I visited Plymouth, Massachusetts, and saw a replica of the Pilgrim’s (or more accurately the Separatists’) ship, the Mayflower. And I visited a replica of their original settlement. They came partly to escape grinding poverty and take a big chance at starting a new life in the New World. But they came primarily for religious independence from the oppressive and corrupt state church in England. They had bought a ship and were to sail on two ships, but their ship leaked, and after many weeks they couldn’t fix it, so they all piled onto the rented cargo ship called The…

My wife and I stayed at a resort where we expected a room with a view but were instead assigned the worst room in the entire place, right in front of the maintenance garage and parking lot. I was disappointed. So I thought about why. It came down to my expectations. If I had simply gone there for business or a conference, I wouldn’t have cared because my expectations would not have included a nice view. But I was there on vacation—and I would pray, read, think, relax, and eat most of my meals on the deck or patio outside…

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? When people don’t have satisfying answers, they may get mad, bury it, turn away from God, rationalize, or face life with humble faith. When bad things happen, it’s natural for people to ask why. But not all the time. One thing I have found is that the people who live in poor countries or places ravaged by violence and war, the vast majority of people don’t have the same expectations of things being good. They’ve never had that luxury. They expect bad things. God is their hope. When things…