Category Archives: Be A Man

Articles relating to and celebrating manhood, being a man in service to others, and to the King.

Discipleship Is The Future

Ron, the leader of our Nehemiah men’s group, chose DISCIPLESHIP as our theme for the fall, and we’re well into it with the THREE CHAIRS illustration pointing to Commitment, Compromise, or Complacency in our walk and relationship with Jesus. Where are you within these three Cs?


Simply said, Jesus calls us to be DISCIPLES our whole life long, daily, and to DISCIPLE others as we go. (Matt 28:19-20) This morning we heard some thoughts on and DISCIPLESHIP practices from Ray Vander Laan and Francis Chan. I noticed the sign on the stage where Fracnis Chan was speaking said, “DISCIPLESHIP IS THE FUTURE.” Probably the Holy Spirit is saying the same thing to the church now, and has been since Jesus gave the command. Can we hear it? Can we do it?


We’ll be discussing and praying and acting upon DISCIPLSHIP this fall and hopefully in a fuller measure for the rest of our earth lives. We heard about the Shema this morning. The first word coming from Jesus’ mouth when asked what is the greatest commandment, was Shema “HEAR and OBEY” the God Who Is One, and show your love for Him in this way–hearing and obedience.


It was pointed out that the word translated “HEAR” in the Bible (Shema, שמע) is translated “OBEY” 90% of the time. Stay close enough to hear, and you’ll have His Holy Spirit whispering to you and giving you the power to act and bring God’s power into situations involving family, work, and play as you journey. Be a DISCIPLE, and by your example, making disciples.


God’s Shalom be yours…

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“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).


“Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

I read a post today entitled, “Words Have Wings” by a beautiful Jewish woman we met on a recent cruise. The thoughts and Scripture she shared seemed to be apropos to her point, and to the call to DISCIPLESHIP:

“Moshe, the great teacher and leader, sees his end approaching and perhaps it is for this reason that these messages appeal to people’s hearts? We read:

כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃
וְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃
כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (ס)
רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע׃

“Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”
No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.”

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (Translation taken from Sefaria)

Sons of Korah & Suffering

I had an unusual, disturbing dream last night. It wasn’t a nightmare, but more of an endless chase after something insignificant—a blue colored baseball thrown or hit out of play, that I went to retrieve. I chased it down a swiftly moving brook, jumping on rocks, from side to side, almost getting it occasionally with a stick, but it was always just out of reach. At last, maybe a mile from where I started, it went over a small waterfall not to re-emerge to the surface from deep water. It was either stuck on the bottom or finally waterlogged.

After the unsuccessful chase, I returned to find that we didn’t get to do the activity we paid for with friends and family. Our small group appealed to the owner of the enterprise for mercy, grace, and in the end, just the return of the small deposit ( $2.75 ) I had paid to ensure the return of a metal key. We received nothing. The end.

Disturbing? A bit. Things not going to plan. Some injustice and unkindness in the end. Wasted time. Wasted energy. What did it mean? If anything?

It’s August 2026! Whew, where has this summer and year gone? Time flies. And occasionally time stands still.

The death of a loved one. A season of darkness or depression that challenges hope and causes us to wonder about the value of our very existence. Maybe some nagging pain, sickness, or physical condition that persists without resolution or answers. Psalm 88, the last of the Psalms of the sons of Korah was written in and about such a time of suffering.

Dave, a young, PhD elder at our church spoke about it yesterday at our church’s Sunday service. Suffering is not a popular topic in the affluent West or with people in general. But it’s part of an earth life and can lead to a time of spiritual breakthrough or revelation, seeing God more clearly, and His good purposes for you and for the Earth.

Suffering gives us pause. It makes us still, so as to focus on the moment, or for a moment, on what’s real, and not just on what’s new, shiny, or exciting.

God did not hide from us that suffering would be a part of every human life, even for the upright and spiritual. The oldest book in the Bible, Job, gives important insights into this and sets the stage for why humans suffer and what God intends it to accomplish by it.

Jesus, God in the flesh, suffered horrifically, as the most important and critical part of that plan—redemption and gifting us eternal life as part of God’s forever family. In doing so He demonstrates to Satan, dark and deceiving demons, angels, individual humans, and nations the powerful, good, loving, just, merciful, gracious heart of the Creator. He demonstrates that some humans would choose to love, serve, and know him, even in the presence of suffering.

Dave pointed out that Heman, one of the sons of Korah, is the only author mentioned by name in these beautiful and telling Psalms. In Psalm 88 he begins with a prayer to God for help in the midst of suffering and for an awareness of God’s presence. The Psalm ends with Heman in a dark place—not yet sensing the God of all comfort and light.

Heman is mentioned in the Chronicles of the kings of Israel, along with Solomon, as one of the wisest of the wise. They both attested to the value of darkness, mystery, and suffering in knowing God.

So embrace it, when it comes, as you pray and look for the God of mercy, light, and peace. Godspeed on your journey in suffering and in health; in dark times and in light times. He is good! He is faithful, loving, and true. His shalom be yours.

“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.”
(Job 1:1,6)

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death….”
(Paul in Philippians 3:10)

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison….”
(Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:17)

As for the dream, I’m still meditating on the fuller meaning, but on the surface it suggests we not live distracted by trivial or meaningless pursuits. Rather we should seek the important, live in the moment, and look to know God better every day of our lives and journey—in darkness and in light. Typically, as humans, we see Him most clearly in darkness, when He has our attention. As recommended in my book, God Stays Near, let’s make it our habit to seek Him at all times by being still, and practicing the habits or spiritual disciplines that keep us spiritually sensitive. Maybe the darkness will come less often. At least we’ll be better able to see clearly and listen closely when it comes. Shalom.

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
(Psalm 46:10)

“Listen to this, O Job;
stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.”
(Job 37:14)

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
 but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract,
 and I repent in dust and ashes.”
(Job 42:5-6)

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” (James 1:17)

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Addendum: Although “suffering” isn’t listed in the spiritual disciplines, the ancients and spiritual fathers all attest to its value in spiritual sensitivity, hearing, and knowing God. John Mark Comer, a nationally known teacher, in his series of teachings on the spirtual disciplines addresses “suffering.”

France 2026

You were expecting a post about the World Cup, weren’t you? While I appreciate sports and their benefits to humankind, this blog is about travel and spiritual adventure. :):) My wife and I, along with three other couples and longtime friends, just returned from a Viking cruise on the Rhône river of France from Avignon to Lyon followed by a high-speed train ride to Paris, and three days of walking and touring The City of Light.

Despite the record-breaking heat wave in Europe, we enjoyed our look at that ancient waterway from the Swiss alps to the Mediterranean Sea. The food and wine of the region were amazing as heralded, with Lyon reportedly being the gastronomic capital of the world. The short history excursions tracing the Roman and medieval history of France were insightful and beautiful to view. Speaking of history and beauty, the Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard was my personal favorite—amazing engineering with breath-taking beauty and two-thousand-year-old splendor.

Fun Facts

France is the third largest country in Europe after Russia and Ukraine. It’s almost the size of Texas. Metropolitan Paris has a population of about 13 million people. Yet it hosts about 48 million visitors each year. The Eiffel Tower is visited by about 7 million people each year making it the most visited world attraction where a ticket is required. Five million more visit the grounds and nearby area for photography and viewing bringing the total to 12 million visitors. Nearby Notre Dame hosted an estimated 11-15 million visitors in 2025 after the fire and restoration. The City of Light has many other grand monuments, museums, art galleries, and beautiful city architecture making it one of the great walking cities of the world. One should also mention French cuisine and sidewalk cafes aplenty to relax, refresh, and soak it all in.

The Jews

“The Jews, Your Majesty—the Jews!” That’s how Blaise Pascal, the brilliant physicist and mathematician, responded to French King Louis XIV, the Sun King, when asked for proof of the supernatural or of God. The idea being their survival through centuries of exile and persecution is a miracle. Any serious student of human history would have to acknowledge the same. Especially when you throw in the Biblical record and prophecy about the journey of these storied, ancient people. I’ve included chapters about this phenomenon in my books, A Friend of the King, Puzzling 2020, and God Stays Near.

It naturally interests me when I travel, to see the history of a place or country through the lens of how they treated or interacted with the Jewish people among them. (See Genesis 12:3). France’s history in this regard is varied and nuanced. Do some AI research if you’re interested.

One big surprise and takeaway for me was walking by the Jewish synagogue in Avignon and hearing that one of the popes there had shown kindness and protection to the Jews of the city and region. Pope Clement VI was number 4 of 8 French popes who ruled from France for almost 70 years after the papacy moved from Rome in 1309 due to unstable conditions in Rome and conflicts with the French king. During the Black Death, 1347-1351, Jews were accused of poisoning wells causing the plague and many pogroms broke out in Europe. Clement VI issued papal bulls condemning the violence. He declared that blaming the Jews was the work of the devil and urged clergy and rulers to protect Jewish communities. He provided refuge himself to the Jews in the territories around Avignon.

Spiritual France


A lot could be said because France has a long history since kings began to rule in Europe around 1000 A.D. They were anointed with oil by priests pointing back to the same practice as the kings of Israel in 1000 B.C., symbolizing that authority to rule on earth comes from God. We visited the historic and beautiful Notre Dame, and Saint Chappelle in Paris. All the Gothic cathedrals in Europe say a lot about what was happening at the time. Most people couldn’t read or write, but their spirits would be drawn up toward God by the lofty ceilings and beautiful light filtered through stained glass—stained glass depicting Bible stories and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I read these words about Jesus in my Bible reading this morning: “Jesus traveled all through Galilee teaching in the Jewish synagogues, everywhere preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of Heaven…” (Matthew 4:23 TLB). So it was a thousand years later in Paris, His disciples were carrying on that work in stained glass and weekly preaching and teaching about the kingdom of God.

A short list of prominent saints and martyrs in France would include Joan of Arc (1412-1431), a national heroine and Catholic saint who led French forces in the Hundred Years’ War, guided by visions. Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) was a mathematician, physicist, and philosopher, who had a profound conversion experience and wrote Pensées, defending the Christian faith. King Louis IX, (1214-1270), aka St. Louis, was king of France, crusader, and a model Christian monarch. He was canonized for his piety and justice. Charlemagne (742-814), was king of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, who promoted Christianity across Europe. France considers him their first king. There’s Louis Pasteur, St. Vincent de Paul, Saint Genevieve, John Calvin, René Descartes, and many other Christian people who have shaped the spiritual landscape of France.

May the Lord remember their lives and prayers, and show France mercy and grace in times of spiritual darkness.

Viva la France! 🇫🇷

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“The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.” (Psalm 145:9-13)

“Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” — Blaise Pascal

Soup With the Savior-Day 4


Thursday, 2026 Journal Entry — Vietnam, Central Highlands

Today the pace was slower but steady. We didn’t experience the crush of people we did yesterday nor the numbers we expected in this village. But it was important — important to each person in pain with medical needs looking for a little healing, kindness, and hope.

Each person was greeted with gentleness, smiles, and honor…

At the first station nurses, Madison and Myra, took blood pressure, vitals, and recorded those on a dual copy record with the patient’s printed name. They were then seated in a small waiting area by an indigenous helper who spoke the dialect. This local helper, then escorted each to a chair in front of Dr. Ron or one of the two Vietnamese M.D.s and their translator assistants as spaces became available.

After the doctor’s exam, prescriptions were recorded, and the patient escorted to the pharmacy station. They were seated while the pharmacist, Ân, and her team of Linh, Thái, and Dwayne, filled and double checked each prescription. Then each patient was given their prescription with the medicines and escorted to another room where someone explained to them what the medicines are for and how to take them in the proper dosage and sequence.

The process for people needing dental help was similar. Patients were directed to doctors, Stan and Isaac, for numbing, and extraction of problematic teeth. Then they were escorted to the pharmacy for pain meds and antibiotics.

These patients are people who would likely never have the opportunity to see a dentist or a doctor, nor the finances to do so if they could. So, the community of faith is being led to bring those services to them. God’s Spirit is working through people to bring others needed mercy, help, and grace.

Apparently, the only two metal folding tables owned by the church or the pastor were being used for our pharmacy to spread out and organize medicines. So when it came time for lunch, we moved our medicines in an orderly fashion to red, plastic chairs, so our hosts could serve the lunch they had prepared for us.

In keeping with the Vietnamese tradition of hospitality, they served the best they had. It was rice and a little green vegetable soup. It was the most humble, but maybe one of the best lunches we had, depending on how you look at it.

My main memory of this village and these people is their joy and gratefulness for our coming and anything we shared.

There were bent-over grandparents and elderly people from years of hard work in the rice patties, and mothers with young children on their breasts. There were strong, muscular young men and teenagers. You could tell by the way they interacted with each other that they were a tight-knit community of friends and relatives.

In the end, we served about 170 people today. It’s not about the number. It’s about being here, and touching people with kindness, love, and hopefully some healing. I had a sense that Jesus was here with us and among us at every moment enjoying what was going on with His children—those being served and those serving.

“And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
(Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭42‬)

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭6‬)

Say a prayer for the Vietnamese government and people of Vietnam.

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”
‭‭(Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬-‭27‬)

More photos of the Day

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This was day 5 of the mission, since we attended chruch in Saigon, and began the long bus ride to the Central Highlands on Sunday. After we saw the last patient in the village mid afternoon, we headed south to Da Lat, a beautiful resort town at almost 5000′ elevation with an alpine feel. We arrived in time to check in our hotel, take a group photo, walk the town a bit, and have dinner. The next day was to be a recreational day for most of the team, while three of us who came early headed south to Saigon the next morning so we could fly home the following day. The rest of the team enjoyed a day of recreation and rest. We had become really close and it was sad saying good bye, but there was also a smile on our lips and in our hearts for all we’d been able to see and do with old and new kingdom friends–the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. His Name be praised. :):)

“He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind” (Psalm 104:3).

Vietnam’s Central Highlands Day 3

Remote M’nong Village
Wednsday 2026, Jounral Entry

[Before leaving the hotel Dr. Le captpured the photo above on a sunrise walk. Then back at the hotel before our evening meal, we wittnessed a local wedding party preparing for the special day–the sort of beautiful serendipity one often encounters when traveling abroad.]

Today our team of two American Dentists, one American doctor, two Vietnamese doctors, an American Vietnamese pharmacist, nurses and support volunteers served about 200 people with medical needs in support of a local indigenous pastor and his small church.

Our team members are from Fort Smith, Arkansas, Atlanta, Georgia, Dallas, Texas, Newport News, Virginia, and Saigon, Vietnam.

At our last stop, we served primarily church members and a few non-churched villagers, at this remote village we served a small part of the church community and a large number of non-churched villagers.

The pastor was genuine, warm, and really has a heart for serving his community and leading as many people to Christ as possible.

A pastor from a neighboring village came to participate and help as needed. He was imprisoned a few years for his faith. He was also beaten so severely that he doesn’t have use of his right arm and a few other physical issues, but he started a church about a year ago with 50 members and now has grown it to 150 members. Church leaders here are very inspirational. They have suffered, and seen a lot of suffering.

The team continues to stay healthy, motivated, and strong with resolve to serve, whatever it takes. It’s good to be a part of a troop like this, and also feel the Lord‘s presence and pleasure as we serve.

The food continues to be a little different in every region, but very delicious with delicate flavors and quite a variety that we are totally not used to. I may send a few photos. The people are friendly, hospitable, and kind.

I sent this journal entry back to our prayer team, along with: “Thanks for your prayers and continued support that the kingdom of God would come to Vietnam and His will be done here as it is in heaven.”

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” ‭‭(2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬)

More of the day’s photos…

Elephants! Day 2

Tuesday, 2026 Journal Entry
Central Highlands, Vietnam

We are leaving the hotel after two nights. They’re bussing our team to a different location today and we’re spending the night elsewhere. The dental team is splitting off from us today, for today only.

In fact, the authorities only let Dr. Stan, Dr. Le, and two Vietnamese dental and medical personnel with American passports work with the dental team today. The rest of us American passport holders were not allowed back.

I awakened this morning praying for the local pastors, and the church in Vietnam, especially the Highlands.

The people of the Central Highlands seem to be much more open to the gospel and come to faith much easier than the populated areas of Vietnam. They seem to have a simple, child-like, faith, and not so much indoctrination as those in the cities and more heavily populated areas.

I had an impression to leave some T-shirts that have Christian messages for local pastors as I go. I asked Pastor Ngoc, and he said that would be fine, but not here, due to the scrutiny. In the next villages it should be fine.

One interesting thing happened at a public restaurant last night. The local pastor prayed over our long table of about 30 people (mission team plus local church members), a long passionate prayer in Vietnamese. A table of men drinking beer at the next table clapped loudly when the prayer was finished. So we did too. One of them looked me in the eyes and said in broken English, “Good prayer!” :):)

That was a new mission experience!

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In the early afternoon our dental team of four rejoined us. We boarded our bus and drove a few hours to our next location.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” I’m not sure where that pharse comes from, but out leader, Pastor Ngoc, must take it to heart, because at our next hotel in the Central Highlands, we were suprised by two Asian elephants giving rides next door! What a sight, and experience! All this was in the middle of a beautiful agricultural valley on the shores of a very large lake. It was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful setting we were to enjoy morning and evening for two days before and after serving in nearby villages.

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“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”(Galatians 6:18)

More Photos of the Day

Central Highlands Day 1

Monday, 2026 Journal Entry
Central Highlands, Vietnam

Wow! Nice first day in the central Highlands.

We have excellent team chemistry with everyone working together with joy and goodwill. One miscue — the Vietnamese dentists, who were supposed to come, backed out, and they were to bring all the instruments and dental tools. Thankfully they weren’t needed today and will be shipped overnight on a nine hour bus ride from Saigon for tomorrow’s ministry. Our dentists did other things today with Dr. Le doing a good bit of translating for the doctors–our own Dr. Ron and two Vietnamese doctors.

We saw 167 patients today. I worked in the pharmacy with Thai Le and Linh Pham under direction of our pharmacist An Tran from Atlanta. She kept us organized and busy handing out meds that our doctors prescribed in bags with the patient’s name and instructions which were explained by a nurse in the next room.

All this ministry took place in the humble church atop a hill with the Pastor’s living quarters in the back.

Everyone, patients and providers, seemed thankful and pleased with the processes and ministry.

Many of our team simply posed with locals in the waiting shelter outside, who wanted their photos with Americans. There were lots of smiles, laughter, and hugs. “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Pro 17:22).

The movement and actions of churches and Christians are much more closely monitored in the rural, indigenous areas that in the cities. The authorities showed up to see what we were doing. Then they forbade us going to our planned location tomorrow. But they would permit those villagers to be bussed to where we were today.

“Father have mercy on these people we came to serve and help us find favor to do what You have for us to do. Amen. ‘Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands'” (Psalm 90:17).

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Psalm 90:12 was painted on the wall at the front of the church. “So teach us to number our days,
that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”

More Photos of the Day

Saigon Saturday & Sunday

The team from the US arrived from different places individually and in small groups via different routes. But eveyone arrived by Friday evening and the whole team met in the hotel lobby early Saturday monring for breakfast and our inbriefing by Pastor Ngoc. After hearing our plan for the week beginning tomorrow, we were free to rest or roam. Some took naps during the day to recover from jet lag and travel drag, but with so much anticipation and adrenaline thinking about the trip, it was difficult.

Some shopped for last minute items that might be hard to find in the Central Highlands or for soveniers. Some took strolls in the neighborhood getting to know the culture, food, and money. A few of us took a cruise on the Saigon River in the afternoon to see some of the city from the water. Rest and recovery, as well as culture familiarization, was the order of the day. We were told to report downstairs in the morning with our bags packed, ready to board the bus after breakfast.

We would be attending Sunday church services at a Bible school on our way out of town, followed by a nine hour bus ride to our first ministry station or village.

The students and church members were welcoming and friendly. It was different, and it was the same, as it mostly is in different Christian communities around the globe. The sermon and the worship was in Vietnamese, but it felt like home–peaceful and the same spirit. Speaking of Spirit, we were there on Penecost Sunday 2026. And that was the theme of the worship, as well as, the teaching and preaching. They sang some songs we knew by the melody, so we could sing along in English.

We discoved Google Translate could translate the sermon in real time to text on our phones. That was nice. And the Google Translate camera feature would translate print into English for us as we held our cameras to print or signs. Nice! But even had we sat in silence, it was a comfortable, familiar feeling. There was a lot of reverence and worship of God, and there was a lot of love for each other in the room.

We had a nice lunch with students and church members in the kitchen/dining room of the multistory dormitory complex. Before long we walked to our bus, and began the long, interesting ride north and upward to the Central Highlands–our mission and home for the coming week.

We settled in on the bus for quiet visits to get to know each other, and for quietly seeing the country side and the way people lived. There was time for reflection, dreaming, imagaing what might lay in front of us, rest, and prayer.

Soon we’ll know! We’re supposed to arrive at our hotel before midnight.

More Photos of the Day/s

Vietnam North Tour

After a couple of nights in Da Nang, our host and his high-school friend drove us north 5 hours to their hometown of Dong Hoi. Our first stop was Hué, a former capital of Vietnam and a residence of the last imperial emperors. We had a nice walking tour of the palace and grounds before heading north again to the 17th parallel which became the dividing line between north and south Vietnam after the French were expelled in 1954.

We stopped there to look at the site, the war memorial, and the walking bridge across the river that was the border—the DMZ, established by the Geneva Accords. It divided the country for two decades. It was somber to think about the devastation and loss of life caused by the war. Estimates are 2-3 million Vietnamese lives lost and 60 thousand American lives lost. It seemed very surreal to stand on the spot fifty years later with normalized relations between the two countries, and ponder what the feelings might be in different parts of both countries and different generations.

From there we continued an hour north to our friend’s parents home, a hundred yards from the beach of the South China Sea. Dong Hoi is very modern. It looked surprisingly like the building going on in Northwest Arkansas. Apparently the government and private investors are promoting it as a tourist destination, and also a nice location for the urban population of Hanoi to get away to the beach for rest and relaxing a reasonable distance away. It boasts white sand beaches and fresh seafood aplenty.

Dr. Le showed us the city and some of his favorite spots. The following day, his dad drove us an hour away to a beautiful, green river with high limestone mountains all around. It was the world-famous UNESCO caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. There were boat tours to a large cave that can be explored and experienced by boat, and also by walking. It was a peaceful, refreshing adventure, as well as, extraordinarily beautiful. In the afternoon we climbed 1000 steps to an amazing view of the river and mountains around Dong Hoi as they encompassed a large lake and bordered the sea shore—breath taking.

Day three we said good bye to Dr. Le’s parents who had extended the most gracious hospitality, and drove to the airport directly behind their home for our flight to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. There we were to meet our medical mission team from the USA the next day.

It was a beautiful, smooth two-hour flight south. We collected our baggage, called a Grab (Asian Uber), and arrived at our hotel in time to take a walk in the neighborhood before dinner. After a relaxing, delicious dinner, we summoned another Grab, and rode downtown to one of the first sky scrappers in Vietnam. The Saigon Skydeck is a 360º observation deck on the 48th floor, and we thought it would be something beautiful to do, to get to know the city better, before turning in for the night. It exceeded our expectations.

Tomorrow, we meet the team! :):):)

Click here for more photos!

Stop!

“Stop in the Name of God” by Charlie Kirk…

That’s the name of a new book written by one of the busiest men in America. It’s about the ancient practice and biblical command to observe the Sabbath. The ancient Hebrew word, Shabbat, which translated into English as Sabbath means literally, “stop” (your labor, and rest).

Has it ever occurred to you that the Sabbath was first observed by God Himself, at creation? He rested Himself after six days of creating, not because He was tired, but because He was finished. He then blessed the Sabbath, the seventh day, a mystical act that held some importance to all humans who would inhabit His earth.

This was millennia before the Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and that additional-Mt Sinai-insight into the Sabbath was given millennia ago. This mystical Sabbath celebration is ancient and enduring. Why do you think we might be so blind to it? Is it possibly important to our lives today? Might observing it be a lens to finding our way out of spiritual darkness in our day and culture?

Have you ever wondered why Christians pause for worship and rest on Sunday instead of Saturday? Have you ever wondered why Sabbath is so important and central to Judaism and the Jewish people? Its ancient and constant practice prompted one famous Jewish thinker, Ahad Ha’am, to say: “More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews.”

Have you ever wondered or read what the early church fathers said about the Sabbath? Men like Ignatius and Augustine? Or more recent church fathers like Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and Pink?

I have some wonderful news. All those questions and more are answered in a concise and beautiful manner in a recent (2026) book. It’s a fascinating read, geared to the modern reader. Charlie Kirk may have been even a better writer than speaker, famous for thinking on his feet in college debates.

The real genius of a person shows itself in brevity, simplicity, and the concise sharing of complex information and ideas. Charlie Kirk hit a bull’s-eye here and it’s one worthy of hitting. I recommend it to you wholeheartedly, even before I’ve had time to process it all. I finished it yesterday and I’m still in shock about the possible power and importance of what I read. You’ll be informed, blessed, and challenged to think about it too.

Shabbat Shalom, Dwayne