If I were to build a bridge, I wouldn't reach for a kite as my first tool. But Charles Ellet Jr. is a better engineer than me. The time is 1848 and the place is the Niagara gorge. Those who wander north from the famous falls will eventually come to the whirlpool rapids. As the name suggests, this is a section of the river inhospitable to boats or bridges. But as I mentioned, Charles Ellet is a good engineer.

The dictionary defines the word “dare”, as having the boldness to venture a risk. In other words, a dare doesn’t assume certainty, but holds a question mark. Will your investments make a lucrative return? Will your proposal be approved? Are you sure your novel idea will work? Life is filled with dares, and faith is one of them.

My wife and I decided we wanted another heartbeat in the house. Age, energy and strata rules narrowed our choices, so we decided on a bird. Not just any feathered friend. We wanted a song bird. We had a canary years ago and welcomed the soft tuneful sounds. So we scoured the stores and came home with a bright red canary we dubbed “Chip.”

Preachers should choose their sermons carefully. The words have a way of becoming real. Since God knows that you don’t learn to ride a bicycle in theory, He has a habit of putting preachers into the content of their messages.