When we were visiting family in Tennessee over Christmas (2025) we found a copy of Charlie Kirk's last book, Stop in the Name of God, at a local bookstore. I had read many comments about the content of the book, some good and some bad, but I suspect most of the commenters had never read the book - they were simply regurgitating what they had seen others write about what was supposed to be in the book. After reading the book I agreed with the vast majority of what he said. It was a fresh look at the importance of Sabbath observance with practical ways to make the Sabbath special. As a life-long Seventh-day Adventist the Sabbath had become routine and sometimes mundane for me. I knew it was supposed to be a time to spend with God and that it was a symbol of God as our creator, Jesus as our redeemer, and the Holy Spirit as our sanctifier but I had lost sight of how to make that practical in my life. One of the suggestions that Charlie made in the book was to develop a meaningful way to welcome in the Sabbath at sunset on Friday night. As a child growing up we had sporadically practiced this but too often it became a ritual rather than a meaningful experience. In my adult life I have tried to wrap up my secular business by early Friday afternoon so I can not just physically prepare for the Sabbath, but spiritually and emotionally prepare as well. This blog is my effort to rekindle a meaningful and thoughtful transition into the Sabbath, moving my thoughts from the secular cares of the world to a thoughtful contemplation of what God has in mind for my life.

Over the past several years I have been asked to either start or be involved in several Bible Study groups, some of them have been in person and others online. This blog began as a means of connecting with my students who wanted a place to discuss a variety of biblical topics that were of interest to them and others who chose to join in.