When you hear the word “bold,” what person in the New Testament most comes to mind? Next to Jesus Christ, it would have to be Paul the Apostle. He appeared fearless in his ministry. He said he was “unashamed of the gospel” (Rom. 1:16), and his “earnest expectation and hope” would be that he would “not be put to shame in anything, but with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body” (Phil. 1:20). He proclaimed the gospel to hostile religious leaders, kings, governors, and antagonistic Jews, among others.

My top 5 favorite drinks are: sweet iced tea, Dr. Pepper, Diet Snapple Peach Tea, Coke Zero, and the Monster Zero Ultra. I really like the Snapple drinks because they have a fun fact under their bottle caps, though they have found that a few of their so-called facts need some correction.

This last Thursday morning, Kim and I, along with most of our family, attended our daughter Annie’s graduation from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. It was an emotional time for Mom and Dad to watch our last child walk across the stage to receive her diploma. We felt the joy of her four-year achievement mixed with the tears of seeing her ready to begin a new season of life as a young adult and face the rough and tough world where she wants to make a difference. And then, the president of GCU, Brian Mueller stepped up to the podium and challenged all the freshly-minted graduates to do what God has called us all to do: “Go” and not “stay.” His words not only inspired the graduates, but they motivated me as a parent, grandparent, and disciple of Jesus Christ.