I am Loved by the One I Despised
Written By Edwin B. Yambot, Philippines Growing up in a poverty-stricken and hostile environment, I was ashamed of my life. And though my grandmother was a devout Methodist, my negative perception about the world impeded my growth in the Christian faith and contributed to my cynicism about God. After graduating with a degree in Social […]
The Blame Game
I’ve been blamed for a lot of things, and rightly so. My sin, failure, and incompetence have caused grief, anxiety, and inconvenience for friends and family (and probably even for strangers). I’ve also been blamed for things that were not my fault, things I was powerless to change.
Swamped
Dave gazed at the magnificent network of trails reaching into the Canadian wetlands before him. At the swampier sections, timbers strategically placed between patches of terra firma served to keep hikers dry—in theory.
The Gift Of Tears
I called a longtime friend when his mother died. She had been a close friend of my mother, and now both had passed on. As we spoke, our conversation slipped easily into a cycle of emotion—tears of sorrow now that Beth was gone and tears of laughter as we recalled the caring and fun person she had been.
With Us
Why do people get cancer? Why do the innocent suffer? Why do hard things come into the lives of those who are doing so much good?
For Whom Do We Take a Stand?
Whenever we think about overcoming challenges, the story of David and Goliath comes to mind. It shows us that God is the one who empowers the weak, humbles the mighty, and gives us the victory. While we know the account of the duel between the teenaged David and Goliath well enough, perhaps we should also […]
While listening to the Bible study on May 29th on I Corinthians 1: 3-7, I realized where the Lord has placed me as a Barnabas. 26 years after choosing an abortion for an unplanned pregnancy, I found healing and restoration in a Bible study for post-abortive women at a pregnancy care center. Through that experience, I began to volunteer at a local pregnancy care center. About a year ago, I had the blessed experience of co-facilitating the same post-abortive study (Forgiven and Set Free) with the woman who was the facilitator when I went through the study. I rejoiced in seeing the participants transform as they accepted God's forgiveness and embraced freedom. I still volunteer at our local center and always come home feeling blessed by the clients the Lord brings my way. Not all are post-abortive, but all are on the road I once took. God is so awesome in the plans that He has for us!
When I Wanted to be like Her
Written By Christin Siahaan, originally in Bahasa Indonesia She could be a good friend or just an acquaintance. She’s also talented, successful, popular, and nice. I wish I could be like her. Have you ever thought that way? It starts with an observation of someone we know, is followed by admiration, and, before we know […]
Discover how anyone can be an encourager
This week on “Discover the Word,” we have looked at how the New Testament follower of Christ Barnabas embodied a spirit of encouragement. But does everyone have that type of personality or gifts? Don’t miss our final discussion in this study on Barnabas!
Beware “Kitsch Jesus”
Kitsch Jesus” is very popular. In paintings and posters, he’s portrayed as having straight teeth, perfect skin, bright blue eyes, and long, flowing hair. He’s often in soft focus, sitting in a peaceful sunlit field and is almost always gazing lovingly at the lamb he cradles in his arms. “Kitsch Jesus” wears long, white robes even when he’s painted in a modern setting, and occasionally he holds a shepherd’s staff. “Kitsch Jesus” rarely has a care in the world and never sports a furrowed brow. He’s a lavender-scented, greeting-card Jesus who is all pixies and daisies and skipping through the…
Escaping the trap of pornography–David’s Story
Addiction is a prison that shackles us with shame, fear, and guilt. But Jesus came to set captives free. David shares a candid tale of deliverance! Hear how God released him from pornography and set him on the path to freedom.
Jesus and the Rohingya Refugees
Imagine being stranded at sea for more than a month without food and water. Packed into boats with hundreds of others, and with dwindling supplies, you have to drink urine in order to survive. The dead are thrown overboard. That is exactly what some 2,000 refugees are facing in the Bay of Bengal now.
Mysterious Ways
When my son began attending Chinese language classes, I marveled at the papers he brought home after his first session. As a native English speaker, it was difficult for me to understand how the written characters related to the spoken words. The language seemed incredibly complex to me—almost incomprehensible.
Discover how to respond when someone falls down
When we witness the failures of others, our typical response is to shake our head or wag our finger. But today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll take a look at the life of Barnabas and see how an encourager responds with a helping hand.
Saying “No” to God
Jane was reflecting on the weekend women’s conference. Surrounded by women who had been through similar difficult circumstances, she noticed that they were now free and thriving while she was still stuck in a cycle of discontent. The Scriptures shared had implored her to do the same things as the other women. But while they had said “yes” to God, she had said “no.”
