Conversations with Ray Martinez

While in high school, I was involved with an adhoc committee with Student Council and I did write columns for the Silver Quill at Poudre High School.  Much of my activity in High School centered out …

This is an interesting study about Jesus stating that the gate is hard to enter and it is narrow...hard to travel?  Why?  What must we do?  A careful analysis of cross-referenced scriptures is enligh…

I was asked if my birth was unusual.  My story centers around where I was born, later given up for adoption and finding my biological mother in 2005, fifty-three years later. I found my birthplace, w…

Jesus gave us a commandment to love one another.  He also told us to do unto others as we would like done unto us.  This is about having mercy or putting yourself in someone else's shoes. We can obey…

God has a unique conversation with Cain about his attitude and the killing of his brother, Able. It's clear that God provides a way out for us, if we are willing to listen, admit to wrong, and obey h…

I had so many people influence me as a kid growing up in Fort Collins. In this story, I focus on my Uncle Dave, who helped shape me.  He took a special interest in me in many ways.  One was to teach …

This is a great teaching about ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be open... Jesus is insightful about his understanding, using the analogy of parents wanting …

Crazy questions come up and this one in particular usually rises to the top about music.  My favorite artists are all over the board like Bill Anderson, Bob Marley, Sam Cooke, etc.  I'm sharing why t…

We learned earlier about not judging, but in the very following verse Jesus talks about not judging others, and he gives examples of making good judgement like,  "don't throw your pearls to pigs", or…

Growing up as a kid, I didn't know much about sports.  My first professional sports game was when the Yankees played the AAA Denver Bears in 1963 in an exhibition game. I never imagined meeting a fam…

What does Jesus teach about judging others?  Nothing precludes us from judging rightly.  Even when we take some sort of test, someone is judging us if we pass or not.  Or, when kids are disciplined, …

I think of Latino heroes in my life growing up and how they made something out of nothing.  I'm encouraged from people like Dr. Gil Carbajal, Dr. Lupe Salazar, Sam and Consuelo Trijillo (Consuelo's d…

Everyone has things in life they can't do with out, right?  Some of the obvious is food, water, and for other medication.  I share my personal things in life that I just cannot do away with, i.e. fri…

We are learning that Jesus was emphatic about not worrying about matters that He can help us with, which is everything when we think about it.  The Mayo Clinic has a list of physical side affects whe…

I think most of us worried about money growing up to some degree.  My parents seemed like they were always just getting by, but yet we were happy.  I always paid my way through life, and I didn't lik…

As we continue our discussion about Jesus' sermon on the mount, we are learning about money.  Nothing wrong with money as long as it doesn't control you?  It's nice to have things, but don't let thin…

I've had some great conversations with Charlie Winn, MD, about healthcare.  He stimulates some excellent thoughts to cause us to ponder.  I share some of those views from my perspective.  Everyone wa…

I remember the day JFK was shot to death like it happened yesterday. While in my sixth grade class, our teacher at Putnam Elementary school, Bob Asmus, walked into our classroom with the most somber,…

We are learning how to fast and why fasting is important.  How does it add to our power of prayer?  Can it change history or the course of our country? It Happened in Britain in 1756.  John Wesley te…

Brandon Unitt was a Larimer County Ranger who lost his life on August 20, 2020, responding to a call on Horsetooth Reservior to help people that were in distress because of an existing storm.  During…