The Whitehall Ledger - Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

COVID-19, the border crisis, inflation: are these stealing our sense of hope? Pessimism and wistful thinking keep many from enjoying the blessings of good cheer. The Oxford Dictionary defines wistful as “having or showing a feeling of vague or regr...

In life we have an important choice between being merciful or vengeful. We most definitely are living currently in a culture that’s on pins and needles. People are at great odds over matters that shouldn’t drive us apart. The truth is, when someo...

Jesus had the ability to look at people gently and speak to them in the most gracious tone. Compassion, kindness, sincerity--Christ displayed earnestness. It is no wonder he is the embodiment of grace worth following. “You’re full of it” is a p...

Christians to this day eagerly wait for Christ’s return. If we are eager today, what might be one of our goals? Our mission is to reach the lost and make disciples for Jesus. At a more personal level our goal as believers is to simply grow in...

Lately the subject of generosity has been on my mind but as I read God’s Word, I’ve noticed how grace is an integral part of what it means to be generous. Jesus exemplified this in his life and ministry; he was both truthful and graceful. “An...

Serving God involves an abandonment to Christ and his leadership. In order to follow Jesus we will always have to make the assessment to either be all in or not, there is no middle ground. In fact, such a commitment may involve sacrifice and...

Being overly materialistic is a cancer that destroys people and churches. A blind spot, materialism will grow without a healthy conscience to check it. Pastor Timothy Keller says, “The Bible describes us to be a ministry provider not a ministry...

Jesus didn’t mince words or shy away from speaking the truth, but He often used parables in His teachings. In the Gospel of Luke one of the Pharisees again tried to stump Him, boastfully and loosely claiming that the privileged, including himself,...

Hospitality has been on my mind lately but from a fresh view. We are accustomed to hospitality in terms of entertaining relatives and close friends. Pastor Timothy Keller describes radical hospitality as a “love for strangers” drawing...

From an early age most of us have been taught to be aware of “stranger danger.” Much of this is due to safety, especially with the rise of sex trafficking. As parents we have discussed with our children extensively awareness and how to spot...

I know that former generations handled hospitality better than we do. However, in the current television and internet era, Martha Stewart has become synonymous with hospitality and entertainment. She has built a business empire on delicious foods and...

Have you ever experienced losing your keys? Many of us have. We are usually in a hurry and heading out the door. Anxiety sets in fast. Often when we slow down, take a breath and retrace our steps, we find the illusive things. Sometimes those keys...

Generosity goes beyond simply giving money; generosity permeates all areas of our lives. One area which we tend to forget in applying generosity is in our relationships, specifically forgiveness. Have you ever wrestled with an unforgiving attitude?...

Most of us remember a time or two when our behavior was haughty and arrogant. Today’s meditation takes aim at the condition of being proud that usually causes such behavior. Again, I’m focusing on Jesus’s parable contrasting the Pharisee and...

Jesus often spoke in parables to make clear points; in the Gospel of Luke he compares a tax collector and a Pharisee. Most of us think negatively of both individuals. We are tempted to think the tax collector is like an IRS auditor today. Such a...

Generosity, according to dictionary.com, is the spirit and action of freely and frequently giving to others.” Most often this characteristic is associated with those of religious ties, being celebrated world-wide. One can also be generous without a...

John Maxwell, well known author and book seller, said “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” He also observed “Development is a lifetime journey, not a quick trip.” Two key factors play a major role in the...

This weekend we like to celebrate fatherhood. It’s time to crank up the BBQ, get out into nature, and spend some leisure time together. The history of Father’s Day is directly tied to a West Virginia church which commemorated the death of 362...

I have been entertaining the question: What will the church be? History says the church in the world builds life. “You cannot pray at home, like you can at church, where there is a great multitude; where exclamations are cried out to God as from...

We all have wishes for the future. Saying it best perhaps was the iconic movie character, Doc Brown in Back to the Future, “The future’s unwritten. It’s what we make of it.” The Barna Research group recently reported, “Christianity in the (...

Some subjects are easy to address while others are very difficult. This is today’s case. Abuse of any nature whether physical, emotional or sexual is extremely traumatic and sinful. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 i...

Does a day go by without news that America is a racist country? Isn’t it one of the most divisive matters of modern America? Media outlets are complicit, and they fan the flames, while at the same time chiming in “Racism has to stop.” The...

Just last Sunday many of us celebrated Mother’s Day. It is one of those distinctions that contributes to our civilization. As a matter of fact, in America, Mother’s Day dates back about one hundred years and was signed into law by President Woodr...

Imagine yourself for a moment as an outdoor enthusiast, on the first leg of a five-day backpack journey. You are loaded with supplies, map and compass in hand. You have charted your course and plan to be at your destination by Day Two. At first, you...

Are you tired of political bantering? It is incredibly complex. But, does it need to be? Every issue seems to be politicized, medicine, immigration, the environment, social justice, even sports. During the 2021 NCAA tournament, commentator Charles Ba...