TIME magazine makes the shocking announcement: Mother Teresa's spiritual life was filled with doubts and darkness.

The atheists and agnostics rejoice. They are right - there is no God. Even Mother Teresa, the holiest of those living in the 20th century, did not really know God, they say.

Teresa's private letters and journals will be available to the public within the next week or two in book form. Letters and journals that she asked to have destroyed instead will be read by millions.

Her life was characterized by extraordinary achievement, bold faith, and perseverance. And also by doubt, fear, and distance from God.

What's the point? Very simple. All of us can say our lives were filled with the latter three (doubt, fear and distance). That is not news. Few can lay claim to the first three (achievement, bold faith and perseverance).

We all have doubts. Let's be honest. We all experience darkness. We just do.

Faith is not entirely reasonable. Faith is not entirely rational. Faith requires a leap. A leap into the arms of a loving God waiting to receive us. But sometimes we simply do not "feel" or "experience" the presence and grace of God. And those times are hard.

Teresa was holy. In fact, the closer she got to God, the more distance she felt. Being human is hard. Being holy is even harder.

But her faith has inspired me. This coming Sunday's show will focus on how her journals may give the greatest teaching moment in our lifetimes about faith. Doubts, testing, darkness, grace. All the substance for a show to remember.

She's gone. To Mexico.

Elvira Arellano has been arrested and deported. I shared her story on the show this past Saturday. After one year in "sanctuary" at Adalberto United Methodist Church, Elvira left, drove to Los Angeles, spoke at an immigration rally, and was arrested shortly thereafter.

The government did its job. The ICE agents enforced the law in a peaceable and reasonable way.

And the Church and its pastor, Rev. Walter Coleman, did its job. Offering grace and compassion to a woman in desperate need. Coleman offered Arellano sanctuary for a year in the church. He now is providing a home for her son, Saul, 8, who has been left behind in the USA. He is a citizen here; his mother, Elvira, is not.

He's here; she's gone. To Mexico.

Rev. Coleman did the right thing. He offered hospitality to a stranger in need. Just like the innkeeper did for Joseph and Mary. Just like Abraham did to three men, who turned out to be divine. Christ-followers remember the Lord's words: "When I was a stranger, you welcomed me..."

Those words make all the difference. The Church is in the welcoming business.

See also http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8R4VU400&show_article=1

Pope Benedict has issued a statement saying that the fullness of Christ rests squarely in the Roman Catholic Church. And Protestants are writing me left and right to express anger and/or dismay. Got two more emails today!

We Protestants often lack a real grounding in the nature of Catholicism and an ability to see Catholics as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

So, here are 10 things I appreciate about the Roman Catholic Church - none of which have to do with Protestants being inferior or defective in any way.

1) History - Cardinal Newman said, "To immerse oneself in history is to become Catholic." Catholic history dates to the Church fathers. Very impressive and inspiring to read Justin, Hippolytus, et al.

2) Real Presence - What a cool idea that Jesus is "really present" in the bread and wine of communion. Early Christians believed Jesus meant what He said, "This is my body; this is my blood."

3) Courage of Conviction - Evangelicals owe a great deal to our partnership with the Catholic Church for the public declaration that life is precious and abortion is wrong.

4) True Unity/Diversity - A truly global Church is inspiring.

5) Authority - The Pope is the head. That clears up a lot of things, doesn't it?

6) Doctrine - Love it or hate it, Catholic doctrine is clear.

7) Transcendence - A deep, abiding sense that God is bigger than we are.

8) Apostolic Succession - The Pope stands in the line of Peter, 1st century hero.

9) Beauty of architecture - The notion that church buildings can inspire and strengthen us humans. Transcendence again.

10) Holiness - Few if any humans of the 20th century rival Pope John Paul II or Mother Teresa in my opinion in terms of pure holiness.

The Hillary Haters are out. And they are filling up my inbox.

It surprises me that Hillary haters cannot have a calm, reasonable conversation about her. I do think her faith is real and sincere. That does not mean that she is the best candidate for the Presidency of the United States, but I think it is important to acknowledge.

She grew up very active in the Methodist church.

Her first date with Bill was to a Billy Graham crusade.

Faith plays a large role in the formation of her political positions. I think she believes the government can solve poverty issues. And racial justice issues. Some Christians think socialism is the right answer. I strongly disagree with that view, but I respect it.

And her relationship with Billy Graham has an air of authenticity. Their interview on the Billy Graham special last week that shared snippets from all the Presidents and their wives who are living, revealed how faith played a large role in her forgiving Bill for his affairs. I respect that.

But the Hillary haters cannot even give her credit for that. Hatred blinds any grace.

I do not suggest that you vote for Hillary. I do suggest that you look at how your faith impacts how you vote.

And in 2008, that will be tough for someone who is a devoted follower of Christ.

I just finished an excellent book, Three Cups of Tea, byu Greg Mortenson and David Relin. Highly recommend it.

Mortenson has spent the past 15 years starting schools for girls in the remotest regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. One person who has made a huge difference. Quite an inspiration.

His vantage point on Islam, as an American who has earned his stripes in the Middle East in remarkable ways, is helpful. Provides a good balance to my own more radical view. He deals with rural Muslims in undeveloped regions. My view reflects study of the origins of Islam and the life of Mohammed and the Koran.

Mortenson was a mountain climber who went to scale K2, did not make it, and stumbled by happenstance into a rural Muslim village in Pakistan. They took him in with compassion. He repaid their hospitality by returning to build schools to educate girls and counteract the madrassahs that raise terrorists.

All in all, a good read and very inspiring.

You can also visit his site at www.threecupsoftea.com.

Well, yesterday, I filled in for my friend, Stu Epperson, on his show TruthTalk Live, a broadcast primarily on Christian stations around the world. We discussed Islam and the rise of accommodation of Muslim demands in America, the decline of Europe under the weight of Islamic immigration, and the crucial decision points that America faces right now without even realizing it.

Then, today,two interesting occurrences.

First, check out http://www.christianpersecution.info/news/iraq-court-upholds-christian-girls-murder-sentence/
to read the story of a girl facing tremendous persecution for stabbing her uncle in self-defense as he beat her for having converted to Christianity from Islam. Our Christian brothers and sisters around the world stand in great need of our prayers, love and support.

Second, I received an email from a listener, accusing me of hatred for Muslims. She is a Christian dating a Muslim man, whom she thinks treats her better than anyone she has ever known. I hope she is right.

She accuses me of being an "infidel," and assures me that my soul is in eternal peril for my judgmentalism.

Judgmental? Not really. Just trying to get to the truth about Islam. And it is not pretty.

When I was a kid, I had the weirdest thought. In fact, it led me not to buy a car with automatic power windows until just a few years ago. If you were to drive off a bridge into the water, would your power short out and make it impossible to open your windows to escape? When I asked a car salesman that, he looked at me strangely and acknowledged that I was the first customer who had asked that. I bought the car with roll-down windows just in case.

Sadly, today illustrates my thoughts.
What an awful scene - watching the collapse of the passenger bridge in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The death count is at 4 but expected to rise higher since more than 20 are missing.

My heart breaks for those families waiting for news about a missing loved one. May the grace of God surround them and give them strength and hope.