warped view
Recently, I was talking with a friend who has been scarred by sin—things done to him by others. The effects linger, even though the actions occurred long ago. He was struggling, trying to see beyond the lies that caused him to feel unworthy of God’s grace. He felt powerless and weak, which left him vulnerable to the temptation to assuage his pain through wrong means. His identity in Jesus had been warped and weakened by his negative life experiences. So the two of us took a long look into God’s Word to view my friend’s true identity in Jesus.
the gift of time
As a nurse, Geri knew that at any moment she might be called on to help in a medical emergency. But she never really expected it. One day, as her family vacationed in a northern resort town, a man near her suddenly crumpled to the ground. Geri’s training kicked in. Her quick actions kept him alive.
heavenly prayers
Jay Cutler, NFL quarterback for the Chicago Bears, led his team as they played in the NFC Championship Game. If the Bears won against the hated Green Bay Packers, they would play in the Super Bowl. Cutler was tackled hard a few times during the first half, enough that he took himself out of the game. Some fans became furious when they saw what they thought was a healthy Cutler sitting on the bench. He didn’t appear to be cheering the team on. He simply stared blankly as the Bears lost.
true
A groom stands at the end of the aisle, transfixed by his beautiful bride in her white, flowing gown. As they exchange their rings and say their marriage vows, the groom thinks to himself, This is too good to be true! In another corner of the world, a nurse places a newborn child in her mother’s arms. As the mom lovingly gazes at the pink face and tiny fingers, she’s filled with joy and wonder.
in the end
As I looked at the goldfish cracker on the floor of my pantry, I reminisced about the tiny hands of my children and an earlier season in life. Though the fallen cracker was the result of a recent forage, the image made me realize how quickly time passes. As I dealt with sleepless nights, teething babies, and potty training, I would have been hard-pressed to believe that the end was soon in sight. The hands that once cupped goldfish crackers now grip a gym bag, textbooks, and an iPad.
with the Lord
Everyone wants to know what heaven will be like, and over the past several years a spate of books have promised to tell them. Don Piper was first with his 90 Minutes in Heaven. Following that bestseller, The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven and Heaven Is for Real were published and enthusiastically received by readers. One book went in the opposite direction—literally—23 Minutes in Hell.
short
My friend, now 65, smiled nostalgically as she shared memories of her grandfather’s last year. Born in 1890, he had made this comment at age 94: “I went from the days of horse-and-buggy to a man walking on the moon,” he said. Then, he mused wistfully, “I never thought [life] would be so short.”
narrow road, eternal life
One of the most prevalent of modern myths is the idea that boundary-less living leads to freedom. A permissive lifestyle may feel free for a time, but it will soon trap us. In ludicrous manner we shout, “I’m free! I’m free!” as we back into a cage and lock the door.
“he’s gone”
I had the heart-wrenching, joyous, bittersweet experience of losing my dad on January 6, 2012—his birthday. Our loss was truly his gain! He had been battling rapidly deteriorating health before God graciously took him home.
the ultimate question
Fred Meijer was one of the wealthiest men in the world. His Meijer stores were the first to combine food and general merchandise under one roof. When he died his fortune put him in select company. But he wore his wealth lightly, often dropping by his shops and revealing a kind heart as he greeted customers, passed out coupons for free ice cream and even bagged shopping.
who are you?
Who are you?” boomed front man Roger Daltrey of The Who, channeling guitarist Pete Townshend’s angry lyrics. The 1978 song has attained iconic status, perhaps because it resonates with so many of us. Deep down, we really don’t care what we are. The real question is who we are.
all good things
Recently, I toured Bassett Hall, the home that John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby purchased in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the 1930s. Upon the death of the famous philanthropist, the home was bequeathed to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation—the foundation the Rockefellers had created for the purpose of restoring the many historical sites in the village.
The home was simply…
timeless message
Hurry home! —Dad.
Foraging through old boxes, as my husband and I cleaned out our garage, I started to cry when I saw that brief note. Written over 18 years prior, the message had been quickly scrawled on the jacket of a plane ticket my dad had sent me when I was in college. Because I attended a school over…
born twice
The other day I noticed a bumper sticker on the back of an SUV that read, “Born right, the first time.” I can’t be certain, but there’s a good chance the message is a reaction against being “born again” as a believer in Jesus.
The phrase “born again” originated with Jesus. In John 3, Jesus told a religious leader by…
