Ryan Stemkoski

Tower of Light “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” — Proverbs 18:10 In Scripture and biblical tradition, a tower is a place of watchfulness, refuge, and strength.  Light represents revelation, guidance, and hope in the darkness. Together, Migdal Ohr, which translates to “Tower of […]

NECESSARY BITTERNESS? Denatonium is a chemical compound discovered by accident in 1958.  It has the misfortune of having the bitterest taste of all chemicals.  It is so bitter that, if you were to mix only 10 parts per million in a gallon of milk, it would make even a teaspoon of the milk nearly impossible

WE ARE NOT “SMALL STUFF” On November 9, 1979 America was brought to the brink of nuclear war. It all began when an Airman at NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, used a training tape to test its communication systems. However, the failure of the Airman to flip a simple switch allowed the simulated “Soviet nuclear

“PAINFUL DIVERSITY” One of the most bizarre land disputes came to an end on July 31, 2015, when the governments of India and Bangladesh agreed to an exchange of 162 enclaves between themselves.  These enclaves consist of small bits of territory within each other’s borders.  Within India’s borders, for instance, there were over 51 Bangladeshi

“CHAPLAIN DAVID’S MESSAGES OF TIMELESS TRUTHS” Some people retire from ministry. Others never stop running the race. Chaplain David Losey was the kind who never slowed down. Even into his mid-80s, he served with passion, showing up for chaplain calls, encouraging young people, mentoring others, and pouring out God’s Word with clarity and grace. His

“WHAT DOES A NAME CONVEY?” We were all given a name by our parents.  Some are family names, names of significant people in our parent’s life, or someone admired.  Our name is one of the first things we share with someone when we first meet them.  When we hear our name, it causes our head

“LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED” In January 2012, ABC News correspondent Katie Kindelan reported on a perfectly pleasant flight that was turned into a nightmare by a thoughtless flight crew. On British Airways Flight 206, about 3AM, passengers were abruptly awakened when a taped emergency message blared: “This is an emergency. We will shortly

God’s Unfailing Love is Only One Step Away In life, it is very easy to find ourselves drifting away from God. Sometimes, without even realizing it, we can wind up far away from Him. Each small decision, each moment of distraction, can lead us a step further from the closeness we inherently desire with our

The Power of Change Greetings Everyone, this month’s Chaplain Newsletter message is from our very own Chaplain Ryan. I am glad to say that he is now rotating with me in providing these words of encouragement to you from the Sheriff Chaplaincy each month. Thank you, Chaplain Ryan! God Bless, Chaplain Robert. Recently, I heard

Are you a success? As each of us serve in our careers alongside one another, we can sometimes ask ourselves the question from the title of this message, am i a success?. How we answer this in our heart can have an impact on those around us, for better or for worse, whether we are