Author Archives: Don Follis

Since we couldn’t get out much yesterday with all the snow, ice and blowing, we (Jennifer & I) tackled my office … again. When I get in the mood, Jennifer is my strongest ally. She can travel lightly, and when it’s time to clean things out, “Look out, here she comes.” Yesterday was one ofContinueContinue reading “Book Purging #5 cheered on by PPI’s Executive Vice-President”

I’ve been reading the book of Genesis as 2019 unfolds.  Rich Nathan, senior pastor of Columbus Vineyard, in Columbus, OH, recently noticed something quite interesting about Joseph from the book of Genesis: https://twitter.com/RichNathan/status/1085874258243244032 Well of course men cry, or at least they should.  I grew up in out near the Colorado border with “tough” boysContinueContinue reading “Of course men should cry”

Ten years ago an old friend of mine gave me Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff. It is a tremendous book to help people understand grieving, and it helped me immeasurably. Wolterstorff, now 86, has written a very thoughtful essay in the Jan. 10, 2019 “Christian Century” Magazine called Grief speaks the truth. LookingContinueContinue reading “The writer of a wonderful book on grief looks back 36 years”

As January 1 approached, I was talking with a man at a local coffee shop about setting goals for the new year. I told him I don’t normally make New Year’s Resolutions. When our faith came up, he told me he is a Catholic and asked, “What prayers will you pray in 2019?” I don’tContinueContinue reading “Prayers for 2019 brimming with life”

When pastor Bill Hybels resigned from Willow Creek Community Church in early April after several women (nearly 10) brought allegations against Hybels of sexual harassment, I was shocked, angry, sad and confused.  I have so admired Bill Hybels over the years, reading his books, listening to his leadership challenges and often agreeing that his insightsContinueContinue reading “The #MeToo, #ChurchToo movements have done their work in 2018, and it’s not over yet!”

Down through the centuries, artists, writers, painters and theologians repeatedly have tried to show, to paint, to explain … what it was like when the Virgin Mary was suddenly face-to-face with the angel Gabriel who was carrying a message to deliver that young Mary could only imagine: “You will conceive and give birth to aContinueContinue reading “We can only imagine, but we should still try to …”

With the pipe bombs being sent last week in the mail, followed by the unspeakably horrific shootings in the Pittsburgh synagogue shootings last Saturday, I reread two powerful columns by editors of the Atlantic Constitution written back in the day. ** On October 14, 1958, the largest synagogue in Atlanta was bombed. The response byContinueContinue reading “What a sobering week for our country”

Many people eligible to vote just don’t.  And it is so often out of frustration, even despair.  I’m voting early this week.  It’s a sacred right, and I’ll do my best to vote my conscience. Today in my Sunday religion column for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette I reflected a bit on both voting and on JesusContinueContinue reading “I’m voting early this week”