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Daniel Dignan

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“Character is Destiny”

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Archives for August 2025

1 Samuel For You

August 17, 2025 by Daniel Dignan Leave a Comment

Samuel is a book in the Old Testament that’s key to understanding the entire Bible. It’s about the nation of Israel 1,000 years before Christ. Things were a mess. The people wanted a king. Samuel, the prophet, anointed Saul to be king. However, Saul did not become the hero.

David, a humble shepherd boy, becomes the hero. In a war between Israel and Philistia, David defeats a giant named Goliath. The people rejoice, but Saul grows jealous and tries to kill David. Saul turns away from God and loses everything, while David seeks after God and is exalted.

David suffered persecution, became king, and rescued his people. But more importantly, Samuel reveals that David’s life pointed to a greater king, Jesus of Nazareth.

Samuel is a riveting story. Many life lessons can be learned. And Bible teacher Tim Chester is a marvelous guide.

Studying Samuel and David will help you:

  1. Understand the Bible better
  2. Learn how to make friends
  3. Learn how to handle difficulties
  4. Learn how to lead
  5. Learn how to become a less anxious, happier person

What did you find most helpful about 1 Samuel?

Filed Under: Bible Tagged With: David, Goliath, Samuel

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

August 16, 2025 by Daniel Dignan Leave a Comment

King Caspian journeys across the eastern sea in search of the seven lords who were loyal to his late father. Joined by Edmund, Lucy, and the priggish Eustace, they have many unusual, scary, and thrilling adventures.

Caspian’s leadership is tested on the Lone Islands. They meet a dragon, a wizard, and other unusual creatures. A sea serpent, a land of dreams, a lake of gold, and the end of the world are in store. Reepicheep (a talking warrior mouse), like a brave knight, spurs them on to feats of bravery and honor as he tries to reach Aslan’s country.

Pay attention to the character contrasts between Eustace (the anti-hero) and the heroic Reepicheep. We are meant to learn from both. Also, the dragon episode is one of the key parts of the book, alluding to truths revealed in the Bible about becoming morally clean.

This is the third book in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. I recommend reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, first.

What did you most enjoy about this story?

Filed Under: Adventures and Quests Tagged With: C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

Land of Hope

August 3, 2025 by Daniel Dignan Leave a Comment

This is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. It’s about America’s story from its discovery and founding to recent history. Overall, Wildred McClay provides a broad overview of significant events, people, and ideas, aiming to show what made America a land of hope.

Events include the unsettlement of Europe, the Revolutionary War, Westward expansion, the Civil War, industrialization and modernization, the World Wars, and more.

Leaders include Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., and many more.

If you want a complete and fascinating explanation of who and what made America the greatest country on earth, this book is for you.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: Land of Hope, Wilfred McClay