What have we learned from experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic? Many claim it is the "new normal" along with every protective measure and device we've tried so far. They insist that everyone just get used to it, despite disagreements. Some wonder aloud if the pandemic is God punishing earth's inhabitants. Both positions are unconvincing. God may …
I have publicly confessed many moral failures, some in my Chapter, The Worthless Servant. Occasionally, I hear from friends/relatives with whom I grew up, somewhat surprised that I am so critical about my past. They remember an outwardly nice guy, a studious, shy person who cared about others and, as one of my high school …
In the aftermath of the recent protests, riots, looting and arson that filled numerous cities in America over the killing of a Black man by a White police officer, I saw something on television that reignited painful memories that I thought I would never feel again. Someone with a camera was stopping "white people" he …
What Matters Most? Justice! Freedom! Reconciliation! We long and chant for these. Are they attainable in America today? Temporarily, maybe. Counterfeit versions, possibly. Genuine Justice, Freedom and Reconciliation are attainable, but only in accordance with truth.1 From the creation of mankind, the enemy has waged war against God - using emotions and lies, to deceive …
By Manuel M. Melgoza © Copyright I have no memory, before my eighth birthday, of my father living with our family except for yearly visits. He was born in Purépero, a small town in the mountains of the Mexican state of Michoacán. He migrated to the United States with his brothers in the 1940’s seeking …
By Manuel M. Melgoza © 2018 Someone once popularized the phrase “I feel your pain.” Does anyone else truly feel our pain? Madison, my daughter, loves for me to tell her stories, always hungry for another. When she was 8 years old, I was telling her something that happened when I was 8. I lived …
On my dad’s winter visits to our Mexican home, he customarily brought with him Christmas gifts. Sometimes, he would bring a single toy for three of us to share, like a tricycle he brought one year. Once, he brought a pair of roller skates. He gave one to my younger brother, Gustavo (we started calling …
By Rick Manzanares © Copyright (Rick Manzanares is my good friend, an IT Leader/Senior Business Analyst at Hewlett-Packard, a former police officer, born-again Christian, and a solid father and husband. It was not always this way for Rick, however. This month’s guest post, El Cholo offers some unique insights from Rick’s past, “before Christ.”) We robbed the …
By Rick Manzanares © Copyright (Rick Manzanares is my good friend, an IT Leader/Senior Business Analyst at Hewlett-Packard, a former police officer, born-again Christian, and a solid father and husband. It was not always this way for Rick, however. This month’s guest post, El Cholo offers some unique insights from Rick’s past, “before Christ.”) Life drastically twisted …
The Lord showered me with gifts, abilities, and opportunities. Instead of learning to know Him, I spent countless hours pursuing selfish interests, succeeding in my career while ignoring God. I spent 19 school years to earn a law degree and become a lawyer. I spent 7-8 years training to earn a black belt in the …
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