God had not intervened. As she cried out to […]
March 15, 2018 Creator God wants us to be grateful – it honors Him. Our life has more joy when we are grateful. I have been considering the things that hinder a grateful heart. A sense of entitlement. If I feel I deserve something, I probably will not be grateful when I do not get […]
March 7, 2018 A song that was popular in my youth included the lyrics, “I’m a roaming cowboy riding all day long, tumbleweeds around me sing their lonely song. Nights underneath the prairie moon, I ride along and sing this tune: See them tumbling down, pledging their love to the ground, lonely but free I’ll […]
February 28, 2018 I am grateful for the many tributes to Billy Graham that have come from both the secular and religious media. The man gave his life to preaching the Gospel: Humans are sinners in need of the Savior Who is the Gift of God that brings us eternal life when we believe Him. […]
February 21, 2018 Something almost magical occurs when several inches of snow falls. Everything turns white and now looks beautiful. A new car and a “junker,” when covered with snow, both look the same. A dilapidated building, when covered with snow, takes on an entirely new appearance – almost as lovely as a new structure. […]
February 14, 2018 When I arrive on campus, it is not unusual to find someone sleeping at the entrance to one of our buildings. They are on the concrete and huddled under a blanket. The area offers protection from the rain and wind. I never disturb them until it is time for people to need […]
February 7, 2018 The history of the human race reveals the sad reality that not everyone places equal value on every human life. When Satan convinced the first humans to turn against Creator God, the man’s first response was to blame the woman. When the first children had an opportunity to obey God, Cain apparently […]
January 31, 2018 Psalm 91 is filled with encouragement for humans who place their trust in Creator God. It begins: “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” The entire Psalm is a statement of security and hope. One of the ways that God […]
January 24, 2018 When in a conversation with someone who feels depressed, I will often ask if they are angry. More often than not, the answer is that they do not think so. Typically, over time the anger issue surfaces as significant – sometimes the main contributor to their depression. The simplest definition of depression […]
January 17, 2018 It was dark and raining hard during a busy commute. Carol and I were not in a hurry, but getting home was our goal. Then came brake lights and a sudden need to stop. Thankfully, we were not following closely or we likely would have hit the car ahead. Farther up the […]
January 10, 2018 Teachers, youth sponsors and mentors can become so involved in the day-to-day routine that they fail to realize the influence they are having on individuals. A few months ago, Carol and I attended a reunion of the youth group that we pastored more than 40 years ago. It was an amazing experience. […]
June 3, 2020 It was perhaps 18 years ago that a couple of people suggested I should write a weekly blog. I did not know what a “blog” was, but Ponder with Pastor Bill came out of that idea. It has been good for me to have this opportunity, and I hope it has been…
May 20, 2020 It feels strange, almost wrong, for me to ask this question: How could the Creator and Controller of the universe be held in captivity by it? I hope I am not dabbling in something inappropriate, but this has been on my mind. The confinement of lockdown is a familiar situation for all…
May 13, 2020 Creator God gives us a statement of beauty and hope when He puts a silver lining around a dark cloud in the sky. He reminds us that the darkness is temporary and there is something more powerful than the cloud. It feels like our lives, our community and our world have a…
Meditación con el pastor Bill 6 de mayo de 2020 Sentado en mi silla de tratamiento esta semana frente a una ventana que me daba una vista para el Monte St. Helens, cubierto de nieve sobre un fondo azul cielo. Era una escena magnífica, y tuve mucho tiempo para disfrutarla y reflexionar sobre el significado…
May 6, 2020 My treatment chair this week faced a window that provided a frame for Mount St. Helens, covered with snow against a sky-blue background. It was a magnificent scene, and I had plenty of time to enjoy it and ponder the significance of that mountain. Prior to 1980, I called it “Mount Chrome…