dad, mom & me
I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was 15 years old. When my dad found out, he was heartbroken because of his differing religious beliefs. He couldn’t sleep well for the next several nights. He felt that he had failed as a father because he couldn’t keep his family together. His daughter had deserted the family tradition and chose to follow a “Western god.”
Lasting Regrets
While I was talking with a gifted pianist, she asked me if I played any musical instruments. When I responded, “I play the radio,” she laughed and asked if I had ever wanted to play any instrument. My embarrassed answer was, “I took piano lessons as a boy but gave it up.” Now, in my adult years, I regret not continuing with the piano. I love music and wish I could play today. That conversation was a fresh reminder to me that life is often constituted by the choices we make—and some of them produce regret.
Jesus’ encounter with a rich young man who thought he knew what it meant to follow God
The scientific community once believed that the earth was flat, and that leeches were good medicine. Obviously our perceptions don’t always match reality! Turns out a rich young man who thought he knew what it meant to follow the Lord was way off!
in the café
Crystal stares out the café window, wondering if life will ever improve. Five men, two kids, all by age 29. She’s lonely and wonders if man no. 6 will make things better.
Water For The World
Although 70 percent of the world is covered by water, less than 1 percent of it is drinkable by humans. Water conservation and sanitation are crucial matters in many parts of the world, as all life depends on having sanitary water.
clear communication
Many battles in life stem from false assumptions that are made due to lack of communication. For instance, we share a wall with our neighbors and—since moving in 6 months ago—they’ve been redecorating. The garden, the garage, the bathrooms, the bedrooms; nothing has escaped a hammer, an electric power tool, or a paintbrush.
Small Ways In Small Places
Often I meet with people who serve in what they think are seemingly small ways in small places. They are frequently discouraged by loneliness, feeling that their acts of service are insignificant. When I hear them speak, I think of one of the angels in C. S. Lewis’ book Out of the Silent Planet. He said: “My people have a law never to speak of sizes or numbers to you. . . . It makes you do reverence to nothings and pass by what is really great.”
powerful shaft of light
When the Nazis overran Poland, Father Maximilian Kolbe transformed his friary into a covert refugee center. Before the SS troops discovered Kolbe’s plot, the men had hidden more than 2,000 Jews. The SS shipped Kolbe to Auschwitz, prisoner #16670. Though beaten, forced into hard labor, and given sparse food, Kolbe’s gentleness never waned.
Whoppers Or Adventures?
My grandfather loved to tell stories, and I loved to listen. Papaw had two kinds of tales. “Whoppers” were stories with a whiff of truth, but which changed with each new telling. “Adventures” were stories that really happened, and the facts never changed when retold. One day my grandfather told a story that just seemed too far-fetched to be true. “Whopper,” I declared, but my grandfather insisted it was true. Although his telling never varied, I simply couldn’t believe it, it was that unusual.
Fresh insight into becoming a man or woman of wisdom
We all want to make wise choices, and not look foolish. But grasping true wisdom doesn’t always come naturally! Practical application from God’s Word.
pass the bacon
As Peter was waiting for lunch, he slipped into a trance and saw a sheet drop from the sky full of unclean animals. The image must have startled him—Why was a good Jew like him having a filthy dream like this? What he heard next shocked him: “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean” (Acts 10:13-14).
“It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”–Ed’s Story
What would you do if you received news that you were dying? For Ed, every twitch of his muscles reminds him that a terminal disease is actively destroying his body. Discover how Ed has found hope in the face of fear and death. Gain insight and inspiration for whatever trials may come your way. Find…
Living Bridges
People who live in Cherrapunji, India, have developed a unique way to get across the many rivers and streams in their land. They grow bridges from the roots of rubber trees. These “living bridges” take between 10 to 15 years to mature, but once they are established, they are extremely stable and last for hundreds of years.
Discover how having wisdom impacts what we say
Our words can either build others up, or tear them down. Hear the challenging study in Proverbs 31.
safe
Overwhelmed with work and tired from a busy weekend of ministry, I couldn’t stop the tears when I came home to a leak in the kitchen ceiling of our new house. Hardly an insurmountable problem, especially since our house is under warranty, I still felt my vulnerability anew. Not only …
