A Pilgrim Passing Through

I am in the process of re-organizing my existing articles and have started a new blog, A Pilgrim Passing Through.

Lord, let me be like that white oak on the hill

I love the old mountain hymns. This one's been running through my mind all day.

There's a white oak on the hill
at my old mountain home
It stands straight and true
on the windspur alone
When the cold wind blows
its roots they bend and moan
But when the storm has passed
It straightens up and goes on
Lord, let me be like that
white oak on the hill
Help me to live
Your Almight will
Help me on my journey, Lord
the travel on life's way
Give me the strength
to straighten up and go on.

Songs like this remind me of my good old Gran who died last year. She went through so much but always straightened up and went right on. She buried both of her parents, two of her children, and her beloved husband before she went on to her reward. But she kept her faith in God and stood by what she knew to be right even as the world around her changed drastically.

Sometimes I think about how much she influenced my life and how I never really told or showed her that. But whenever one of my family members call me by her first name teasingly because something I've said or done reminds them of her, I can't help but smile.

God's Plan of Salvation: Free to All

Romans 3:10 says that there is none righteous. That means that no matter how good we may appear to people, God still sees our inner most sins and those sins are what separates us from Him.

But on down in Romans 5:8 it says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for our sins.

If you're reading this and you're not sure where you would go if you were to die right now, please go over to this site where God's simple plan of salvation is explained in clear language.

Letter From a Christian to a Non-Christian

This is an article that I just published in response to some conversations I have had lately with non-Christians. Hopefully it helps us all understand each other better.

Dear non-Christian,

As a Christian, I feel that you may have some misconceptions about me that I hope to be able to clear up in this letter.

Get Paid to Write: How You Can Join AC

Well, it appears as if I have readers who want in on the AC thing. It's so simple, you don't need me at all...but if you would like to throw a few cents my way, you can sign up by clicking the referral graphic below and I will get compensated for having brought in a new writer.

It really is as simple as it looks. I've made nearly $200.00 since I joined in February, by writing for a few hours here and there in my spare time. They pay through Paypal, and I've never had a problem getting my payment on time.

But unfortunately it's only Americans who can get paid to write. Others are free to write but cannot be paid. Whether you want a place to air your views, are looking to establish yourself as a published writer, or just want a way to make some money from home, AC is the place to be.

You can join by visiting associatedcontent.com or by clicking my thingie below.

If you read the Knoxville rally article and wondered, read this

I've gotten some questions from readers about the rally I wrote about in my article at AC.

At the risk of being accused of beating a dead horse, I want to make something clear so that everyone who wonders will understand without having to write to ask me:

My story was the attempt of a novice freelancer to produce a news story. It was written with the intent of being as unbiased as possible. This was done in the hopes that it would be accepted as a news story rather than a general article, which might fetch less than the flat rate for news does.

The article in no way represents my endorsement of any political group or belief held by any group or persons quoted or referenced in the article or in the comments posted in response to the article.

As a Christian with traditional Anabaptist beliefs, I don't participate in political matters. I will say that I believe violence against any person at any time is wrong regardless of the person's race or political affiliation.

As a human being, I make mistakes, and reporting on a topic that is so closely tied to politics despite my religious convictions against involving myself with political issues was one.

Thanks to all of my readers but I'm afraid if you're only here because of the Knoxville article you'll probably find my work terribly boring from here on out as I am sticking to topics I'm more experienced in.

My heartfelt sympathies and prayers are with the victims' families in this time of grief.

My Upcoming Article: Apolitical Christians

Here's a short piece of a story I'm waiting to get an offer on. It explains my apolitical position from a Biblical point of view. It should be published & linked here before the week is up.

Apolitical Christians: The Biblical Basis

Although modern American Christianity and politics seem to be joined at the hip, church and state are two very different things and should be kept separate according to the Bible.

This article attempts to explain why some Christians, including myself, are apolitical. This is rare in today's Christian culture, but those of us who take a Biblical stand on this topic do exist outside of Amish communities.