Two small numbers—9/11—have become shorthand for an infinite number of emotions: the shock and disbelief of watching the terrorist attack on live TV, the horror of watching the twin towers collapse upon themselves, the national grief as the number of confirmed casualties grew to over 2,800, the growing realization that we are no longer beyond the reach of terrorist attacks, and perhaps most of all, the fact that those who remember where they were on that date, will never, ever be the same.

Here are some of my thoughts posted within hours of the original attack and throughout the subsequent years. I trust they’re helpful in dealing with the shock, anger and grief of that day and continuing attacks.

Reacting
• Dealing with death and grief
• “bin Laden, kiss my pass!” (September 10, 2003)
• Talking to your children about terrorism

Reasoning
• Hope amid horror (September 11, 2006)
• What motivates terrorists?
• Taking the terror out of terrorism

Responding
• Can war on terrorism be won? (September 11, 2005)
• How can we overcome evil with good?
• We are strong! We will survive! (September 17, 2001)
• What we haven’t learned from 9/11 (September 9, 2002)
• Candle-lighting ceremony following terrorist attacks (September 11, 2001)

Copyright © James N. Watkins
Photo: AOL.com

What are your thoughts on the anniversary of 9/11? Please leave a comment below.

Happy Labor Day! Here in the States, we’re celebrating labor by taking the day off!

However, not everyone loves his or her job, so I have in my right hand, direct from CareerCast.com, today’s category: Ten top worst jobs in America. The company took a look at 200 jobs and ranked them based on a variety of criteria, including “income, outlook, environmental factors, stress and physical demands.” (Of course, my first question was “Am I on the list?” And second, “Where does “survey-taker” rank on the list?”)

[Continue reading]

America has always been more “un-united” than “United” during my lifetime: deadly race riots, protests of unpopular wars, bitter political fights creating years of deadlock. Today, the States seem less United than ever, but keep in mind that less than 150 years ago, Americans were killing each over the issues of government sovereignty and slavery. And both sides sincerely believed that God was on their side! Sound familiar?

So, deep divisions are nothing new. Here’s one of my newspaper columns from 16 years ago that is even more relevant today: [Continue reading]

In reading through the Bible, I came across this blessing that Jacob bestows on his son Naphtali:

Naphtali is a doe let loose, He gives beautiful words (49:21).

Some translations render it as “It bears beautiful fawns,” but the Hebrew word is ‘êmer: “utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command.”

On further study, I found that “Matthew Poole’s Commentary” notes that the deer is “not shut up in some little enclosure, but wholly left to its own freedom.” “Barnes’ Notes on the Bible” describes it as “free on its native hills, it roams with instinctive confidence and delight.” [Continue reading]

This global pandemic has infected millions of believers with serious questions about unanswered prayer and unfulfilled promises. Why did I lose my job? Why did my friend die? Why did God allow COVID-19? Here’s my attempt to provide some answers.

And for posts on talking to your children about coronavirus, God’s role—or non-role—in the deadly outbreak and ten ways God may be working good out of this tragedy, visit Calming coronavirus concerns.

Pop quiz! Which of the following claims have appeared on social media and news sites?

Coronavirus originated with Chinese people eating bats

U.S. government introduced the coronavirus in 2018

Coronavirus is bioweapon engineered by the Chinese government

Coronavirus no worse than the common cold

Continue reading

I posted this during the “Crash of 2008.” It seems especially relevant in the year of Covid-19.

I have a friend whose answer to every difficult situation is “It’s only temporary.” That’s great advice as the economy continues to crumble, unemployment increases, homes are foreclosed, and pensions devalue. It’s only temporary. Continue reading

The National Center for Health Statistics recently reported that the suicide rate across the U.S. increased 35% between 1999 and 2018, the last year with complete statistics. And now, during the global pandemic, mental health professional fear a spike as medical and economic stress increases to breaking point. Here’s hope and help:

Each year, more than 800,000 people worldwide die by suicide and 25 times that number attempt to take their own lives. (I, too, have had thoughts of suicide as I struggle with clinical depression.)

Here are some posts I trust are hopeful and helpful if you or a loved one are dealing with suicidal thoughts.

• Hope and help for suicidal thoughts

• If you’re thinking about suicide

• Do those who commit suicide go to heaven?

• What about euthanasia’s “death with dignity”

If you found this helpful, please share on your social networks. Thanks!

The number one post this month accounting for over 30 percent of all the traffic at jameswatkins.com, looks at the apostle Paul’s letter forbidding women from speaking in church.

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

So, here’s the link to: What was Paul thinking when he wrote 1 Timothy 2:12?

And here’s a second post that drills deeper on the subject: A case for women in ministry.

If you found these posts helpful, please share on your social networks. Thanks!