family ties
Thwack! The sound signaled trouble. With our parents gone, my sister and I had started a mashed potato fight instead of doing the dishes. Chasing her down the stairs with tinfoil box in hand, I was determined she wouldn’t win even though I was younger. The strains of victory died, however, when an unseen door met with her glasses. We…
is technology helping or hurting you?
Recently I observed students sitting in a graduate class, and while the professor was talking they were surfing the Internet—one was toggling between 6 different windows. Besides the disrespect factor, I wondered if the constant barrage of scattered information might damage their ability to think deeply in a single direction. Have any of you noticed a change in your own…
spooked
I get spooked all the time these days. A young girl kidnapped and held captive for 18 years. A Yale student murdered in a campus building. Seems like the headlines are crawling with frightening stories that reflect the dark side of human behavior. Sometimes it makes me want to hole up inside my house and avoid people all together.
I…
forgiveness
We were shocked when a woman associated with a dark time in our past had the nerve to show up at a family reunion. She had broken up my father’s family when he was a young boy, and despite our attempts at reconciliation she had never confessed and asked forgiveness for the mess she had made. Yet here she was,…
against all odds
When considering the many dramatic victories recorded in the Bible, many of us will immediately think of David and Goliath. I’m sure you remember that story of a bold, young shepherd who took down a huge Philistine warrior using a slingshot and a ton of confidence in God (1 Samuel 17:1-50). Most of us forget, however, that before David killed…
tweets and feasts
Had three meetings scheduled yesterday—after work. Made two of them, but felt rushed. How about you? Is life moving too fast? Busy-ness can keep us from those rich, refreshing times spent with God. Instead of sitting down with Him and enjoying a spiritual feast, we settle for what feels like twitter tweets. 
A good friend once asked me, "Have your…
borrow me
The Malmö Library in Sweden has allowed its patrons to borrow live human beings, instead of just books. The Living Library project featured nine people including an iman, a gypsy, and a journalist. Library members could check out the person for a 45-minute conversation at the library’s café to learn more about him or her.
As Christians, people around us…
September 14, 2009
What does it mean to experience true joy in Jesus?
failures and rejects
John Mark, a young man, had joined Paul and Barnabas in their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-5).
For some unspecified reason(s), he abandoned the missions trip (v.13). Perhaps he was homesick. Perhaps he couldn’t take the tough life of the mission field. Paul was ticked because of John Mark’s lack of commitment and because he abandoned the mission.
Three years…
home again
Tracy Orr’s home had been repossessed by the bank. She had lost her job and couldn’t keep up with the mortgage payments.
While attending a real estate auction during which her home would be sold, she tearfully told a total stranger about her plight. The stranger, Marilyn Mock, reacted out of compassion and suddenly began bidding on Tracy’s property. In…
resizing ourselves
I recently read an article that described how former US President Theodore Roosevelt would sometimes close a long day spent with diplomats. He would lead them outside of the White House, stand on the lawn, and gaze into the sky. As he scanned the stars and the vastness of the universe, his guests would follow his example. After a lengthy…
c.s.i.
My sister is a crime scene investigator in Singapore. One morning, she was abruptly awakened at 4 a.m. by the incessant ringing of her phone—a murder had occurred! She had just 48 hours to gather sufficient evidence to press charges against the murder suspect being held in police custody. Over the next few days, my sister carefully investigated the gruesome…
September 10, 2009
The economy, job loss, health issues, school pressures, and other challenges can cause us to become anxious. What has God taught you about what to do with your worries?
meditate
We African Christians in general love the Bible. We love to own a Bible. We enjoy listening to preaching based on the Bible. We love to read tracts and booklets about the Bible. Sometimes we check out the Bible to pray a certain psalm or read a few verses that have been indicated to us in the course of a…
alone in the night
In 1963, Darryl Hill endured scorn. A wide receiver for the University of Maryland football team, Hill was the first black player to break into the racially segregated Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Each week, Hill encountered hostile crowds, with some opposing fans dressed in white Ku Klux Klan robes or holding large dangling nooses. During one game at Wake Forest,…
