PUB CHATS

Cool River Pub is a safe place, a community. Those who gather here are invited to share the honest expression of ideas, impulses, and inspirations. And, the house rules invite (and enforce) good humor, respect, and generosity of spirit. 

Art + Faith, A Theology of Making

Makoto Fujimura is an artist. But, for him, art is not…artsy. The man makes. In his book, Art + Faith, A Theology of Making (Yale University Press, 2020), Fujimura invites readers into his enchanted, but real as a ripsaw, view of truth.  The book issues a clear call to live far above the

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In the Valley of Weeping

Letting God turn your heart into a highway for them gives a way to live in harsh times. It may also give you traction through the Valley of Weeping.

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Sing Your Song

Wilbur and Orville knew their song. And because they were faithful to sing it, humans can mount the air and soar to the edge of the universe. Think about that. 

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An Elegant Life

One evening, as Terry Parker started closing up his gas station, a woman walked in and asked for help. Her car had broken down a couple blocks away.  When Terry towed her car to his station and inspected it, he quickly saw and explained the problem. That’s when she told

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A Ship on Dry Land

By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved… Hebrews 11:7[1] The classic story of Noah’s ark weaves through many cultures around the world and across

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Don’t Tell Me I Can’t

Cole Summers’ parents knew he was exceptional when, as a 3-year-old, he changed a tire on their truck. At 4, he tore down (and helped rebuild) their truck engine. After watching YouTube videos of Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, and others explaining how to gain wealth, he started his first business

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Going Off Script

In 2011, my friend Doug Roberts told me to stop reading books. Just like that, bold as a blizzard. So, I was surprised at how quickly my heart agreed. I quit, and I didn’t know (or care) if I ever read another book. Over time, I saw clarification about how,

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Wisdom on a Cracker

The truth of a line can sometimes ride in on laughter, as Former Senator and Presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy knew: “Running for president is like coaching football—you have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think it is important.”

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Adaptation

What Bernie Brings

When Joanne and I decided we wanted a dog, our checklist was very specific: an old dog, a tender, obedient, and docile dog. A slow and sane dog. Big as a buffalo, he would take down intruders and sit on their chests till cops arrived. But also, a dog that

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Renovation of the Heart

“We live from our heart.”         From that first line of Renovation of the Heart (Navpress, 2002), the late Dallas Willard drills deep into our spiritual core and the need for spiritual formation through Christ. Clearly, this book rolls out of a well-lived life—studious, devotional, and humble. Willard obviously thought

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