Author Archives: Don Follis

In the “Baby Blues” cartoon strip from Sunday, March 15, the mom (Wanda) is giving the dad (Darryl) a double message.  But thank goodness, he and his friend Mike get it.It’s not good to manipulate people with your double messages, and, equally as important, it’s not good to ignore the commitments you’ve already made toContinueContinue reading “Don’t manipulate people with your double messages…”

My column in today’s Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette looks at 5 observable patterns as we move through stages of faith. 

I’ve officiated at a few renewal-of-vows ceremonies.  They are okay, usually well-intentioned and, frankly, to be entered in rather advisedly, in my opinion.  🙂

Humility, says my friend Al Ells — pastor coach and counselor — is acquired. He’s absolutely right, and here’s how he says it. 

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12Just forgive and forget.  Simple?  No!  Impossible, frankly.  I doubt you’ll ever forget the time you were seriously hurt and injured by what someone said to you. Forgiveness isn’t really contingent upon your ability to forget. ContinueContinue reading “Forget or Forego?”

If this one thing happens — “Oh please, please, please God. Give me just this one thing.  I’ll never ask for anything again. I promise.” — then I’ll be be content.  I just know it.  Really?  Then you’ll be content?  Well, maybe.  But maybe not. One of my teachers (Pastor John Piippo) seriously doubts that gettingContinueContinue reading “You can be freed from your unfulfilled longings…”

Do you really want to go back to your past and relieve the glory days, as if they really existed?  One of my teachers and mentors, Pastor John Piippo, expresses my sentiments well as he reflects today on reliving the past…

My heart sank yesterday when I as at a mall and saw a young woman, who appeared to be the mother, curse two children with her (one about 4, the other about 2).  The woman looked to be about 20 years old.  Just as I was walking by the bench where they were sitting, theContinueContinue reading “You are loved fully, completely, infinitely by your Creator!”