the Rock
The Christian faith is a singing faith. Knowing that I love to sing hymns, a friend gave me the devotional book 101 Hymn Stories: The Inspiring True Stories Behind 101 Favorite Hymns so I could learn the history of great songs like “Amazing Grace,” “A Mighty Fortress,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” and “It Is Well with My Soul.” Already rich in biblical truth, these hymns have stories behind them that have caused me to appreciate their message even more.
counting the cost
Jesus’ good friend Lazarus had died (John 11:14,17). And so He performed an amazing miracle by raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44)—leading many who came to the funeral to believe in Him (John 11:45). But the Pharisees and priests responded differently. From that time on, they began to plot Jesus’ death (John 11:53).
laws of love
Driving to work one day, I had a revelation. I realized that speed limits had been set to protect me and those around me, not to hamper my freedom or prove that I was a lawbreaker. If I sped and lost control of my car I could hurt myself, the lady driving toward me, or the man on the sidewalk. The traffic laws are in place because human life is valuable and should be protected.
alert
On October 25, 2010, an earthquake created a tsunami that left hundreds of people missing or dead in Indonesia. The deaths could have been prevented or minimized if the tsunami warning system had been working properly. The tsunami detection network consists of two buoys designed to measure unusual waves and send signals inland—alerting people to imminent danger. But the buoys…
new swimmers
In February of 2011, Andrew Wilson, an Australian fisherman was fishing off the coast of New South Wales when he was thrown from his boat by a large wave. Without a life jacket, but filled with adrenaline and tenacity, Wilson braved the shark-infested waters and simply kept swimming. “I wasn’t going to stop, so I just kept going.”
Wilson survived…
