This is an excerpt from the third chapter of By Water and the Word: God’s Gift of Baptism for You by Brian Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2026), pgs 52-60.
Even when the bitter places sink down deep into our bones, the Restorer never relinquishes his grip on you.
To Live Well is therefore not a general advice book, but a message suffused with the gospel.

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Papa was an incredibly stimulating man who was full of life and made life rich for those found in his path.
Recovery helps us see beauty in the ordinary; the miracle and wonder of creation in the oak leaf or the evergreen needle.
This is a selection from, "A Path Strewn With Sinners" by Wade Johnston
If this opening verse offers to us both door and doorkeeper, then the doorkeeper stands with the door held securely shut.
God's doing for us that gets done is Word and Sacrament stuff. Everything else flows from His speaking to us, baptizing us, bodying and bloodying us. Jesus sees our need.
Proper preaching of good works is never for our encouragement.
What do the events of good stories, like The Lord of the Rings teach us about the rise and fall of civilizations in our own world?
As a pastor I am often asked if pets go to heaven? The question may sound childish, or even sentimental, but it is extremely important for those who ask it.
Eucatastrophe combines two Greek words: ‘eu’ meaning ‘good’ (as in eulogy or euphoria), and ‘katastrophe’ for destruction.
Last night was one of those nights when I had an unscheduled 3:00 a.m. Life Assessment session.
Some days, people need a touch. Not just any touch, but something that says, "I care about you, and I love you."
Wisdom speaks in proverbs, parables and riddles. And the simple continue to wander right past her words of life.