The Work Of Hands Tom Poland Posted 9/18/23By Tom PolandA Southern Writerwww.tompoland.nettompol@earthlink.netFolks say the future belongs to “Knowledge Workers.” A so-called knowledge worker is someone who manages information within a specific subject area. I suppose I’m a knowledge worker. I’m more at home with a keyboard than I am a...
Breaking free from distorted thinking
Living on Purpose: Breaking free from distorted thinking Dr. William Holland Posted 9/18/23By Dr. William HollandWe continue the conversation about those who occasionally think about what their life might have been like had they made different choices. It’s true that if we had decided to make other choices our lives...
We only have one chance to make it right
Living on Purpose: We only have one chance to make it right Dr. William Holland Posted 9/13/23By Dr. William HollandThe other day I was speaking with a person I’ve known most of my life, and he asked me if I could go back in time and live my life again,...
Jesus loves the little children
Living on Purpose: Jesus loves the little children Dr. William Holland Posted 9/6/23By Dr. William HollandLast week we talked about how desperately we need to reach all children for Christ, and I still have much to say on the matter. God loves the little children and always made it a...
Living on Purpose: If the dark side can deceive one generation
Living on Purpose: If the dark side can deceive one generation Dr. William Holland Posted 8/28/23By Dr. William Holland A child’s mind is like a sponge that is constantly absorbing more information. This can be a good thing if they are learning about God and how to develop a personal...
God’s love is about forgiveness not condemnation
Living on Purpose: God’s love is about forgiveness not condemnation Dr. William Holland Posted 8/21/23By Dr. William HollandSome of you might keep a close watch on the news, and others may listen occasionally or not at all, but whatever the case, you’ve heard enough to realize that it’s common for...
Until one has loved an animal
Living on Purpose: Until one has loved an animal Dr. William Holland Posted 8/15/23By Dr. William HollandCheryl and I grew up around dogs and when we were married, it did not take long for us to bring home our first fur babies, a Scottish Terrier and a Wire Hair Terrier....
How serious are we about hating sin?
Living on Purpose: How serious are we about hating sin? Dr. William Holland Posted 8/7/23By Dr. William HollandWe spoke last week about addictions that involve more people than we could imagine, and we should realize by now that personal problems happen whether one proclaims they are a Christian or not....
Being honest with God and ourselves
Living on Purpose: Being honest with God and ourselves Dr. William Holland Posted 7/31/23By Dr. William HollandIn the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the perception of contradictory information and the mental toll of it. Relevant items of information include a person’s actions, feelings, ideas, beliefs, values, convictions, and things...
Darkness can never overcome God’s light
Living on Purpose: Darkness can never overcome God’s light Dr. William Holland Posted July 25, 2023By Dr. William HollandThere is a lot of talk today about the reality of a global system of organized evil that controls the governments and social politics of the world. There are many different attitudes...
Living on Purpose: Do others respect your relationship with God?
Living on Purpose: Do others respect your relationship with God? Dr. William Holland Posted 7/17/23By Dr. William HollandThe Christian and the non-Christian are supposed to be different. In fact, so different, the Bible says that once a person becomes spiritually transformed they become an entirely new creation. His includes the...
Having courage to stand for what we believe
Living on Purpose: Having courage to stand for what we believe Dr. William Holland Posted 7/3/23By Dr. William HollandEvery summer we look forward to the Fourth of July because it’s filled with fun things to do, like barbecuing, picnics, games, family gatherings, boating, camping, and fireworks. Also, for many, it’s...
Being informed is not a substitute for truth
Living on Purpose: Being informed is not a substitute for truth Dr. William Holland Posted 6/26/23By Dr. William HollandAll levels of government and its ally, the mainstream media, are regularly accused of dishonesty. Many of these falsehoods are ignored or quickly forgotten by a public that has become numb to...
Living on Purpose: Being transformed by the renewing of our mind
Living on Purpose: Being transformed by the renewing of our mind Dr. William Holland Posted 6/19/23By Dr. William HollandWhen we think about the challenges and possibilities of our future, it’s easy to ignore our responsibilities while we imagine someone else stepping into our situation and helping us achieve our goals....
Living on Purpose: God Did That
Living on Purpose: God Did That Dr. William Holland Posted 6/13/23By Dr. William HollandWithin the unlimited amount of evidence to prove that God is real and the Creator of all things, there is no greater example than the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The average person does not wake up in...
Living on Purpose: Are we dedicated to accomplish His will?
Living on Purpose: Are we dedicated to accomplish His will? Dr. William Holland Posted 6/5/23By Dr. William HollandWe might as well lay all the cards on the table and establish that it’s easier to go to church and put some money in the offering plate than to develop a consistent...
Living on Purpose: A time to Remember and Respect
Living on Purpose: A time to Remember and Respect Dr. William Holland Posted 5/30/23By Dr. William HollandThis is a week when we honor those who died in battle for our country. There was a time when society seemed to be more sensitive and compassionate about casualties of war, but today...
Living on Purpose: Life is an ongoing transformation process
Living on Purpose: Life is an ongoing transformation process Dr. William Holland Posted 5/23/23 By Dr. William Holland I was at my daughter’s home a few years ago doing some painting, and yes, these are things that retired fathers are happy to do. She was in another room organizing a...
A divided heart lives in deception
Living on Purpose: A divided heart lives in deception Dr. William Holland Posted May 16, 2023By Dr. William HollandI’m reminded again of the quote from Scott Fitzgerald, “You do not write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say.” I can relate to those...
Living on Purpose: Are you in love with God?
Living on Purpose: Are you in love with God? Dr. William Holland 5/9/23By Dr. William HollandThe Almighty has the power to unlock all doors and break down every obstacle. We also believe He can do whatever He wants, but often are left clueless to comprehend His decisions. I’ve heard testimonies...
Preventing seeds of unforgiveness to germinate
Living on Purpose: Preventing seeds of unforgiveness to germinate Dr. William Holland Posted 5/2/23By Dr. William HollandHow much grace does it take to love our enemies? That’s a good question. Tragedies occur all around us and it’s true we are heartbroken and disturbed, but how do we react when our...
When A Church Dies
Living on Purpose: When A Church Dies Dr. William Holland Posted 5/2/23By Dr. William HollandSome linger in woods. Some stand, for now, at the end or side of a dirt road. Some hide behind other buildings, and some haunt the edge of hamlets and villages.Abandoned churches. How does a church...
Taking a moment to share my life and appreciation
Living on Purpose: Taking a moment to share my life and appreciation Dr. William Holland Posted 4/25/23By Dr. William HollandFor those of you that read this column, I hope the insights and considerations are worth your time. I have political and social speculations like all of you, but I would...
Will the return of Christ interfere with your plans?
Living on Purpose: Will the return of Christ interfere with your plans? Dr. William Holland Posted 4/18/23By Dr. William HollandHenry Allan “Harry” Ironside was a Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author who pastored Moody Church in Chicago from 1929 to 1948. It is said that Harry Ironside was...
A burden for souls is the heart of evangelism
Living on Purpose: A burden for souls is the heart of evangelism Dr. William Holland Posted 4/11/23By Dr. William HollandEveryone has their thoughts and interpretations when it comes to sharing the gospel, but there’s not a more terrifying word among the average Christian than evangelism. Just ask a believer when...
The angel said, “Jesus is not here, He is risen!”
Living on Purpose: The angel said, “Jesus is not here, He is risen!” Dr. William Holland Posted 4/4/2023By Dr. William HollandThis is the time of year when Christians focus on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Spring is a season of new life as His followers remember how He...
What will be your wager about God’s existence?
Living on Purpose: What will be your wager about God’s existence? Dr. William Holland Posted 3/28/23By Dr. William HollandGod’s offer for everyone to accept His salvation is the greatest gesture of compassion and grace the world has ever known. However, for those who reject His invitation, as the rich young...
What does having a pure heart mean to you?
Living on Purpose: What does having a pure heart mean to you? Dr. William Holland Posted 03/20/2023By Dr. William HollandMany are familiar with the beatitudes which are a section of a larger discourse spoken by Jesus in His earthly ministry. They are found in His sermon on the mount in...
Walking on bridges that human eyes cannot see
Living on Purpose: Walking on bridges that human eyes cannot see Dr. William Holland Posted 3/16/2023By Dr. William HollandSoon after Jesus had resurrected, we find a beautiful account found in John chapter 20 that is a wonderful example of how much God loves us and desires to help us. The...
Only two options: The broad or the narrow way
Living on Purpose: The broad or the narrow way Dr. William Holland Posted 3/8/2023By Dr. William HollandThose who identify with following Jesus are usually satisfied with being comfortable and cozy in their religious styles. Let’s just say that suffering for God is not on their bucket list. When we take...
God’s invitation is to the entire world
Living on Purpose: God’s invitation is to the entire world Dr. William Holland Posted Feb. 27, 2023By Dr. William HollandKentucky is having amazingly warm weather for February and actually broke records the other day. My grass is turning green and soon everything will be budding and we will be out...
God is waiting to pour out His glory on us
Living on Purpose: Column Headline Dr. William Holland 2/21/23By Dr. William HollandLast week we talked about the recent revival in Wilmore Kentucky. Anytime there are 1500 people in one place worshiping God around the clock, we know the Lord is stirring hearts. We had a trip to Denver planned last...
It’s encouraging to see a hunger and thirst for God
Living on Purpose: It’s encouraging to see a hunger and thirst for God Dr. William Holland 2/14/2023By Dr. William HollandThere is a move of the Holy Spirit happening in Wilmore Kentucky where the small evangelical Asbury University and Seminary are located. As the regular chapel service began Wednesday morning in...
Do we only follow God when we feel like it?
Living on Purpose: Column Headline Dr. William Holland 2/7/2023 By Dr. William Holland Have you ever wondered what is the purpose of television, games, movies, and social media? Many will say it was created to entertain and inform us, but what we may not have noticed, is that when we...
Appreciating every day and every hour
Living on Purpose: appreciating every day and every hour Dr. William Holland 1/30/23 By Dr. William Holland I have a good friend that is seriously ill with late-stage cancer. When he was diagnosed about 2 years ago, he began to write and send a daily text thread to friends about...
Maybe we should let someone hold our mule
Maybe we should let someone hold our mule Dr. William Holland 1/23/23By Dr. William Holland“Hold my mule” is a figurative expression from the American South that means when a person is leading a mule and they need to go somewhere, or do something very important they will ask someone to...
Billy Holland: Living for a purpose
Living on Purpose: They hear His voice, and follow Him Dr. William Holland 1/19/23By Dr. William Holland Life is changing all around us. With technology providing an opportunity for every person on the planet to speak and listen, we are surrounded by so many opinions about everything, it’s becoming more difficult...
Accomplishing God’s will is our purpose
Living on Purpose: Accomplishing God’s will is our purpose Dr. William Holland Posted Jan. 10, 2023By Dr. William HollandIt’s disappointing to God that most people are usually more concerned about what they want in life than asking Him what He requires of them. Since our eyes were opened in the...
Enjoying the comforts of remaining the same
Living on Purpose: Enjoying the comforts of remaining the same Dr. William Holland Posted January 2, 2023By Dr. William HollandAs God continues to move upon the earth, He has never stopped calling His children to be truth seekers, to speak His words, and demonstrate His character. The painful fact is...
What does Christmas mean to you?
Living on Purpose: What does Christmas mean to you? Dr. William Holland Posted December 27, 2022By Dr. William HollandI’ve read articles over the years about how Christmas is a combination of Christian and pagan symbolism along with some folklore traditions and for the most part, this is true. I also...
Christ our hope for the New Year
Living on Purpose: Christ our hope for the New Year Dr. William Holland Posted December 27, 2022By Dr. William HollandWe are at the end of another year and it always brings thoughts of starting fresh and having hope for the future. Most of us have watched the ball drop on...
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
Living on Purpose: The wrong shall fail, the right prevail Dr. William Holland Posted December 12, 2022By Dr. William HollandMost people have read or at least heard of a man named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). He was a literary giant in his lifetime and is still known today in many...
Why, my soul, are you so downcast?
Living on Purpose: Why, my soul, are you so downcast? Dr. William Holland Posted December 6, 2022By Dr. William HollandSince before the world was made God has known you and loved you. He has never taken His eyes away or ignored you. If you were to write down all the...
Using God’s speech filter in our conversations
Living on Purpose: Using God’s speech filter in our conversations Dr. William Holland Posted November 29, 2022By Dr. William HollandAs I’ve prayed for spiritual awareness over the years, the Lord has been patient with my lack of understanding and has graciously allowed me to labor in the area of communication....
We have much to be thankful for
Living on Purpose: We have much to be thankful for Dr. William Holland Posted November 21, 2022By Dr. William HollandI’ve always enjoyed Thanksgiving with my family but many times I become distracted from the intended purpose. Between football, conversations, and pumpkin pie, it’s easy to forget how much we have...
Knowing God unites us in His love
Living on Purpose: Knowing God unites us in His love Dr. William Holland Posted November 14, 2022By Dr. William HollandThe opportunity to know God is the greatest invitation that has ever been given in the history of mankind. For those that have a passion to learn about Him and serve...
Joy and peace are a state of mind
Living on Purpose: Joy and peace are a state of mind Dr. William Holland Posted November 9, 2022By Dr. William HollandFear and stress are often blamed for ruining our contentment and happiness, but anxiety is not an uncontrollable monster that forces us to be afraid. Actually, these negative responses originate...
God’s authority rewards faith and obedience
Living on Purpose: God’s authority rewards faith and obedience Dr. William Holland Posted October 31, 2022By Dr. William HollandDedicating our heart to God will be our most important decision. Individuals who devote their lives to Christ are aware of what is at stake and embrace the burden of praying for...
How do we respond to temptation?
Living on Purpose: How do we respond to temptation? Dr. William Holland Posted October 25, 2022By Dr. William HollandThe painful truth about any type of addiction and temptation is there was an introduction and a personal agreement to entertain it. They knew it was wrong but made the conscious decision...
The beauty of being broken before God
Living on Purpose: The beauty of being broken before God Dr. William Holland Posted October 17, 2022By Dr. William HollandHave you ever wondered if God is listening to you? One of His many divine attributes is that He is Omnipresent which means He is everywhere at the same time. His...
Ignoring God does not lessen our need for Him.
Living on Purpose: Ignoring God does not lessen our need for Him. Dr. William Holland Posted October 10, 2022By Dr. William HollandWithin the Christian faith, we are taught that every person will someday stand before God and have a discussion about how they lived. A few will argue, give excuses,...
Being resilient when facing life’s challenges
Living on Purpose: Being resilient when facing life’s challenges Dr. William Holland Posted October 6, 2022By Dr. William HollandI was having a conversation with a good friend the other day, and he was telling me how life is becoming more difficult now that he is in his eighties. When he...
Are we dedicating or hesitating?
Living on Purpose: Are we dedicating or hesitating? Dr. William Holland Posted September 26, 2022By Dr. William HollandI attempt to keep my eyes and ears open to learn about the Holy Spirit and human behavior. In my spiritual journey, the situations I've encountered through counseling and teaching have graciously allowed...
A lifestyle of solitude and simplicity
Living on Purpose: A lifestyle of solitude and simplicity Dr. William Holland Posted September 20, 2022By Dr. William HollandThere is much to be desired when it comes to spending time alone. It’s only been in the last few years that the floodgates of voices have been opened to everyone at...
Will we follow God or the world?
Living on Purpose: Will we follow God or the world? Dr. William Holland Posted September 9, 2022By Dr. William HollandChristians are accountable to love and pray for their family, and friends, and against evil everywhere, but unfortunately, many have lost the enthusiasm and the burden to ask God to set...
God builds His temple with living stones
Living on Purpose: God builds His temple with living stones Dr. William Holland Posted September 6, 2022By Dr. William HollandAs a Christian faith writer, I am blessed with God providing me with spiritual insights and considerations to relay to others. He creates opportunities for me to share, however, what I...
Words can be forgiven but not forgotten
Living on Purpose: Words can be forgiven but not forgotten Dr. William Holland Posted August 29, 2022By Dr. William HollandWe will never rise above or go beyond what we believe and what we speak. It’s a spiritual revelation to comprehend that words have power and where there is privilege there...
The window of God’s grace is open
Living on Purpose: The window of God’s grace is open Dr. William Holland Posted August 22, 2022By Dr. William HollandGod has been stirring me for the last several years to realize there are many levels in our relationship with Him and that we are to be continually progressing through the...
The lines of communication are open
Living on Purpose: The lines of communication are open Dr. William Holland Posted August 15, 2022By Dr. William HollandThe path to victory was never promised to be an easy one. It’s filled with faith blended with hard work, persistence, and a passion to follow God’s directions. What type of victory...
God has a wonderful plan for you
Living on Purpose: God has a wonderful plan for you Dr. William Holland Posted August 8, 2022By Dr. William HollandGod loves you. This deserves repeating...God loves you! Sometimes people feel that no one cares but this is not true. Jesus proved how much He loved you when He gave His...
Our character reflects what we love
Living on Purpose: Our character reflects what we love Dr. William Holland Posted August 1, 2022By Dr. William HollandMost of us have heard that having lots of money cannot buy love or bring happiness. Since I’ve never been mega-wealthy, I will trust God on this one. Most people are trying...