Four Reasons to Keep Praying I was sitting on my barstool, drowsily sipping my morning coffee and reading my Bible study, when this question jolted me: What was one of the most passionate or intense prayers you can remember praying? Immediately I recalled several intense prayer sessions. Sadly, not all of my heartfelt cries produced happy […]
Last week, the death of my sweet “mother-in-love” took us by surprise. Though she was 87, she had been in relatively good health. Then with one sudden stroke, she was gone. The funeral was a bittersweet event. Those of us who loved her gathered to celebrate her life and trade stories about her. We laughed […]
“Why can’t we see God?” My inquisitive six-year-old student fixed his gaze on me and waited for the all-wise, adult answer to his question. “Well,” I began, “God is Spirit. He’s invisible.” But the question pried open a place in my heart that concealed hidden doubts. As an adult, I’ve often wondered the same thing. […]
I remember watching my one-year-old granddaughter as she took her first tottering steps. Using every ounce of strength, she pulled herself up and gripped the edge of the coffee table with her soft little hands. She moved one chubby foot, then another, trying to advance around the table. Then Remy, a black-and-brown mixed-breed dog who […]
Do you ever feel God nudging you to take action, but when you look at the circumstances, conditions don’t seem favorable for success? As a result, you procrastinate. You postpone. You tell yourself you’re waiting for the perfect time. I’m a cautious, better-to-be-safe-than-sorry type of person. When I have to make a decision, I explore […]
“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (Eccl. 8:15 NIV) Does God really want us to eat, […]
To some, a new year means a fresh start. But to me, New Year’s Day signifies the end of the Christmas season. We dismantle all the dazzling Christmas lights and colorful decorations. December beauty disappears; in its’s place we’re left with January’s dismal, drab wintery weather. Away with the chocolate, the eggnog, the Christmas cookies! […]
There’s no place like home for the holidays, or so the song goes. We envision snow and mistletoe and presents under the tree. Instead, we sometimes get scheduling conflicts and family drama. Going home for the holidays can be complicated when you’re dealing with parents, siblings, in-laws, children, and all sorts of relatives who have […]
Tears streamed down my face. If I have to hear another sermon on unforgiveness, I’ll scream, I thought. I had been deeply wounded by people who were professing Christians. But the preacher was pronouncing me the guilty one—guilty of unforgiveness. It seemed forgiveness meant saying, “Oh, well, that’s okay. It doesn’t matter. I forgive you.” […]
When Tragedy Strikes When tragedy devastates the landscape of our lives, where can we find hope? Recently, while traveling in Alaska, I rode past an area that had been ravaged by wildfire. The spruce trees that once dominated the landscape had been reduced to charred skeletons. But the sight that kept my camera clicking was […]