This photo is of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Tegel prison, prior to his move to the notorious concentration camp of Buchenwald. Though visits weren’t frequent or long, at Tegel his parents and his fiancé Maria were sometimes allowed to bring him books, such as the one in his hand.

When I mentioned Dietrich Bonhoeffer last week, five people told me they’d like to hear about him. I’m glad to oblige, in this blog and the next.

This is my fourth and final blog on presidential candidates. I said I’d comment on Ron Paul, the Texas congressman with libertarian ideals who is running for the Republican nomination.  

There was discussion in the comments on my previous blog about whether I am violating IRS regulations by supporting Mike Huckabee. Since there is misunderstanding on this, let me clarify. (Not just for me, but for countless Christian leaders and pastors in the same position.)

Yesterday was one of the most exhausting days of my life. I stood in front of a video camera nearly the whole day, answering questions about Heaven, covering nearly all the major subject areas addressed in my books.

I got back late last week from the annual Christian Booksellers convention. Always in July, it’s normally in a hot, sweaty southern city. This year was Atlanta, next year is Orlando. We haven’t been back to Dallas since it hit 120 degrees several years ago. Now if we could only have it in Portland or Seattle... Anyway, I’m going to spend a couple blogs talking about it.

Tell Me About Heaven is about a grandfather helping ten-year-old Jake come to terms with his grandmother’s death. Jake has all kinds of questions about Heaven, and what his grandma is doing and whether she remembers him. When he spends two weeks at his grandfather’s house out in the country, they do things together and talk about Heaven as they go. 

Deception is a first person murder mystery told by wisecracking and lovable homicide detective Ollie Chandler. It was a fun book to write, though it took a lot of time and effort.

George Mueller once said something like this (not verbatim, but this is its essence): “I read Scripture until I come to a verse that can bear my whole weight, and then I stop and ponder it.” That happened to me yesterday, and today I am pondering the same verse. But first, the background, so you’ll know why I’ve found such comfort in it.