good-bye egypt
The Hebrews’ life was literally changed overnight. For generations they had been slaves in Egypt—born as slaves, raised as slaves, and died as slaves. It was beyond their wildest imagination that they would ever be set free.
Now 2 million of them were traversing out of Egypt to a new land. But the exhilaration of their newfound freedom and status…
fear
During my first 3 years in Uganda, I had occasional contact with blood as I held dying children, helped to dress wounds and open tumors, and sought to comfort AIDS and cancer patients.
My understanding was that as long as there was no exchange of bodily fluids or blood, I was at zero risk for contracting HIV. It therefore came…
wasted brainwaves
I chatted with a close friend while standing in line at a local coffeehouse. But then a sliver of worry pierced the moment. It had been several hours since I left home. I wondered if I had been away too long. I pictured my kids wailing and unhappy. The “what ifs” started rolling. Seconds later, I spotted a sign above…
the Good Shepherd
When I was in high school, my parents took our family to Israel. The collision of histories, sights, languages, and beliefs stretched my world.
Shepherding is still an important way of life in Israel. It’s common to see a shepherd taking his flock from one place to another. However, unlike the sheep herding I had seen back home in Texas…
dying for peace
I hadn’t seen him in years. He called my name and walked over to me at the grocery store. After some small talk, I asked how he was doing. He said, “Last year I was dying,” and went on to explain that stress had nearly killed him. His heart and body had been breaking down due to his workaholic ways…
dark night
There’s something about the twenties that causes some of us to experience a dark night of the soul. Maybe it’s dealing with stuff from our past or the uncertainty of the future. Oswald Chambers, author of the bestselling devotional My Utmost for His Highest, fell into a deep darkness during his twenties.
So did I. For 3 years, I was…
Jesus' peace
Matthew 6:25: “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?”
When you read the writings of Jesus, it won't take long for you to realize that He has a different outlook on life than…
winning over worry
In the last year, my family has had much to worry about. My wife wasn’t called back to her full-time teaching position (we counted on her income to help cover household expenses), my son was having recurring chest pain that we thought was due to an enlarged heart, our insurance was running out and an alternative plan was going to…
God is coming
Recently, two pygmy sperm whales lay stranded near a New Zealand beach. Though volunteers, led by conservation officer Malcolm Smith, worked tirelessly, they couldn’t coax the beached whales back out into the open water. Just as they were about to surrender hope, a local bottlenose dolphin named Moko arrived, made a few shrill noises toward the whales—and immediately led them…
anxious times
My friends were dealing with a daughter who was struggling physically and emotionally. Unable to determine the source of her problems, they were getting stretched thin. Not surprisingly, as their precious girl struggled with her anxiety—that invisible foe with physical manifestations—they too started to become anxious.
The world events over the past few years have led many people to experience…
goosebumps
Kentucky is an 11-year-old penguin who is scared to stick even one toe in the water. Experts say his phobia developed because he has “molting issues,” which is zookeeper lingo for losing your feathers too easily. As it turns out, having fewer feathers means more goosebumps and a greater sensitivity to cold water!
Gideon was afraid to get his feet…
