In our grandparents' generation news of an earthquake in Nepal would reach around the world some days later. In our parents' day the nightly news communicated the catastrophe. Now it's a matter of minutes. We've barely processed one crisis, and then we hear of another.

It's one thing to be discouraged. It's another thing to have despair. Despair is when you think there's just no end to this [suffering]. There's no solution for this. Despair is when you think that your suffering has no purpose, and your suffering has no end.

The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that.

The book, Max on Life, is really kind of a second chance to answer these questions.

Jesus will press his thumb against the cheek of humanity and wipe away all tears.

Aren't you glad that God doesn't give you only that which you remember to thank him for?

Maybe you've had the experience where somebody's asked you a question and you give an answer, then later in the day you think, "Oh, I wish I'd said that!" I tend to journal these things and put the answers in sermons.