The city of Detroit has undergone a major transformation that some have called “the big comeback” or a “rebirth”. Just a few years ago, the Motor City filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, saddled with more than $18 billion in debt. Buildings like the once-grand neoclassical Michigan Central Station—a building that symbolized Detroit’s significance—had been abandoned and littered with graffiti, symbolizing the decline of the city.

It can be an unsettling moment to realize that, whether you had set out to imitate them or not, you have somehow become just like your mother or your father. The moment often comes somewhere in mid-life.

The rules surrounding advertising for the tobacco industry have changed drastically in recent years. In years gone by, cigarettes were advertised as promoting good health and as the doorway to a glamorous lifestyle. All that has changed.

If you have ever seen a movie in 3-D – possibly presented on a dome IMAX screen—you will know that the experience is remarkable. Images flow out of the screen and action happens all around you. It can feel like you’re entering another world – the world of the film itself. But to enter that experience, you must wear the 3-D glasses that are provided. Without the glasses, the experience just doesn’t work.

Prayer can be a challenging undertaking. It’s hard to set aside the time, focus our minds, and still our hearts. It’s hard to know how to pray. We can always pray for urgent needs related to health or finances. But apart from those, what should be our regular priorities in prayer – for ourselves and for one another?