Deaf football player pens account of rock bottom and the climb back
“If you want to be successful, here’s what you need to do. You don’t sit around and complain about it. You go out and do what you say you’re going to do.”

Texas showdown: Balancing child welfare, religious freedom
Column: Inside the First Amendment

Young woman victim of priestly abuse shares tears with apologetic pope
She was only 15 at the time, and eight years have gone by since then but a young female victim of priestly abuse says the pope helped heal her psychological wounds by meeting with her last week.

Former countians among those singing for pope
Two former residents talk about singing for the pope last week as the most uplifting form of prayer.

Column: Fateful day proved power of prayer
Folks, science and the intellectual community can do all the studies they want to disprove the power of prayer or the reality of our Heavenly Father.

Priest abuse victim tells pope his wrenching story
Four decades after he was abused by his parish priest in a sacred sacristy, Bernard McDaid got an unexpected chance to provide the details to the head of the church in a surprise meeting.

Drawing on contrast
To Gary Varvel, the role of an editorial cartoonist is like walking into a bar, throwing the first punch and watching everybody else fight it out.

Raising a child like cultivating a garden
Apparently So parenting column

CEO no ‘chicken’ when it comes to Christian business practices
While it’s not unheard of for many CEOs to spend hours scanning CNBC or the Wall Street Journal, Chick-fil-A Inc. CEO Dan Cathy has found that his best source for business wisdom seems to be the Bible.

Enter the ninja
Spirituality is an important concept in Sampson’s teaching, which combines his own Christian values with the Eastern disciplines of Ninjutsu.

Pastor with funny bone features Holy Humor Sunday
After a week of serious services about the death and resurrection of Christ, a Methodist minister features a Saturday Night Live-type routine to emphasize the joy of Christianity.

Did The First Easter Really Happen?
Is there any real evidence that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened – or is it just a myth?

Pastor’s commitment sees church through 50 years
Column: Not only has Rev. Freddie Wright been the pastor at Southside Baptist Church in Joplin for 50 years, the folks in his church wouldn’t have it any other way.

Muslim guest points to similarities among three major religions
“The Koran says ‘do not kill yourselves,’” Hendi said, noting that even smoking tobacco is considered “a form of suicide,” and is forbidden by Islamic law.

I've struck gold
Apparently So parenting column: Having good friends or being part of a family is better than winning the lottery.

Ideas percolate: Teens changing their world a cup at a time
On any given Thursday morning, there are between three and 10 area high school students meeting with First United Methodist youth leader Barry Sanborn, sacrificing some sleep in an effort to transform their community for the better.

Go fish: Fresh options abound for Lent
Today, the choices available to folks observing the tradition of meatless Fridays during Lent (which spans the next 40 days) are as varied as they were limited 20 years or so ago.

Man of many words charging through life list
“I couldn’t picture myself working at a desk. It has to be exciting.”

Coconut case cracked: Nut likely used in ritual
“Santeria is not a cult, it’s not a religion to be scared of. There are a lot of things about it people don’t understand.”

Grammy award winner launches tour with stop in Brownsburg
For Steven Curtis Chapman, the notion of living in the moment was once foreign and seemingly impossible. The five-time Grammy award winner is an icon in the world of Contemporary Christian music and has sold more than 10 million albums since his singer/songwriter career began back in the late 1980s.

Couple answers a higher calling through family ministry
The setting for a pivotal, life-changing moment was, of all places, a Fazoli’s.
That’s where, over lunch one summer day in 1997, Robbie and Denise Grimes decided to take their singing talents to a whole other level.

Interim minister finds it easier to preach freely
In many professions, hopping from job to job is somewhat frowned upon, but for Rev. Robert Shaw, it’s a calling.
Shaw is a full-time interim minister currently serving at the Avon Christian Church while the institution continues its search for a permanent pastor.

Heart and soul
A gang of soldiers raped Diadata. Her children were forced to watch. When her husband refused the soldiers’ demands for him to join in their assault, they shot and killed him.

The Seed Planters
Project Unity for Life in northern Lower Michigan, literally established on a wing and a prayer, is proving to be a valuable faith-based tool in helping inmates released from jail build healthy, productive — and legal — lifestyles.

Man flees Kenya during political upheaval
An Ada, Okla., man travels to Kenya on a Christian mission trip and finds himself in the middle of political upheaval.

Do our children really belong to us?
Apparently So parenting column: Our children are not only watching, they are copying us, word for word, action for action, and passion for passion.

God's Grace: Tiny twins' parents count their blessings
“You only get to live one time. As long as you have God in your life, you don’t have to worry and wonder. You go forward with no fear.”

Voters give Romney credit for addressing issue of religion
Mitt Romney stood by his Mormon faith and his American values yesterday, vowing he will uphold the Constitution and also make room for religion in the public square.

God started all this fuss
Apparently So parenting column: Christmas is so much more than shopping, parties, decorations, and a break from work.

Romney campaign frames debate on role of religion in politics
Voters, theologians say keep religion out ofthe presidental election.

‘Resting in God’s Presence’
A retired Episcopal priest has a tool for keeping her life balanced and on a spiritual path. She, along with a small group of other participants, practices Centering Prayer -- a method of silent meditation that she says allows the mind and heart to be open to the presence of God.

Monastery expanding
The monastic community at Clear Creek is outgrowing its housing. Services take place in a converted horse barn and most of the monks live in temporary metal buildings and tool sheds.

Comic Belief
How do you get kids interested in reading the Bible? Hand them a comic book. Once the bane of mothers who considered them a total waste of a perfectly good summer, comic books are coming on strong as the hottest new thing in Christian book publishing.

Feeding People, One Box At a Time
The Angel Food ministry is helping people stretch their food dollars. Once a month, the ministry distributes boxes of restaurant quality food for $25, giving recipients about $60 worth of food and some help, but not a handout.

104-year-old says Jesus is key to her longevity

Parents need to be proactive
Apparently So parenting column: Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.

Operation Christmas Child answers a call
One community makes a difference in the worldwide Operation Christmas Child.

Survival of boy, 10, called miracle
“He said, ‘Before I leave, you need to come say goodbye to your son. I’m going to do everything I can but I don’t think I can get him there alive,” Jim Wiese recalled the paramedic saying.

40 Days of Purpose
It’s not about you. That’s the first sentence in Rick Warren’s bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life" and it’s the first realization Warren drives home to readers. Since Sept. 15, a Presbyterian congregation in Elk Rapids, Mich., has been committed to a 40-day meditation on the principles in Warren's book.

Slain Oklahoma priest could become saint

God's word, from the Quran
Just as many Christians believe the Bible is the unerring word of God, Muslims believe the Quran is the literal, eternal, uncreated word of God, sent down from heaven to the Prophet Mohammed as a guide for humankind.

Church leaders plan protest against proposed foot sinks at airport
Indianapolis International Airport is considering installing foot sinks for Muslim taxi drivers, but opponents see it as a violation of the separation of church and state.

Religion series explores Islamic faith in depth
In a post 9-11 America, devout Muslims have found themselves more misunderstood than ever, often labeled terrorists for holding beliefs contrary to those of popular Western religions.

Teaching children: Isolation versus insulation
Apparently So parenting column

'Mary of Maple' has first anniversary
It was one year ago, Aug. 29, 2006, that “Toni” Filipertis saw a vision of Mary in the sawed-off branches of a maple tree in front of her home at 96 Harvey St. Since the US&J story about her vision, hundreds of believers have made the pilgrimage to the modest home across the street from John Pound Elementary School.

Minister gets a lesson in patience
“I just want people to be aware that donation of part of a liver is an option for anyone,” Bud Green said. “It could alleviate the shortage of cadaveric donations.”

The little congregation that could
It would seem unlikely that an old church with just eight remaining members would be able to raise $60,000 to refurbish a dangerously decaying steeple. But that's exactly what the tiny congregation of Norwood United Methodist Church in northern Lower Michigan did.

Okefenokee center to celebrate Sacred Harp music
“The first documented leader of Sacred Harp sings around Hoboken was Lazarus Dowling, who returned from the Civil War and began teaching singing, and leading sings,” according to the Okefenokee Heritage Center.

Choose battles wisely
Apparently So parenting column: Parents should be rock solid on matters of safety and health, but flexible on most other issues.

Home improvement
“I’m still friends with someone I met at my first work camp four years ago,” Herbst said. “He’s from Virginia, but we keep in touch on the phone and the Internet.”

Walking with God ... On the Beach
College students from around the Midwest have hit the beaches of Traverse City in an effort to share their faith and the mission of their organization, Campus Crusade for Christ.

Family prays for woman's recovery
Next month, Stacey Sewell may get the break her family, friends and fiancé have been waiting for.

Muscial talent in creating

City meets with Muslims after courtroom ordeal
“We made progress, and we are optimistic that the city and the court will do the right thing in this case”

Don't forget to show affection
Faith and family column: Don’t ever stop telling your children you love them; you may just prevent them from a world of hurt.

Entitlement out of control?
Column: The inmates are running the asylum.

Church promotes wellness for members
A church has a program designed to help its congregation make healthy inroads into reducing the symptoms of chronic lifestyle diseases.

Strike a balance in self-esteem
Faith and Family Column: Maybe we shouldn’t call our children Michelangelo every time they draw a stick man standing by a stick house.

Church finds mission in ‘The Mild, Mild West’
Park Avenue United Methodist Church is taking an audience to “The Mild, Mild West” later this month so church members may make a mission trip to Belize.

AEffect: Music on purpose
"We try to show the audience that no matter how hard life gets that there is always hope."

Partners In Fighting Poverty
National poverty expert Dr. Donna Beegle, herself a product of a poverty-stricken upbringing, was in Traverse City, Mich. recently to offer representatives from area churches frank answers as well as an inside look at issues facing those in poverty.

Oklahoman is ambassador to the Holy See

Wonders of spring
A war in Iraq. A troubled housing market. A season for graduations and weddings. There's a lot going on this time of year, and myriad psychics around Derry, Salem and beyond are cashing in on people's need for answers. Many psychics in the region report an uptick in the number of people seeking their help.

What is contentment? Leadership? Blend them together
Jesus said that the greatest would be the least, and the leader would be the servant. Sometimes we don’t buy into that truth much. Perhaps that’s why it’s hard to find a true leader these days. Maybe it would be good for some of our leaders to come down from their podiums and positions and provide some hands to help.

Locals go with Samaritan’s Purse to Greensburg, Ks.
Having been hit by a devastating tornado, the town of Greensburg, Kansas, can use all the help it can get these days, almost like the City of Americus following the March 1 tornado.

Apathy has to go
Apparently So parenting column: Teach your children to be passionate about something.

Brooklyn man is master of thousands of tales
Judaism is a faith that thrives on telling the stories of its rich heritage. And as storytellers go, Yitzhak Buxbaum ranks at the top.

Service of blessing: Koinonia Chapel Blessing Celebration

Oklahoma family bound for Liberia
Couple will work on adult literacy and medical programs.

Meditators focus on inner, world peace

This stone tells a story
S. Ellen Jones Elementary teacher Mickey Hicks, surrounded by fourth- and fifth-graders, discusses the gravestone of a woman who died in 1861 on Wednesday morning at Freedomland Cemetery, located along Paoli Pike in New Albany. The cemetery is on of the oldest black cemeteries in Indiana. As part of an ongoing service project, students from the school spent the day planting flowers and cleaning up pathways throughout the cemetery.
Staff photo by Kevin McGloshen

Father's best gift to kids is loving their mother
Apparently So parenting column

Women knit prayer shawls to help friends heal
A Michigan woman's friends participate in a unique project to bolster her spirits during chemotherapy and radiation.

OU home to collection of Bibles

It's like e-Bay for Christians
OU grad starts e-commerce site for the faithful

Bible not the book it used to be
COLUMN: A middle school principal chose not to allow a student's book report on the Bible's book of Acts to be broadcast with other students because of church and state.

Despite doubters, woman reaching goal of helping others
After struggling in her own life, the director of a local ministry has found a way to help others rebuild their lives.

HOME offers shelter for men trying to change
Homeless men in Traverse City, Mich. are getting a roof over their heads along with the tools to rebuild their lives through a volunteer outreach program.

Why God allows pain
COLUMN: Apparently So, Parenting Column. Pain has value if it is for a purpose.

Pentacle's OK for veterans' graves no mere symbolic victory
A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans adds the five-pointed star to the list of "emblems of belief" allowed on VA grave markers.

Would 10 commandments protect us?
Column

Kids need dad's advice throughout life
Apparently So parenting column

Seeking a higher power: Thrift store goes eBay
Managers of the Hope Chest Thrift Shop have turned to eBay to get the most out of what God -- and donors - give them.

Decades don't heal pain of '74 tornadoes
A new book, due out in June, closely examines the lives and times of families devastated by the 1974 tornadoes that killed hundreds across the Midwest and South, including the touching story of a pastor whose wife and sons were sucked from their home during the event.

Could God heal an amputee?
Column: Skeptics say God could prove he exists, once and for all, by restoring someone's lost limb.

Shakir talks religion, politics
Discussion held to raise awareness

Observing Passover not easy for inmates
How do you celebrate freedom when you aren’t free?

Breaking down cultural barriers
Visiting Syrian-born professor Dr. Mohja Kahf spent Wednesday talking to area residents about stereotypes and bridging gaps during a lecture presented by the American Association of University Women.

Contempt for Christianity respects no season
“The artists who depict religious symbols with utter contempt and disdain don’t believe that art is morally neutral,”

Lamb's offering just part of tradition
A fluffy, white, bottle-fed lamb, named Blessed, will run free down the aisles of the church during Holy Week services at the church, nibbling at the powder blue carpet in front of the pulpit, bleating and causing general havoc wherever it goes.

Evidence for Easter
Column: Is the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth a myth or does evidence show it really happened?

Author illustrates common elements of world religions
“One of the things I wanted to do with the book was give people a way to talk to others who have a different religion than their own.”

Children need character traits
Apparently So parenting column

Pastor cooks with a higher power
Minister finds inspiration in the kitchen

Go forth and multiply
Following the lines of a parable, a church gives its congregants $20 as seed money to generate funds for charity.

Rambo on a mission

Gospel music glue that keeps couple together
“Gospel music is a passion of ours,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why we’re here.”

Live life in the not-so-fast lane
Apparently So parenting column: Kids may get frustrated with our limits, rules and red lights, but they are there to help them have a safe and happy journey.

Local missionaries robbed on trip
Mother, son share terrifying experience in Honduras

Woman shares her story of brain cancer survival
Woman who has two brain tumors removed 19 months apart decides to write a book about her experience.