Written by: Becky Hunter in Becky Hunter's Random Bits of Wisdom on August 21, 2012

I sat beside a Jewish Rabbi at lunch yesterday. I opened the conversation with "It's a beautiful day isn't it?" He said, "Yes." and then immediately followed up, "Everyone should be radical about their faith." Segue void. But I was engaged and asked what he meant by that. He said, "the words radical and radish come from the same root word. Radish is a root and radicals are those who are well rooted in their beliefs. I believe everyone should be radical in their faith."

My Rabbi friend is teaching a class at Chautauqua, N.Y., where Joel is the "chaplain in residence" this week. Joel has preached three times and we have been here two days. He will speak every morning this week. And I can't wait to hear him. Honestly, there is nothing I'd rather do than listen to Joel preach. For that reason alone, it's going to be a wonderful week.

This place is new to us, but several thousand people come here each summer to stay in the cottages and take advantage of the hundreds of educational opportunities and some amazing guest lecturers. This is the final week, week 9, of the summer's offerings. And when Joel isn't preaching we will hear from lots of interesting speakers including, the author of The Faith of George W. Bush and The Faith of Barack Obama, Stephen Mansfield; the daughters of Presidents Gerald Ford and Lyndon Johnson, Susan Ford Bales and Lynda Johnson Robb; former Nixon White House counsel, John Dean; Lincoln biographer, Dr. Robert White; and authors of The Presidents Club, Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy.

It's going to be an interesting week, one that no doubt will make me more radical.

"Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong" Ephesians 3:17 (NLT).