We’re studying prayer in Sunday School, working through Philip Yancey’s video study series. On the side, I’m reading whatever I can as I prepare. An excerpt from one of Jonathan Edward’s sermons, “The Most High, a Prayer-Hearing God”, was Friday’s reading in “A Journey Toward Heaven” edited by Justin Benge. I looked it up online and…
All posts in Faith
When things don’t go as planned
We recently returned from a vacation in Europe with our thirteen year old granddaughter. It was the trip of a lifetime for us, and I hope for her as well. It was wonderful to get to know her more, and to see the young woman God is making in her. We anticipated a smooth trip,…
Vain Service (Valley of Vision)
O MY LORD, Forgive me for serving Thee in sinful ways – by glorying in my own strength, by forcing myself to minister through necessity, by accepting the applause of others, by trusting in assumed grace and spiritual affection, by a faith that rests upon my hold on Christ, not on Him alone, by having…
Seeing God from the depths
I just got off a phone call with my wife, telling me about an accident in the family. Then, almost immediately, I read on facebook of another accident to a friend, and looked back at the past few weeks and all that has happened to other friends in terms of illness and accident, and this…
This One Thing
David had his priorities straight. He knew where to be and what to do. He understood the need for corporate, public worship of the LORD. I have asked one thing from the LORD; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, gazing on the…
Christmas videos
A Facebook friend recently shared a video, and I watched it. I know, that’s what you’re supposed to do, but I don’t usually do it. I’m not big on clicking recommended links from Facebook, but I liked the looks of Christmas With a Capital “C” by Go Fish. I might not have watched it had…

Hark, how all the welkin rings
Charles Wesley wrote these words as the opening verse to one of our favorite Christmas carols. I think most of us are happy that one of his friends changed it before publishing it, albeit without his knowledge, to “Hark! the herald angels sing”. I know I’m a little more comfortable with herald angels than welkin,…
Confession of Sin
I’m traveling on business and had to leave early this morning, which meant I would miss worshiping with my local church family at Faith Baptist in Cheboygan. I’m always sad when I’m away on Sunday because of the people I don’t see and speak with, find out how they’re doing, or what is going on…
A Whirlwind Tour
We just returned from a seven day river cruise down the Rhine and Mosel Rivers in Europe. We stopped in 11 different cities in the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Volendam), Germany (Dusseldorf, Cologne, Koblenz, Cochem, Rudesheim, Mannheim and Speyer), France (Strasbourg) and Switzerland (Basel), and ended the tour with a night in Saint Louis, France so…
Auto-focus
I took a picture a while ago. That in itself is nothing new, I take a lot of pictures. Many are posted here, many more on facebook or jdackerman.com. Truth be told, however, I’m a lazy photographer. I rely on auto-focus to a fault, and many times wonder why a picture turned out so bad. …