The HOPE FOR TODAY monthly column started in 2006. It is written by Clint Decker and published in local newspapers and online. The column offers hope through the current events of our day. Clint may select a news headline to address or a topic that connects with a wide audience then discusses it while weaving together encouraging spiritual truths.
Currently, we are in over 300 newspapers across 10 states. You can access a full archive of the column online through the HFT website. Each week we are calling more papers with the goal of contacting newspapers in all 50 states. If you find Clint’s column in your local paper tell them “thank you”. If you’d like to get the column in your local paper, contact us. Also, we’d love to get your comments and feedback on any of the posts you read.
The Offer of a New Life to Begin a New Year
The new year is an opportunity for a new start. I once heard about a leader that regularly took a block of time in December to engage in planning and goal setting for the next year for his organization. The way our annual calendar is set up, it provides a vision for that. It is the end of the old and the beginning of the new. Not only do we see this concept in view of time, but in nature too. In our part of the globe, we are blessed to have four seasons. When fall and winter come, it is the end of the old. . . [CLICK ON PICTURE TO READ FULL COLUMN]
The Miracle of the Virgin Birth
The virgin birth was no myth, legend or allegory. It is a historical fact, albeit, a miraculous one. No scientist can explain or fully understand it. It is a complete miracle in how a virgin can give birth to a child. Do you believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? [CLICK ON PICTURE TO READ FULL COLUMN]
What Happens When We Refuse to Thank God?
The Bible is my favorite book. I love to read it and hear it read. It is filled with compelling stories. One in particular is about a man who had been born with a disability and was unable to walk. Friends would carry him from home to the entrance of a local religious temple where he would spend the day begging. In a single moment though, his whole life changed when he met two men walking into the temple. He asked them for money, like everyone else. But these two, Peter and John, responded differently. [Click on the picture to read the full column]
Where to Find Happiness
Have you ever said to a friend or family member, “I just want you to be happy”, as they were considering marriage, a new job or some other major decision?Recently I watched a documentary on a highly accomplished NBA basketball player from the 1980s and 90s. The program ended with the camera on him as he said, “I have five NBA Championships and I’m world famous. Is that supposed to make me happy?” Then he bowed his head and began to weep.Happiness is that inner experience some label as a state of contentment and well-being. How many of us want that for ourselves or wish it for those whom we love? [Click on the picture to read the full column]
When Only A Miracle Will Do
For nearly 10 years I served inmates in our small rural county jail as a minister, and saw over 100 of them come through our Bible studies and annual Christmas outreaches. They were there because of drugs, alcohol, theft, sexual violations and more. Men and women. Young and old. While they sat with me in their white and orange jail issued clothes, I would often say, “When you were young and thought about the future, none of you set out to be in jail. You are here because something went wrong.”Have you ever known someone, where at some point, something went terribly wrong and one bad decision seemed to pile on another?
What’s Happening with My Adult Kids?
“Pastor Miller, thanks for coming over on short notice. My wife and I appreciate it. We are at a loss and don’t know what to do with our son, Tom. We just can’t handle it anymore. He’s an adult and has been out on his own for a while. For years we’ve dealt with his unpredictable behavior and have tried everything. He wasn’t raised this way. Pastor, what else can we do? Where did we go wrong?” Maybe you are a parent with teenagers or adult children that are living destructive lives. Can you identify with this dad and mom? [Click on the picture to read the full column]