Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

Wayne Dyer leaves this world. The spiritual motivational speaker/author has left this world at the age of 75.  I would sometimes catch his PBS specials and found his focus on peace, positive intention, non-judgment, love and being united with God to be inspirational great daily goals. Believing in God, loving him through kindness to family, friends and strangers and putting positive ideas into the world is my idea of a life well lived. Thanks for the example, Wayne. Rest in Peace.

“Big Mountain Jesus” stays. Updating an earlier post, earlier today the Ninth Court of Appeals agreed with the Becket Fund that a historical World War II memorial affectionately called “Big Mountain Jesus” by locals can remain standing in the ski slopes near Kalispell, Montana. The 60-year-old statue, located in the Flathead National Forest, honors soldiers who fought against the Nazis in the Alps of Italy.  Lawyers at the Becket Fund defended the memorial against the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based militant atheist group demanding its removal and claiming that the mere presence of the statue violated the First Amendment.

“Today’s decision rejects the idea that history and the First Amendment ought to be enemies,” said Eric Baxter, Senior Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. “Freedom From Religion Foundation wanted to use the First Amendment to erase Big Mountain Jesus from memory, even though it is, as the Court recognized, a crucial part of the history of Montana. Thank goodness for common sense.” Amen.

Singer and songwriter Tim Timmons is set to release his sophomore album, Awake Our Souls, on October 2, 2015 (Reunion Records). After nearly two decades of ministry, this singer/songwriter moves himself beyond believer to follower in ten new songs, which are also an invitation for every listener to discover life’s abundance in Jesus.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11