What to do when a Netflix binge brings you more joy than God’s calling. The spirit of acedia drives the monk out of his cell, but the monk who possesses perseverance will ever cultivate stillness. A person afflicted with acedia proposes visiting the sick, but is fulfilling his own purpose. A monk given to acedia is quick to undertake a service, but considers his own satisfaction to be a precept.— Evagrius Ponticus, from On the Eight Thoughts In the first year of my PhD program, I was... Read More
More than 500 residents of South Florida senior-care homes have coronavirus, new state data shows
Nine news organizations, including the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and the First Amendment Foundation filed a lawsuit Monday seeking more information, including a breakdown of staff and resident deaths by facility. Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Health, and the Agency for Health Care Administration are the defendants in the lawsuits. ... Read More
South Florida hospitals start planning to resume elective services
At a news briefing Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state’s hospitals have capacity to reopen to non-emergency medical procedures. The executive order prohibiting such procedures expires May 8, and South Florida hospitals are eager to resume work. (Sun Sentinel file photo)(Joe Amon / Sun Sentinel) ... Read More
Florida coronavirus updates: South Florida counties opening recreational facilities, with limits
By examining cases, fatalities and hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, Florida is “low compared to a lot of these other states. But if you took out southeast Florida and did it, it would be really, really, almost historic low, and no one would have predicted that.” ... Read More
Prayer in a Pandemic, Part Three
Prayer and proclamation. These days, the gospel is being proclaimed online each week by more preachers than at any time in history. As the gospel is preached, prayer must continue to be our foundation. In previous articles (see Part 1 and Part 2), I noted how first the church was birthed in prayer, and that prayer should be the foundation to all we do. Next, I observed how prayer is our response in times of difficulty. In this third article, I want us to see that prayer was as important to... Read More
Federal trial opens over Florida’s felon voting law
In this photo taken by her son on Sunday, Betty Riddle, of Sarasota, holds the T-shirt she wore on March 17, 2020, when she voted for the first time. She was barred from voting in Florida until a federal judge temporarily blocked the state from preventing her and 16 other felons from voting because of unpaid legal financial obligations. (Courtesy of Rickie Riddle via AP)(AP) ... Read More
6 Ways to Shepherd When You Can’t See the Sheep
In the wake of our pandemic, many godly shepherds are now faced with the daunting challenge of shepherding from a distance. The work of pastoral ministry is biblically described as the assignment of under-shepherding. Implicit in the biblical metaphor is that shepherds care for the sheep, protect the sheep, and lead the sheep to nutritious pasturelands. All of this seemingly necessitates physical presence as we lead under the authority of the Great Shepherd. The very language associated... Read More
Florida coronavirus updates: DeSantis promises details on reopening ‘pretty soon’
Nine news organizations, including the South Florida Sun Sentinel, and the First Amendment Foundation filed a lawsuit Monday seeking more information on the nursing home cases, specifically, a breakdown of staff and resident deaths at each facility. Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Health, and the Agency for Health Care Administration are the defendants. | Read more. ... Read More
Severe storms damage two coronavirus test sites in Palm Beach County
Severe thunderstorms Sunday damaged at least two drive-thru coronavirus test sites in Palm Beach County, including the one at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach. (Health Care District of Palm Beach County/Courtesy)(Health Care District of Palm Beach County / Courtesy) ... Read More
Severe weather strikes South Florida as near-hurricane strength wind gusts top 70 mph in Palm Beach County
“In Palm Beach County is where we’ve seen the strongest winds so far,” Kelly said just before 3:30 pm Sunday, adding that the strongest winds in Palm Beach measured between 50 and 70 mph between 1 p.m. and 1:45 p.m. In Broward he said, where the storms were still moving through, the strongest winds reached between 40 and 50 mph. ... Read More