SPANK YOUR KIDS

In a new study by Marjorie Gunnoe, a Calvin College psychology professor, she finds that children who remember being spanked do better in school, volunteer more, and are more optimistic than unspanked children

MOE EATON

JOHN BUNYAN

“John Bunyan“, by Kevin Belmonte, is one of a series of little biographies from Thomas Nelson publishers.
Outside of the classic book, ‘Pilgrims Progress’, most of us know little of its author John Bunyan. Whereas Bunyan is known for this book, he had authored a number of books, including a second part for ‘Pilgrims Progress’, where the main character is Christiana.
The ‘Pilgrims Progress’ was written, while Bunyan was in prison. For 12 years he served time for failing to agree with and join the confessing church of England. Though a time of hardship for Bunyan and his family, the end result has been a blessing for many throughout the years
I am reminded of the story of Samuel Logan Brengle, a officer with the Salvation Army, who had authored a number of books while in a hospital after being hit in the head from a thrown brick. During a time of discouragement, for being laid up, the Lord whispered to him, “no bricks no books”. Possible the Lord could have said the same to Bunyan, “no prison no Pilgrims Progress”.
Bunyan delivered his last sermon on Sunday August 19, 1688 and died aprox. 2 weeks later with pneumonia. on August 31, 1688, probably of pneumonia.
If you would like a quick overview of the life of John Bunyan, this book may be a place to start.

A Prayer

A prayer by Sir Francis Drake, an adventurer, wrote it as he departed to the west coast of South America.


Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.