The emails have started arriving. Oprah's show this week on sex and "open marriages" really lit a fire for folks.

Holly and Greg shared their view of marriage - it need not be exclusive or "closed." Holly has begun having a sexual relationship with one of their close family friends (very close I suppose). Greg is OK with that and is in the market for a little external stimulation himself. He feels good that Holly has "that much more love in her life."

No, it is not love; it is lust. There is a difference. And indulging lust outside the marriage is a death knell for the marriage itself. Sadly, my wager is that Greg and Holly will not be together five years from now. Their openness will lead to their demise as a couple. Love does not grow on a foundation of lust.

Marriage is at its best when 2 become 1: physically, emotionally, and sexually. Whole, healthy marriages do not introduce outside persons into the intimacy of the relationship - whether emotionally or sexually. A good marriage is a thing of beauty and a gift from God. A crumbling marriage is painful to watch.

I will pray, not praise, for Greg and Holly.

Ahmadinejad's appearance and speech at Columbia University are just too much to resist.

First, I applaud Columbia for hosting Ahmadinejad and giving him the opportunity to express his beliefs and convictions. Free speech is free speech. The only way to eradicate hate-filled, benighted ignorance is to expose it. Ahmadinejad has nothing to offer the world but hatred, Islamic supremacy and oppression.

Second, I wish Columbia and other leading American colleges and universities would actually practice free speech in their classrooms, forums, and course offerings. That is the sadness of all this - most American colleges have succumbed to political correctness so deeply that non-Marxist ideas and discussions are virtually verboten. In fact, the American college is the last place that Marxism still finds a foothold. Virtue, values, and moral clarity are usually eschewed for relativism, anything goes, and "if it feels good, do it."

Moreover, the anti-faith bias of most colleges makes it next to impossible to have a reasonable conversation about faith and issues of the heart and spirit. More often than not, Christian speakers are shouted down or not even invited in the first place. Free speech? I think not. What is good for Ahmadinejad is good for any proponent of ideas. That is what true universities do.

Third, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reminded us again that the internal compass of Islam is flawed, even scary. Nations run by Islamic supremacists are scary places - violent, intolerant and cruel. Not so much because of the rulers but because of the core DNA of Mohammed and the political movement that he started.

Today has been a great day. Great show on Newsradio WOOD 1300. Great afternoon of golf at the Railside Club in Grand Rapids - 70 degrees, sunny. New friends in a city I have not been to before. All in all, a great day.

Caused me to think about the blessings I enjoy and give thanks for. Cultivating gratitude is a good habit because my nature is to take things for granted. Here are 10 in no particular order:
1) My wife - I married well.
2) My girls - healthy, intelligent and delightful
3) Faith - the gift of Jesus Christ has transformed my life
4) Freedom - we are lucky to live in this free land. May we preserve that freedom and not give in to the temptation to have government control everything.
5) Income - I have all that I need and more. Most Americans are within the wealthiest 5% of the world's population.
6) A full stomach - a large proportion of the world worries about food. I do not.
7) Good friends - Hard to describe how rich our family is with good friends upon whom we can count in any situation
8) Purpose - My life has a clear direction.
9) Family - My wife and I both come from families who have loved us unconditionally
10) Grace - God's immense grace.
10)

First time ever in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am here filling in for three days on the Rick and Scott show on NewsRadio WOOD 1300.

What a beautiful city! Lots of historic architecture and a marvelous Grand River running right down the middle of the city.

But it will be 43 degrees tonight. WoW! No kidding.

However, tomorrow promises to be better with a high of 77. But 43 in September.

We had a great day today doing the show on Islam and the faith of the candidates for President. Tomorrow, we turn to the Grand Rapids police scandal of cheating police officers and the dispatcher who turned the tables on her cheating husband. Adultery always destroys relationships, often beyond repair.

Glad to be in Grand Rapids. New friends in a cold place!

I still remember. Yes, I do.

I was taking my senior leadership on a retreat to the mountains of NC when I pulled into the post office in Cedar Mountain, NC, and was met by a woman sharing the news. My reaction was shock and denial.

We drove rapidly to the place we were staying. Turned on the TV. Could not believe my eyes.

Planes slashing through towers. The Pentagon. PA field. No words to describe the feelings - horror, fear, worry, shock. Words fail.

2973. 2973 people died that day. And the world came to see the roots and DNA of Islam in a way we had not previously before.

We are at war. A way of life is at stake. Islamic supremacists desire a world bowed before Allah. No freedom to choose - only sharia law.

Their methods are ingenious and varied - legal and illegal immigration, high birth rates, radical madrassahs, American culture-specific public schools, nuclear bombs, suicide bombs, cultural accommodation, intimidation.

Make no mistake - we are at war.

I still remember.

Great show last night. Good discussion on Mother Teresa, faith, doubts, and fear.

Lots of requests for my 6 P's to strengthen believers in periods of doubt and despair - or even a dark night of the soul as Teresa described.

Here they are:
Prayer - our lifeline to God. Maintain the prayer life even in times of distance from God. Teresa continued to awaken each morning at 4:30 to spend time with Jesus. Prayer is more than how we feel.

Perseverance - Stay the course. Keep doing the task to which God has appointed you. Obedience in times of doubt is good in and of itself. Teresa continued to lead the mission venture in spite of her darkness. Remarkable.

Psalms - Use them. They chronicle doubt, faith, fear, and joy just like Teresa's journals do. In particular, I recommend Psalm 6, 13, 22, and 139.

People of Faith - Surround yourself with them. This has been my greatest source of strength personally. To have spiritual friends and persons of great faith so that I can stand on their faith when mine falters and they can stand on mine in their own trials.

Personal history and experience of God's grace - Remember and name the occasions of God's presence and grace in your life. Name them and list them. Draw strength from His real presence in your own life.

Places - Spend time in the places that remind you of God. Go to the places where you often experience God and draw strength there. For me, the monastery in Conyers, GA, is one of those. Looking Glass Rock in NC is another.