MASADA - Today Masada represents something special. After nearly 1,900 years from the fall of Masada, the state of Israel became a formal nation again in 1948. As part of defending the renewed land, all Israeli men and women are asked to serve a period in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). After the completion of basic training, new IDF soldiers climb the “snake path” at night and are sworn-in at a torch-lit ceremony at the top of Masada. There final declaration of the night before descending the mountain as an IDF soldier is “Masada shall not fall again.” Masada – A Refuge for Herod the Great - Masada was originally built by Herod the Great between 37 and 31 B.C. as a palace of refuge in case of a revolt. According to Josephus, King Herod was an Edomite appointed by the Roman Empire as a client king over Judea. Because he was not a Judean, was in league with the Romans, cruel to his subjects, and called for the assassinations of many Hasmoneans, Herod was a despised leader. Some psychologists have even classified Herod as bipolar and suffering from a type of paranoia. Thought to be one of the reasons behind his prolific building activities such as Masada, his paranoia about losing power is evident in the records of Josephus concerning the murder of some of his sons, as well as the massacre of innocent children in Matthew 2. Masada – A Final Standoff Against the Romans. Masada means “fortress” in Aramaic.

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Masada

Masada shall not fall again

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Today Masada represents something special. After nearly 1,900 years from the fall of Masada, the state of Israel became a formal nation again in 1948. As part of defending the renewed land, all Israeli men and women are asked to serve a period in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). After the completion of basic training, new IDF soldiers climb the “snake path” at night and are sworn-in at a torch-lit ceremony at the top of Masada. There final declaration of the night before descending the mountain as an IDF soldier is “Masada shall not fall again.”

All About GOD Ministries

 

Masada – A Refuge for Herod the Great

Masada was originally built by Herod the Great between 37 and 31 B.C. as a palace of refuge in case of a revolt.

According to Josephus, King Herod was an Edomite appointed by the Roman Empire as a client king over Judea.

Because he was not a Judean, was in league with the Romans, cruel to his subjects, and called for the assassinations of many Hasmoneans, Herod was a despised leader.

Some psychologists have even classified Herod as bipolar and suffering from a type of paranoia.

Thought to be one of the reasons behind his prolific building activities such as Masada, his paranoia about losing power is evident in the records of Josephus concerning the murder of some of his sons, as well as the massacre of innocent children in Matthew 2.

Masada – A Final Standoff Against the Romans

Masada means “fortress” in Aramaic.

The actual fortress is located on top of a cliff, with the front edge 1,300 feet high and the back edge 300 feet high.

At the top of the flat plateau, the main complex was built and surrounded entirely by a casemate wall and several defensive towers.

Inside the walls were storehouses, a barracks, an armory, a palace, cisterns, and possibly a synagogue.

Although an excellent example of the building prowess of Herod the Great, Masada is best known as the place where the Sicarii, a group of Jewish zealots, took over the Roman garrison in 66 A.D., and then in 72 A.D., the Romans under general Flavius Silva laid siege to the fortress.

To break the siege, the Romans employed a slave force of over 9,000 to build a massive earthen ramp up the side of the cliff and battered into the fortress with about 5,000 soldiers in the spring of 73 A.D.

The end result of the siege was the suicide of 953 Sicarii and the capture of 7.

Rather than be captured and forced into slavery by the Romans, the Sicarii ended their lives, making a powerful statement about the freedom and independence of Judea.

Masada – The Historic Legacy

The account of the siege and suicide at Masada was reported by two women hiding in a cistern with five children.

They shared the final words of Eleazar, the leader of the Jews on Masada, which was later recounted by the historian, Josephus:

Since we, long ago, my generous friends, resolved never to be servants to the Romans, not to any other than to God himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice. (Josephus, The Jewish War, Book 7, Ch. 8, Par. 6)

The remains of at least nine Roman camps from the siege can still be seen today, and the ramp to the fortress made by the Romans can still be climbed.

Although Masada holds many interesting discoveries, the most Biblically relevant came during the excavations of 1963-65 when portions of several Biblical, sectarian, and apocryphal scrolls were uncovered, including fragments of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, and Ezekiel dating to before the 1st century A.D.

These appear to have come from nearby Qumran.

Masada – The New Symbolism

Today, the Jewish people are back in the land of Israel and Masada represents something special again.

After nearly 1,900 years from the fall of Masada, the state of Israel became a formal nation again in 1948.

As part of defending the renewed land, all Israeli men and women are asked to serve a period in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

After the completion of basic training, new IDF soldiers climb the “snake path” at night and are sworn-in at a torch-lit ceremony at the top of Masada.

There final declaration of the night before descending the mountain as an IDF soldier is “Masada shall not fall again.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We have all sinned and deserve God’s judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible.

If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.

We are followers of Jesus. Like Jesus, we reject many of the issues found in “organized religion” (man-made attempts to reach God through rules and rituals). We consider the personal pursuit of God as paramount in each of our personal life journeys. We also believe that ultimate, saving Truth is found only through God’s Son, Jesus Christ. (Read our Faith Statement here.) We believe that the authoritative and primary source of that truth is the Bible as illuminated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Further, we believe that spiritual growth occurs in combination with being in God’s Word consistently and dealing with the things we suffer in this fallen world while being in fellowship with other believers where there is an atmosphere of grace, love, and accountability.

Although we're not formally affiliated with any organization or denomination, we work with a number of credible ministries and churches. Read what some of them are saying here.

AllAboutArchaeology.org is a service of All About GOD Ministries, Inc, a 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization located in Belen, NM. Currently, we have a very small team and a much larger number of volunteers. Formal governance is maintained by an outside Board of Directors.

https://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/masada.htm

 

QUIRKY 'DOCTRINES' THAT SHOULD BE DEBUNKED - If the preaching isn't biblical, then it isn't the truth. Job is the faithful follower of God who endured suffering. Today we have televangelists who tell audiences they can confess their way out of trials and tribulations simply with positive thinking. Some even suggest you can buy your way out of difficulties by giving in their "miracle" offerings. Never trust a preacher who promises you a shortcut around suffering. We must stop promoting a false gospel that offers instant success, fame and wealth. Jesus promised we would have trials yet He gave us assurance that our faith in Him would help us overcome in the end - let's preach the truth, expose the lies and break free from Christian superstitions. Jesus said the truth sets us free. But the opposite is also true: Lies put us in bondage — even if the lies are spoken from a pulpit by a sincere minister or a Christian celebrity. Butchering of the Bible doesn't just happen in developing countries. It happens everywhere, creating religious superstitions that make us look silly to the world. Some of these concepts are repeated so often that they become a part of our Christianese lexicon. It is a heresy to suggest that a wife must go "through" her husband to approach God. People nod and say "Amen" without realizing these statements have no basis in Scripture. Jesus paid for our sins, and those who trust Him will enter heaven in spite of their frailties and bad decisions.

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7 Quirky 'Doctrines' That Should Be Debunked

If the preaching isn't biblical, then it isn't the truth

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Job is the faithful follower of God who endured suffering. Today we have televangelists who tell audiences they can confess their way out of trials and tribulations simply with positive thinking. Some even suggest you can buy your way out of difficulties by giving in their "miracle" offerings. Never trust a preacher who promises you a shortcut around suffering. We must stop promoting a false gospel that offers instant success, fame and wealth. Jesus promised we would have trials yet He gave us assurance that our faith in Him would help us overcome in the end - let's preach the truth, expose the lies and break free from Christian superstitions

J. Lee Grady

Jesus said the truth sets us free. But the opposite is also true: Lies put us in bondage — even if the lies are spoken from a pulpit by a sincere minister or a Christian celebrity.

In my international travels I've sat in countless meetings and heard countless examples of bad theology.

While traveling in Romania, for example, I discovered that women are sometimes told they cannot receive communion if they are having their menstrual period.

(No one could explain to me how this prohibition is actually enforced.)

In some Nigerian churches, it is taught that a pastor shouldn't have sex with his wife the night before he is scheduled to preach.

These are extreme examples of twisting or misunderstanding a Scripture (usually from the Old Testament) to create a religious rule.

But this butchering of the Bible doesn't just happen in developing countries. It happens everywhere, creating religious superstitions that make us look silly to the world.

Some of these concepts are repeated so often that they become a part of our Christianese lexicon.

People nod and say "Amen" without realizing these statements have no basis in Scripture.

It would be impossible to list all of the quirky doctrines I've encountered during my years in ministry, but I'll start with these:

1. The children of ministers must carry on their parent’s work. 

     David passed his inheritance to Solomon, and Solomon gave his scepter to Rehoboam.

     Then somewhere along the way some pastors invented the idea of a monarchy in the church — teaching that ministers must be succeeded by their sons or daughters.

     This certainly can happen. But nowhere in the New Testament are we told it is a rule.

     Leaders are appointed and anointed by the Holy Spirit, not determined by family lineage.

2. Don't touch the Lord's anointed. 

David refused to kill King Saul when he had the opportunity because he feared God and waited for Him to vindicate him (see 1 Samuel 24:6).

But this verse has been manipulated to discourage church members from asking honest questions about a leader's behavior or decisions.

We are called to submit to our spiritual leaders, but it is not wrong to disagree with them as long as we have a respectful attitude.

3. Christians who commit suicide go to hell. 

This idea has created untold pain in the church, especially in families with loved ones who suffer with mental illness.

The idea is that a person can never be forgiven of suicide since they can't pray for forgiveness after they commit the sin.

But the whole message of grace in the New Testament teaches us that God's love is greater than our moments of weakness, depression or mental instability.

If our salvation totally hinges on whether we immediately pray for forgiveness after every transgression, then we are all doomed.

Jesus paid for our sins, and those who trust Him will enter heaven in spite of their frailties and bad decisions.

4. The husband is the priest of the home. 

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard this statement from a pulpit. Contrary to what many Christians believe, this is not a Scripture.

Actually, the Bible teaches clearly that we are all priests (1 Peter 1:9), and husbands and wives function together as priests for their family.

It is a heresy to suggest that a wife must go "through" her husband to approach God.

The Bible does say the husband is "head of the wife" (Ephesians 5:23), but this implies connection and oneness, not domination or control.

5. Christians can receive "mantles" from other people. 

The prophet Elijah threw his mantle on his disciple Elisha so he could carry on his ministry (see 2 Kings 2:13).

Ever since this isolated incident occurred, people have been asking famous preachers to pray for them so they can "receive their mantle."

Recently it was reported that some charismatics were going to the graves of revivalists to pray for their anointing to come upon them. That's silly.

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit imparts his anointing.

Someone may lay hands on us, but they don't have to be famous or have a big following.

Let's stop worshiping people and seek the Holy Spirit's power instead.

6. "Jesus only" baptism. 

Early Pentecostals began a famous dispute during the early 1900s over the proper formula for water baptism.

Some insisted that people should be baptized "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19.

But a breakaway sect of "Oneness" Pentecostals insisted then, as they do today, that people must be baptized only "in the name of Jesus," as Acts 2:38 instructs.

And Oneness believers teach that people who are not baptized according to their formula will not go to heaven.

It's time to retire this hair-splitting argument and recognize that Christians are saved by their faith in Jesus alone, not by words recited at their baptism.

7. People with strong faith don't suffer. 

The oldest book in the Bible is Job — the ancient story of a faithful follower of God who endured suffering.

Yet today we have dozens of famous televangelists who tell audiences they can confess their way out of trials and tribulations simply with positive thinking.

Some even suggest you can buy your way out of difficulties by giving in their "miracle" offerings.

Never trust a preacher who promises you a shortcut around suffering.

We must stop promoting a false gospel that offers instant success, fame and wealth.

Jesus promised we would have trials (John 16:33), yet He gave us assurance that our faith in Him would help us overcome in the end.

Let's preach the truth, expose the lies and break free from Christian superstitions.

J. Lee Grady is an ordained minister, and conference speaker, and editor of Charisma magazine. Lee directs The Mordecai Project, an international ministry that confronts the abuse of women and challenges the church to release women in ministry.

https://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/24394-7-quirky-doctrines-that-should-be-debunked

WHEN THINGS SEEM HOPELESS - Maybe you feel like things have gotten too difficult and there’s nothing good left for your future. That is what the enemy wants you to believe, but God has something else to say... The Lord says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you... thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Our enemy, Satan, wants to discourage us and make us feel like things will never get better... like there’s no way out. He wants us to believe that we’re all alone. If you’re going through a difficult time right now, I want you to know that God loves you. He sees what you’re going through, He is with you, and He desires to help you right where you are. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. When we are hurting, God hurts with us. God is Light, and when we discover what He has to say and shine His light into our situation, it brings freedom and hope.

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What to Do When Things Seem Hopeless

by Joyce Meyer

If you’re going through a difficult time right now, I want you to know that God loves you.

He sees what you’re going through, He is with you, and He desires to help you right where you are.

Psalm 34:18 (NLT) says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. When we are hurting, God hurts with us.”

Maybe you feel like things have gotten too difficult and there’s nothing good left for your future. That is what the enemy wants you to believe, but God has something else to say...

The Lord says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you... , Discouragement, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Our enemy, Satan, wants to discourage us and make us feel like things will never get better... like there’s no way out.

He wants us to believe that we’re all alone.

I dealt with depression for years, and there’s a tendency to want to keep it hidden.

It’s easy to isolate ourselves and feel like no one else can possibly understand.

The enemy likes it when we keep things hidden in the dark.

However, God is Light, and when we discover what He has to say and shine His light into our situation, it brings freedom and hope.

I think it’s common for people to feel embarrassed when it comes to depression or having thoughts of suicide.

But the greatest thing we can do in these situations is tell someone else and get it out in the open.

If that’s where you are today, I encourage you to take a step of faith and reach out to a close friend or a trained Christian counselor.

Don’t allow the enemy to keep it hidden, but take the opportunity to get things out into the light.

If you are contemplating suicide today, we are here for you. Please reach out at

1-800-490-1009

I’ve learned from experience that keeping things like this to ourselves makes everything seem worse than it really is.

But when we get it out into the open, it brings relief, and we allow God to use other people to help us.

The truth is, we all need to talk to someone at different times. We all go through things and need someone to help us get through our difficult seasons in life.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to take a few moments and pray right now:

“Father, I need You now. You say You love me and see exactly where I am… and in spite of how I feel, I choose to believe Your Word.

“In the face of all I am going through, I look to You for help. I need Your strength to deal with everything that feels too big for me right now.

“Help me to keep my eyes on You. Please make Yourself real to me… and encourage me for the road ahead.

“Help me experience Your love and presence in a tangible way. I give all that I am to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

At this moment, you may be facing what seems like an impossible situation.

But I want you to know that God can make all things new. He can take your problem and turn it into something good.

That’s why I want to invite you to fill out the form below and request a free copy of my book titled, Holding On to Hope.

The Bible says that God is the “God of hope,” full of mercy and new beginnings (see Romans 15:13).

And He wants you to be full of hope — believing, expecting, and anticipating great things from Him.

Hope is the confident expectation that something good is going to happen.

It’s closely related to our faith and what we believe. When we dare to hope, it floods our life with joy and peace.

My husband, Dave, and I laugh about it now, but in the early years of our marriage, I was the most negative person I knew.

I often joke that if I thought two positive thoughts in a row, my brain would get into a cramp!

I’ll never forget it — we had been married about three weeks when Dave looked at me and asked, “What is wrong with you? You have such a negative attitude.”

And this is how bad it was: I responded with, “Well, if you don’t expect anything good to happen, then you won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t.”

Needless to say, I did not have a hopeful attitude!

Today, I can honestly sit here and tell you that God has transformed me from being negative and pessimistic to someone who is full of hope, always expecting His goodness around every corner.

Little by little, He helped me discover the power of hope and what that means for my thoughts, words, attitudes and every area of my life.

I want to share what I learned with you. This book contains some of the greatest lessons the Lord has taught me in this area — lessons that truly have the ability to change your life if you apply them.

So, are you stuck in a rut and can’t see a way out? Have you lost your positive vision for the future? Would you like to rediscover joy in your everyday life?

Wherever you find yourself today — regardless of what’s happened or how things may look right now — always remember that God is on your side.

He is the God of the impossible… and the One who can make a miracle out of any situation.

If you'd like to hear more, please fill out and submit the form below for a copy of Joyce's ebook Holding On to Hope.

Dave and Joyce Meyer, who’ve been in ministry for more than 40 years, founded Joyce Meyer Ministries in 1987 as a Christian, non-profit organization that is financially supported by the contributions of its friends and partners.
They have been married for 50 years, have four grown children that all play vital roles in various areas of the ministry and reside in the St. Louis area. As a family, and as a ministry, they are committed to the simple yet powerful message of sharing Christ and loving people.

https://joycemeyer.org/everydayanswers/ea-teachings/what-to-do-when-things-seem-hopeless

DEALING WITH DESPAIR - Dark Moments of the Soul - Despair can have many sources and can be more profound combined with other factors. Despair is dangerous and can be deadly. I remember reading once, “People can live weeks without food, days without water, minutes without oxygen, but not a moment without hope.” Despair is swift and can be suffocating. Hope becomes an antidote to despair. A variety of things can bring hope. Perspective can bring hope. Faith can bring hope, ultimate hope. Confidence that there is a God who loves me and has a good plan in the mist of pain, and hurt is a profound defense against despair. God’s love can hold you in the midst of any storm. His wisdom can guide you through it and his strength can steady you as you move forward. Ask God to walk with you. Don’t try to live independently from him. He invites you to share the journey with him.

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Dealing with Despair

Dark Moments of the Soul

By Mike Woodard

I picked up the bottle of iodine, focusing on the skull and cross bones symbol.

I did not have a cut that needed disinfecting. I was hurt on the inside. 

I had just returned to my room from a meeting. A long time friend had said something that cut deep.

Holding the bottle, the thought that came to my mind was, “I could drink this!”

The thought was serious, but just for a moment. I was hurt, tired, and so discouraged that despair seemed to rush in.

I’ve never forgotten that moment and have never told anyone until now.

Maybe it is so vivid because my normal view of life is optimistic. I often tell people, “I don’t have problems, I have opportunities…”

Despair can have many sources and can be more profound combined with other factors. 

A friend’s 18-year old daughter attempted to take her life.

The combination for her was the knee operation that took her out of her last year of high school sports, the friend who had criticized her harshly, a broken relationship, alcohol, and physical/emotional tiredness.

Late one night, after everyone went to bed, she picked up her pain medication and downed the whole bottle.

Fortunately for her and my friend, despair did not win. Others are not so fortunate.

Despair is dangerous and can be deadly. I remember reading once, “People can live weeks without food, days without water, minutes without oxygen, but not a moment without hope.” 

On a personal level I have found it helpful to identify factors that contribute to despair and also cling to the things that give me hope.

Some of these factors may seem insignificant. When I’m hungry and tired I’m more prone to lose perspective. The best thing I can do is eat and sleep.

I know that when I have emotional highs from lots of people contact or events, this can result in my emotional bank account being over extended.

When that happens I can expect an emotional low to follow. When I know and anticipate this cycle, I find I’m much more able to deal with it. Despair is held at bay.

Another warning signal of emotional tiredness can be emotions being closer to the surface.

This can show up through angry “blow ups” or tears.

You might even think, “Wow! Where did that come from?” These all give despair a foothold.

Another fertile soil for despair to take root in is the words of trusted friends. 

Words of close friends can be so powerful either for good or bad.

I don’t care much about what people say who do not know me, but the words of my trusted friends carry significant weight.

This is why divorce can be so profound. The person who knows you the best has just said, “I do not value or want you.” 

Wow! That is painful! Despair is swift and can be suffocating.

Hope becomes an antidote to despair. A variety of things can bring hope. Perspective can bring hope.

The following story illustrates this point…

On a foggy morning in July 1952, Florence Chadwick waded into the chilly waters off Catalina Island.

Her goal was to swim the Channel to the coast of California. The numbing cold of the water hit her right away, and she could barely see the boat that accompanied her in the dense fog.

Several times during her swim, a rifle was fired to keep sharks away.

She swam for 15 hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer encouraged her to keep going, saying she was very close to land.

Florence was no stranger to long distance swimming. She had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.

But this day, as she neared the coast of California, all she could see was the fog. She was exhausted, and began to feel discouraged, thinking she was not going to be able to make it…

Florence gave up, just a half mile from her goal! In the interview after the swim, she was quoted as saying, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I had only been able to see the land, I might have been able to make it.”

What was it that caused Florence to give up that day? Was it the cold water, exhaustion or fear?

No, the reason she failed to reach her goal was the fog. Two months later, she swam that same Catalina channel and set a new speed record in the process.

I need fog clearing moments, times when I take stock of my life and circumstances.

Sometimes this comes through stopping activity and taking stock or it might involve finding an objective listener who can help you clear the fog.

This might mean a trip or two to a counselor or a wise, trusted friend.

Faith can bring hope, ultimate hope.

King David once stated, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

Confidence that there is a God who loves me and has a good plan in the mist of pain, and hurt is a profound defense against despair.

I was once removed from a position of leadership suddenly without warning. I was flooded with deep emotions at the unjustness of this decision.

As my mind was reeling trying to make sense of this I remembered the words of a friend.

In describing a similar set of circumstances, she was buoyed by the understanding that God was not wringing his hands in heaven.

He had a plan. Those words hit me. A significant sense of confidence settled in.

Confidence that God loved me and even in this he had a plan for a way through.

There was still pain, confusion and hurt but knowing God’s love and presence provided a foundation to handle the pain.

A person cannot live long with despair. 

Dealing with despair takes two forms, prevention and long term cure. 

Prevention is the strategy of dealing with conditions that lead to despair which can include simple things like enough rest or talking out discouragement with a trusted friend.

Prevention involves finding a foundation that gives hope; especially in the mist of circumstances that are despair producing.

God can provide that foundation. His love can hold you in the midst of any storm. His wisdom can guide you through it and his strength can steady you as you move forward. 

Despair need not overtake you. Why not open the door of your despair and invite God into it.

Ask him to walk with you. Don’t try to live independently from him. He invites you to share the journey with him.

Why not choose God as your foundation today?

If you would like to invite God into that place of despair today why not pray this prayer right now:

Dear God, My despair is overwhelming. I don’t know what to do. I need your strength to anchor me and your wisdom to guide me. I need you to give me a firm footing as I work through this.

I invite you into my life right now. Forgive me for living independent from you. I need you. Come into my life and bring me hope today. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, we would love to hear from you. If you would like to know God deeper, we can connect you with an email mentor and/or send you some great links.

Mike Woodard is a small town boy who grew up on a hobby farm in Michigan. After finishing a science degree at Central Michigan University in 1977, Mike moved to Canada to begin working in university student ministry. He married Karen in 1978, after years of friendship that started in high school. Edmonton was their home for 11 years. Their son and 3 daughters were born in rapid order. Home base moved to Ottawa and then to their current home in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Mike and Karen have both finished MA degrees from Trinity Western University, ACTS Seminary. They currently serve with FamilyLife Canada. Their family has expanded to include 3 sons-in-law and two grandsons.

Mike enjoys backpacking in the stunning wilderness of Western Canada. A thrill seeker at heart, bungee-jumping, sky-diving, marathon and triathlon have been checked off his life’s “to do” list. His motto is, “Life is an adventure!” In the summer of 2012 Mike’s first book was released. Love That Lasts-52 Insights for Couples is a collection of insights that first appeared as weekly posts on the FamilyLife Canada website. The book is now available in English and French.https://thoughts-about-god.com/struggles_/mw_despair/