Three songs

As has been my habit of late, I feel like I have to begin with the obligatory tone of ‘yes, I’m not writing very much these days.  Perhaps soon I will; for now, yes, I am alive.’  I want to address a few events, as we wrap up June, by quoting three songs.  Let’s dive in and you’ll see what I mean.  First off, I submit 2025 has been a very challenging year for me so far.  I can’t get into specifics right now (the clock and my body is telling me it's super late), but Toby Mac’s song titled “Faithfully” helps capture it.  “But when my world broke into pieces You were there faithfully.  When I cried out to You Jesus, You made a way for me.  I may never be the same man, but I’m a man who still believes.  When I cried out to You Jesus, You were there faithfully.”  God has been so faithful, no matter what! 

Secondly, a few weeks ago was Father’s Day.  Almost 10 years ago, my dad entered his Heavenly reward; because of this, I admit I have missed him more acutely of late.  Therefore, Father’s Day was particularly bittersweet.  So the song here is “Homesick” by Mercy Me.  “‘You’re in a better place.’  I’ve heard a thousand times, and at least a thousand times I’ve rejoiced for you.  But the reason why I’m broken, the reason why I cry, is how long must I wait to be with you?  I close my eyes and I see your face.  If home is where the heart is, then I’m out of place.  Lord, won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow?  I’ve never been more homesick than now.”

Furthermore, I must admit that John William’s iconic 1978 “Superman” theme song would have captured my sentiments for Jerry Bauer, the one I got to call Dad.  My dad was a superhero without a cape; he was a real life Superman in so many ways.  How I miss him!  But I carry him in my heart.  Moreover, I’m pleased to honor him by following his example of humility, kindness, and love.  That leads to the third and final song.

Yesterday, June the 29th, was my birthday.  Jenn Johnson’s “Goodness of God” is the song I want to bring up for this event.  “I love Your voice.  You have led me through the fire; in darkest night, You are close like no other.  I’ve known You as a Father; I’ve known You as a friend.  I have lived in the goodness of God.  And all my life You have been faithful.  And all my life, You have been so, so good.  With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”  I wanted to cite a song that directed all the glory and attention back to God, because it’s all about Him, not me. 

God bless,

Kevin

The big 2-0!

Somehow, of all incredible crazy things, it was 20 years ago – June of 2005 – that the film “Batman Begins” came out.  Time marches on – and on!  I submit to you that this film is vastly, vastly underrated.  For one thing, remember the historical context.  Not too many years had passed since the train wreck of “Batman and Robin” (1997); a film where we were subjected to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze and his dozens of bad ice puns and George Clooney as Batman.  However, from the beginning moments, we could see that “Batman Begins” was the start of a new, exciting film series.  It showed us Bruce Wayne’s traumatic past – a subject that was barely touched in the movies at this point – and a compelling story of how he became the man who ultimately decided to become Gotham City’s protector.

I could go on and on praising various aspects of this great film.  I could discuss in detail how wonderful it was to see Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne (played well by Linus Roache).  His love, devotion, and character was a highlight.  I could spend a considerable amount of time citing various quotable lines, as well; for example, Thomas Wayne says to young Bruce, “Why do we fall?  So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”  The Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth (played capably by Michael Caine), who had heard this exchange, actually quotes those words to Bruce decades later, in a low moment.  Further, if I lingered on this movie, I would spend time talking about the character of Rachel Dawes, Bruce’s childhood friend, and then love interest; kudos to Katie Holmes, who I thought was very good in this role.

While I am attempting to fly through this content today, I do want to slow down here and take a minute make sure I give props to Christian Bale’s performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman.  He absolutely knocks it out of the park.  He nails Bruce in all his personas; from the billionaire alter ego who, in one scene, feigns drunkenness, insults his guests attending his party, and tells them to leave Wayne Manor.  Unbeknownst to them, this act saved their lives from the main villain of the film who intended on murdering them all.  Moreover, Bale captures the Caped Crusader very well.  For instance, his Batman voice (often criticized in sequels) is, in my opinion, at its best here in this film.

Furthermore, Christian Bale – and all those involved in “Batman Begins” – did a wonderful job of capturing a fundamental component of Bruce’s character, something often ignored in other Batman incarnations: his objection to killing.  One of the great moments in the film is Bruce’s final initiation test to join Ra’s al Ghul’s mysterious League of Shadows.  After weeks or months of training with a man named Ducard, Bruce’s mentor of sorts – played brilliantly by Liam Neeson – there was one last initiation: end the life of a captured man, with a sword from Ducard.  Bruce refuses the sword, and states definitively, “I’m no executioner.”  “Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share,” Ducard replies.  “That’s why it’s so important.  It separates us from them.”  Ultimately, this choice leads to a harrowing encounter where Bruce nearly dies.  This is a sobering example of how doing the right thing doesn’t necessarily always lead to favorable results.

In conclusion, what is the point of bringing all this up?  I mean, I love Batman in general, and “Batman Begins” has a special place in my heart.  But so what?  I submit to you, as a Christian, I can relate to devoting your life to something bigger than self, and yet in the process, finding the life you were intended to live all along.  Paul Asay in his wonderful book on Batman “God on the streets of Gotham” puts it this way:

“Batman isn’t something Bruce Wayne does; Batman is who Bruce Wayne is…Sure, it’s a tough life.  It’s expensive and dangerous, and it never leaves Bruce enough time for a proper vacation. But that’s okay, because Batman isn’t something he does.  It’s who he is.  In submitting his own will to a higher calling, he finds himself.  It’s what he was built for, in a way.  And by extension, so are we.  We’re at our best when we’re setting aside our own desires and serving others.  When we forget ourselves, we become ourselves – our true selves, the people God designed us to be.” 

Jesus said in Matthew 10 (NLT), “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give your life for me, you will find it.”

God bless,

Kevin

Powerful words from one of my heroes

First off, I’m so grateful to have the chance to write to you again today!  I’ve been absent of content of late; it feels like I’m returning to a friend.  The year 2025 has been a strange, challenging one so far.  I haven’t really had a chance to share the reasons why (unfortunately, that’s a blog for another day).  For today, I want to share a quote, one that I’ve been excited to share, but haven’t been able to until now.

You already know that Rebecca St. James is a hero of mine – after all, I’ve mentioned that fact to you many times.  Her example of trusting the Lord is inspiring.  The first time I ever heard the name Rebecca St. James was in the year 2000 (by the way, I am amazed at how fast time flies.  In the next blog, I plan to speak about the film “Batman Begins”, which is somehow turning 20 years old.  So stay tuned for that!).  Anyway, Rebecca was doing an interview on abstinence.  At the conclusion of the interview she said these words that have both challenged and stirred me over these years:

“The big thing in the Christian life, the hardest thing to do, is to just let go of ourselves and let God change us, and transform us.  Because we so tightly want to hold on to what we think is ours, but God wants to just open our hand, relax in Him, rest in Him and surrender and watch what He does.  So that’s the big encouragement…I would leave with people listening: trust that God loves you more than you can ever dream or imagine; that He has the most incredible future for you imagined that’s beyond comprehension to you right now, and rest in that.”

I could go on and on speaking about my hopes, dreams, expectations, and plans for my life; I thought it was going to go in a specific way, yet God, in His wisdom, chose to let it play out in a different way than I would’ve ever envisioned.  Take it from me: that development can be scary.  But God has perfect vision.  He sees the bigger picture; He sees what we can’t see.  Thus, it is arrogant to presume I know better.  It’s far better to choose to surrender to God and His plans.  Proverbs 3 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  Do not be wise in your own eyes.  Fear the Lord and depart from evil.”

This is not to suggest in any way that this is always easy, but I can tell you, with transparency, that deciding to trust in God and His plan is something that I have chosen to reaffirm time and time again.  In fact, just today I heard a sermon from a guest preacher who spoke of how certain songs can be what he called a “soundtrack of our spiritual journey.”  One of those songs for me is the song “Lift my life up” released in 2014 by the group Unspoken.  Many times over the years, I’ve sung this song of surrender to the Lord.  It begins in this way:

“You’ve brought me this far, so why would I question you now?  You have provided, so why would I start to doubt?  I’ve never been stranded, abandoned, or left here to fight alone, so I’m giving You control.  [Chorus] I lift my life, lift my life up; I give it all in surrender.  I lift my heart, lift my heart up; you can have it forever.  All my dreams, all my plans, Lord I leave it in your hands.  I lift my life, lift my life up.  Have your way in me.  Have your way in me.”

God bless,

Kevin  

Remembering a miracle

I wanted to take a few moments to express the gratitude I have in my heart to the Lord for who He is, and for what He has done.  It was on this day – April 24 – that God miraculously healed me.  I wasn’t even a year old yet, and I had developed a disease called Infantile Spasms.  To give you the short version for today, I was having multiple seizures.  Infantile Spasms either kills its host, or leaves them as a vegetable for the rest of their lives.  However, with God all things are possible!  I was in death’s grasp, but the Lord breathed life back into me, and when He did, the disease was also gone.  No seizures for over 4 decades now.  To God alone goes all the glory.

There are several monumental episodes in my life; I make it a habit to choose to look back and remember just how faithful God has been to me.  This is so important because life can be difficult and, in the midst of the storms of life, it’s easy to forget.  The Bible speaks of an amazing episode where the recipients set up a tangible reminder to celebrate God’s power and help.  Check out this helpful article – which you can find at this link.

“The name “Ebenezer” actually comes from the Bible.  In 1 Samuel 7, during the end of the times of the judges, Israel experiences revival under the leadership of Samuel.  The nation repents of their sin, destroys their idols, and begins to seek the Lord (1 Samuel 7:2-4).  Samuel gathered the people at Mizpah where they confessed their sin, and Samuel offered a sacrifice on their behalf (verses 5-9)  

It was during this time of repentance and renewal that the enemy attacked: “While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle” (1 Samuel 7:10).  The Israelites went out to do battle against the invaders, and the God sent them supernatural help: “The day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites” (verse 10).

Israel’s victory over the Philistines was decisive.  Several cities the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, and it was a long time before the Philistines tried to invade Israel again (1 Samuel 7:13-14).  To commemorate the divine victory, “Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.  He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us’” (verse 12).

Ebenezer means “stone of help.”  From then on, every time an Israelite saw the stone erected by Samuel, he would have a tangible reminder of the Lord’s power and protection.”  Today, I relay my own Ebenezer, and I do so with worship and thankfulness to God.

God bless,

Kevin

"He is not here; for He is risen" - Easter 2025

Today, like millions around the world, I celebrate the culmination of the events of Holy Week: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Romans 1 states that Jesus’ resurrection declares that He is exactly who He claimed to be, the Son of God, God in human flesh.  Jesus had the divine power to rise again from the dead.  But before I get into that, let me back up.

On Friday – commonly referred to as Good Friday – we celebrate the fact that Jesus died on a cross.  Have you ever stopped to consider why we do that?  Why celebrate an excruciating and violent death?  I submit that it’s not how He died, but why He died.  In Isaiah we read, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities…We all, like sheep, have turned astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  “You can’t atone for your sin,” C.J. Mahaney writes, in his marvelous book “Living the cross centered life”, “That’s why Jesus did it for you.”

However, the disciples didn’t understand that Jesus had to die, to pay the penalty of their sin, as well as yours and mine.  They were plunged into grief, uncertainty, and pain that Friday.  If you’ve ever lost a loved one unexpectedly to death, like I have with my father 10 years ago, then you have a gripping illustration as to how they were feeling.  Their friend, teacher, and rabbi, the one that had left everything to follow, unexpectedly died – even though He repeatedly told them He was going to die and raise to life again.

Jesus’ disciples went to that borrowed tomb of their fallen Messiah on that Easter morning, completely unaware of how their sadness was about to turn to joy.  They found angels there, who said these glorious words: “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said” (Matthew 28:6).  Some doubted the resurrection.  In fact, Matthew 28 even goes on to state that the soldiers were bribed to say that the disciples stole Jesus’ body at night, while they slept.  OK, if you were asleep, how do you know this?  Ridiculous theories like this, attempting to disprove the resurrection of Christ, persist even to this day.  It is so much easier to believe the truth: Jesus conquered death itself. 

The 2011 game “Spider-Man: Edge of Time” surprisingly provides an emotional illustration for these events.  This game’s story sees Walker Sloan (voiced by Val Kilmer) use time travel to manipulate events in the past for his own purposes; this included the impending death of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of the year 2099, knew about this and managed to warn Peter of the danger he was in.  Ever the hero, Peter chose to face off against the behemoth killer, rather than let the beast hurt innocent people.  I couldn’t help but think of Jesus when I saw Spider-Man die, to save others.  To subsequently witness Spider-Man 2099 carry the limp, lifeless body of the heroic Peter/Spider-Man was a striking picture of Jesus’ body off the cross.  It was a sad, somber moment.  Thankfully, that was not the end of the story.

Miguel O’Hara had one final, desperate attempt to revive Peter.  He put his fallen friend in a machine from 2099 called a “cellular regenerator.”  While it took some time, the machine worked.  Like the disciples, Miguel had trouble believing the news at first, but Peter was very much alive again!  Parker even states, “Thanks for bringing me back from the dead.  Now I know how Captain America feels, and Jean Grey, and Colossus, and…” “Just don’t die again,” Miguel interrupts, “And we’ll call it even.”  This is a type, a shadow, a picture of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection from the dead.  He didn’t even need a fictitious cellular regenerator from the future to do it.

In conclusion, someone wants to ask ‘so what?’  Some know me as a writer, others know me as a Chick-fil-A employee, still others as an avid superhero fan, but ultimately I am a man who had his life forever changed by Jesus Christ.  Essentially, I have nothing to say of any lasting value aside from my faith in Jesus.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything.  Because He lives, we know Christianity is true; we know Christ spoke the truth – in fact, He is the truth, just as He declared (John 14:6).  This same Jesus can change your life.  If you’ve never taken advantage of His offer of a life of forgiven sin and intimacy with Him, today is a great day to do so. 

God bless,

Kevin

"Like a flint"

After a month off, I’m back.  While I am happy to share this content with you today, understand that there is a certain challenge to jumping back into this.  You see, I have so much I want to cover, so I have to reel it in or I might inadvertently write three blogs when it’s supposed to be just one.  One thing I did want to mention, with a heavy heart, is the death of Val Kilmer, who passed back on April 1.  He was 65.  Again, I could write a whole blog just on Val’s legacy today; I could go on and on describing how, in my view, his performance as Batman/Bruce Wayne in 1995’s “Batman Forever” was vastly underrated.  The movie itself may be over-the-top and implausible at times, but Val himself carried the film capably.  He was wise to get off the Bat-franchise ride after just the one film, because the next installment – 1997’s “Batman and Robin” – was a train wreck.

One of the lesser-known roles that Val Kilmer was involved in was a 2011 Spider-Man video game called “Spider-Man: Edge of Time”.  Here Val played a villain named Walker Sloan, a character who managed to create a gateway in the year 2099 to go into the past, and use his knowledge of the future to change it for his selfish, greedy purposes.  The Spider-Man of 2099, Miguel O’Hara (voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes, the actor who voiced Spider-Man in the 90’s cartoon show) works with Peter Parker/Spider-Man (voiced by Josh Keaton) to undo the damage Sloan did to the timeline.

What is intriguing about the plot of this game is that Peter/Spider-Man is fated to die, thanks to Sloan’s actions, at the hands of a powerful enemy named Anti-Venom.  O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 warns Peter Parker of this; ever the hero, Peter’s first thought is protecting the lives of the people, were he to run away.  The witty banter between Parker and O’Hara is the highlight of this game.  Like this zinger from Peter after O’Hara urges him to leave the building: “So a crazed killer can wander around the building without me to stop him?  No way…I’m going to do what I think is right.  And that means going after bad guys.  You want a Spider-Man who’ll do whatever you want?  Go play a video game.”  

For a portion of the game, the major thread of the story is Peter’s imminent death.  I actually want to leave that storyline dangling for now – as we contemplate once again the vitally important week we are in – perhaps this will create tension.  Let me pick it up again next time.  As I was putting all of this together, as I contemplated Peter Parker’s example in the face impending death, a passage in Isaiah 50 came to my mind.  Isaiah 50:6-7 reads, “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.  Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced.  Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know I won’t be put to shame.”  This is a prediction fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

One helpful resource (which you can find right here) puts it this way, “Set your face like flint is the figure of speech the prophet uses to describe the Messiah’s unwavering determination to persevere in the excruciating task set before Him.  Christ would endure humiliation on His journey to the cross to die for our sins.  Nearly 800 years before it happened, Isaiah foretold the suffering of the Lord’s servant…Luke echoes this resolute image of Christ set on saving His people: “When the days grew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51; ESV).  In Jerusalem Jesus would face arrest, torture, and agonizing death.”

To be continued!

Kevin

Tail spin

If you do a google search of the words “tail spin” (the title for today’s blog), it is humorous to me that what pops up is a description of the 1990 cartoon that is actually titled “Tale Spin” – at least it did so for me twice; maybe google knows of my affinity for late 80’s/ early 90’s cartoon shows.  While I admit there are random lines from that TV show that are still stuck in my head after all of these years, I was trying to get a definition of a tail spin.   I finally found it from The Oxford English Dictionary’s website (oed.com).  First of all, “A steep, uncontrolled spinning descent of an aircraft, following an engine stall.”  Secondly, a rapid and severe downturn or decline; a state of rapidly worsening chaos, panic, or loss of control.” 

Back to “Tale Spin” for a moment: one of the lines from an episode of that show is when Baloo the Bear – a pilot in this incarnation – is flying his plane, the Sea Duck.  Unfortunately, he and his passengers endure a tail spin.  Rebecca Cunningham (voiced by Sally Struthers), Baloo’s boss, instructs him to pull up, and the bear says, “Which way is up?”  They managed to get out of this danger, but I bring this up because this is how I have felt lately.  

Last time, I mentioned that I was in a painful situation.  Today I want to give more context.  You see, that day, March 7, was the first day that one of my loved ones was in the hospital.  As I stated, that was a day of stress, pain, and uncertainty.  From early Friday morning, the 7th, all the way to Monday night, the 10th, this person remained in the hospital – interestingly, it was the very same hospital that I was admitted to back in 2023.  That’s why I say it feels like I’ve been in a complete tail spin, unable to tell which way is up.  Or, as the second half of that Oxford English dictionary defined it, “a state of rapidly worsening chaos, panic, or loss of control.” 

While, thankfully, the immediate crisis is over – my loved one is out of the hospital – this saga is still not completely over yet even now.  So I’m hesitant to share more about it until the dust has fully settled.  However, only now does it feel like my equilibrium is normalized enough to feel like bringing this up at all.

In this midst of this, I found myself resonating with the words of Peter in John 6.  Jesus had given hard, blunt truth in that chapter and the text says many of His followers stopped following Him (John 6:66).  And Jesus asks His twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”  Now don’t get the idea that Jesus is being insecure here.  He is asking this to give them a springboard, an opportunity to vocalize their faith in Him.  Peter does so; He replies, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  In other words, “Where else are we going to go, Lord?” 

That’s a legitimate response.  Where else are we going to go?  Drink ourselves to oblivion with alcohol?  No.  How about endless days on the couch, completely addicted to playing video games?  Gorge ourselves with food?  Participate in illegitimate sexual encounters, and pay the inevitable consequences?  Like Peter, I’ve walked with Jesus long enough to know there really aren’t any other viable options out there.  I’ve discovered that life with Jesus is bumpy, but life without Jesus is an existence devoid of any hope, peace, or fulfillment.  

Let me conclude with this citation from Paul Asay.  In his book on Batman that he titled “God on the streets of Gotham” - a book I quoted from last time, in fact - Asay writes,

“Our faith doesn’t keep us from suffering.  It doesn’t save us from the anguish of losing a parent or child, the pain of losing a job or failing a class.  It doesn’t keep us from the real horrors that life can inflict on us…But faith can save us from the mortal blow, the fire that would otherwise consume us.  Our faith protects us when no one and nothing else can.”  Amen!  My faith in God has been my oxygen through all of this.  A little later on in that same chapter, Asay quotes this statement from an unknown source: “Finding God does not mean building a house in a land of no storms, but building a house that no storm can destroy.” 

God bless,

Kevin