Author: Randy Grathen
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Why Did Jesus Say It?
Story by Randy Grathen When Laurie and I moved to Camdenton, Missouri we started church shopping. We attended several. Organ music with a full choir, and gospel hymns. Non-denominational Contemporary-Christian music complete with guitars and drums. Fire and Brimstone preaching, including ‘you’re going to hell if you have guitars and drums in church.’ Huge churches… Read more
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Redneck Wisdom – an Oxymoron
Story by Randy Grathen Things I’ve learned… Wisdom – There are only two ways to get it. Live long enough, or hang out with someone who’s already got it. Wisdom does not always go to the elder. I’ve met young people who are wise beyond their years. It comes from experience. The German philosopher Friedrich… Read more
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Prayer for the Orange Trees
Story by Carolyn Werly-Wilder Her grandfather’s orchard was a family treasure. Now they were in danger of losing it. “I’ve never seen cold weather last so long!” Mom said when I arrived at the family ranch near Mariposa, California. Since Dad died, she was on her own up there. Normally she was able to manage… Read more
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The Nail
Story by Laurie Grathen In a land far away, at a time that seems like long ago, Randy retired from the Air Force, and we moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In retrospect, that was a good decision for us because it enabled us to help care for his dad in the last few years of… Read more
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“He is God, I’m not.”
Story by Mark Berg. I have been a believer since my early teens. I grew up in the small town of Rice Lake Wisconsin with a population of around eight thousand. Going to church back then I remember what I was being told just didn’t make sense. Things like, “You will go to hell if… Read more
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A Lesson in “Suffering”
Story by Kristine Barnes In August 2020 serious arthritis in my left thumb became really irritating. I had a friend with a similar problem who recommended her hand-doctor. I made an appointment with him, and he gave me a cortisone shot which really helped! Both the swelling in joint and the pain level decreased a… Read more
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The Habit of Solitude
By Kristine Barnes NOTE: In 2019 I wrote a note to my daughters, Myndi the one God allowed me to give birth to, and Karen the daughter-in-love God gave me when our son, West, chose her for his wife. During a Lenten study at church called “Lead Like Jesus”, there was a part on Solitude… Read more
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God Doesn’t Make Us Believe
By Randy Grathen (Thank you Wendy Rogers) Have you noticed that God doesn’t make us? You know, when something happens, and you think it might have been a God-thing but then you begin to rationalize the whole situation and start telling yourself that it would have happened that way anyway and it was really just… Read more
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How do I know you are you?
by: Randy Grathen In our modern society we need identification for all kinds of things. When we’re born we get a birth certificate – our very first form of identification. That is when your mother gives you your official name. You know, the one you’re stuck with for the REST OF YOUR LIFE! Poor Shaniqua… Read more
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Foreigner in a Foreign Land
By: Randy Grathen I just read Acts 10 & 11. Peter was telling the Apostles why he took the message of salvation to the Gentiles. 15“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. 16″And I remembered the word of the Lord, how… Read more