13 Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NRSV)
Each and every moment of our lives is lived at the crossroads of two paths. A decision must be made as we ponder which path to take. We cannot evade making a choice as life forces us to keep moving forward. One path is wide and easy to traverse while the other is narrow and more formidable. The wide path is inviting while the narrow path is daunting. The wide path requires no thought and sees things only in the dim light of the moment. The narrow path requires a more thoughtful approach and looks to the revealing light of eternity. And only one path will lead us to the narrow gate on Judgment Day.
I was called into the ministry from a career as a state trooper. I served United Methodist churches in rural, city, and suburban settings. During this time, I also served four years as a chaplain in the United States Army Reserves. Because of Asperger’s, which is on the upper end of the autism spectrum, I had to leave the ordained ministry, though I am still called to serve the Lord. I was then a social worker for Allegheny County (Pittsburgh). From this position, because of the stress, I segued to become a corporate librarian for Mellon Bank, a Fortune 500 company. I then went on to be a college professor teaching American history and comparative religion.
I have written several books of sermons and many devotional articles, and I am currently writing the devotional website Narrow Pathways. I hold a bachelor’s degree in sociology (Slippery Rock University), master’s degrees in theology (Wesley Theological Seminary), church history (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), library and information science (University of Pittsburgh), secondary education (Duquesne University), as well as a doctorate in homiletics (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). I now reside in South Carolina.
On a personal note, I was called into theological studies from a career as a Virginia state trooper. This transition has been the litmus test for all my theological writings, for it made me mindful that biblical interpretation and theological positions must parallel what people experience in daily living. Therefore, my guide is that my theology must be able to dwell on the streets of Page County, where I was assigned as a state trooper, for this is where people live; this is reality. If a theological treatise that I compose cannot live on the streets of Page County then my theology is misguided, for the streets are real. The political speeches, sermons, and devotionals that I write must reflect the reality of daily living, offering encouragement and answers that are authentic and pragmatic.
I was born with Aspergers, which is on the autism spectrum. Aspergers means I have difficulty with interpersonal relationships. It wasn’t until my early 60s that I was diagnosed with this birth condition. Until then I only knew that I was “different,” and life was very difficult. Once diagnosed with Aspergers I retreated to writing full-time as it best suited my personality. I consider devotional writing to be my spiritual gift. In the second grade, the school newspaper published a story that I wrote about the littlest Christmas tree. As I was in the lowest reading group, I was both surprised and ecstatic to see my story in the school’s paper. Reflecting on that experience, I see my second grade story to be an epiphany as to my future as a devotional writer, and in recognition of that, I keep a Christmas tree on my desk.