Dreams Deferred
Larry Carter was stunned at how much a child’s ability to dream had changed in just a few decades. When he was a boy, his Little League baseball coach asked him and his teammates if they had the dream of becoming a professional baseball player. Nearly every boy raised his hand. His coach said if they hoped to fulfill that dream, they would have to work hard now. The team was so inspired that they practiced and played hard and went undefeated for the next few seasons.
earth’s shadow
When I see the moon at its thinnest stage, I sometimes think of a passage I read in Flannery O’Connor’s A Prayer Journal. The writer composed these poetic words for God: “You are the slim crescent of a moon . . . and my self is the earth’s shadow that keeps me from seeing all the moon . . . I do not know you God, because I am in the way. Please help me to push myself aside.”
remaining true
A young man wavered between two worlds. Would he roll with the gangs in his neighborhood, or walk with Christ? Although his father struggled with addiction and his mother suffered from schizophrenia, his grandmother prayed for and encouraged him to follow Jesus. Christian hip-hop artist FLAME admits that there was a time in his life that he tried to fit into both worlds. But today he has a degree in biblical counseling and is attending seminary. And his top-selling albums contain street-savvy beats and inspiring Christian messages.
craving cashmere
While I was helping to organize donations of clothing for a church event, I paused to touch a cashmere sweater’s soft grey cloth. When I realized it would fit me, I considered the possibility of owning it—for free! Volunteers were allowed first dibs on the donations. Cashmere is an expensive fabric, and although I have enough sweaters, this one was calling my name. After some inner turmoil, I finally offered the item to a fellow worker, who joyfully accepted it.
smartly, not seductively
I had an interesting conversation with a friend recently. “Much preaching about women dressing modestly has been destructive,” she said, “because it subtly places the blame for men’s lust on women. Men should take responsibility for their lust, and women should be free to wear what they want.” My friend’s words got me thinking.
truly human (again)
Last year at an international summit of world powers in Doha, the capital of Qatar, global leaders launched the Educate A Child project. The project seeks to build bridges between nations, calling us to recognize our shared humanity and to intervene on behalf of those at risk. Further, the project believes that funding children’s development will ultimately yield to a more peaceful world.
london fog
When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” declared Samuel Johnson, “for there is in London all that life can afford.”
three wishes
If you were granted three wishes, for what would you wish? Would you wish for the eradication of global poverty? Would you wish for financial security? Would you wish for good looks, good health, and long life? The question itself isn’t as important as how we answer the question; for our answers reveal our character and what’s important to us.
breaking away
Say the word glacier and most of us think of something massive and slow-moving. One group of Alaskan tourists, however, witnessed a jaw-dropping surprise when a 200-foot-tall chunk of ice broke away from a glacier.
One passenger aboard the Tracy Arm Fjords Tours boat captured a video clip of the “mini” iceberg plunging into the water. It created forceful waves and…
meaning of life
"The meaning of your life is the meaning you give it,” writes philosopher A. C. Grayling in his book Thinking of Answers. He suggests trying to create meaning in our lives through the pursuit of relationships and goals, by developing our talents and interests, and through our hopes and desires. Grayling concludes that life itself is meaningless and the only meaning…
sin management
We once lived across the road from Aman Nature Park, which was wonderful—except for the raccoons. Oh sure, they’re fascinating creatures. But the masklike band of black across their eyes should have alerted us to one vital detail: Raccoons are felons in fur. And the scene of the crime was our yard.
When we suspected raccoons of being responsible for…
man of God
Recently a colleague asked me, “What would you like to be?” I replied, “Well, in terms of career planning, I don’t know. But I want to be someone who is wise, compassionate, and humble.”
In Paul’s letter to his protégé, he didn’t instruct Timothy to become an A-list pastor; rather he reminded him that he was a “man of God”…
buried alive
Medical students in Taiwan are being buried alive. This practice, which sounds like it could lead to a serious shortage of Taiwanese doctors in a few years, doesn’t actually lead to death. The docs-in- training at Rende Medical College are simply placed in a sealed coffin for a period of 10 minutes. Why? To give them insights into death and to…
online attention
If you’re reading this devo online, in a few minutes you might move on to other websites. As you do, pay attention to what grabs your attention. What pics or words prompt you to pause for a second look? What links do you click on, and why?
When Jesus said the eye is the lamp of the body (Matthew 6:22),…
one in ten
You know the feeling—the jolt of recognition. Could it be? You inhale. Why, that’s so-and-so from high school! She grew her hair out, and now she’s a blonde! Somehow, the Internet has made it possible for you to contact her. But, should you open that door? How would it make your wife feel? Recent studies show that one popular social…
