What a Friend!
Soldiers who have fought together will tell you that the relational bond they share with their fellow soldiers is incredibly strong. In fact, some veterans report that the friendships they share with fellow veterans, although different in character, are as important to them as the relationship they have with their spouse. This doesn’t minimize the importance of marriage, but points to the depth of friendships forged in the crucible of sacrifice.
Accessible
My first roommate in college didn’t seem to want to be friends. He listened to music with his headphones on and stared at his computer all day, and nearly all night. He didn’t want to joke around or share a meal. We rarely spoke for the first few weeks. He simply didn’t want to interact.
Ears to Hear
Joanne Milne experienced the world as a soundless place. Deaf for the first 39 years of her life, everything changed after she had cochlear implant surgery. The procedure enabled sound vibrations to rouse her auditory nerves. A nurse’s voice was the first noise she heard, and the experience brought her to tears. She said, “Hearing things for the first time is so, so emotional, from the ping of a light switch to running water. . . . I can already foresee how it’s going to be life-changing.”
you choose Q: how do I move God from my head to my heart?
Q: How do I move God from my head to my heart? I have read so many books, watched so many biblical/theological videos, attended functions, listened to many people on the topic of God—and yet I cannot find Him in my heart-of-hearts. I do not know how to relate to Him on a personal level. —Sharon
A: To “move God from…
echo effect
If you stand near the edge of the Grand Canyon in the United States and bellow out a word or two, chances are, you’ll hear an echo. The noise you make will bounce off the canyon walls and back to your ears—maybe more than once. Experts say this is possible because the best echoes occur in quiet environments where sound travels at least 75 meters and hits multiple flat surfaces. Spanning between 4-18 miles across, abounding with walls, and typically quiet, the Grand Canyon is an ideal place to experiment with noise.
feast or famine
You can walk into a Christian bookstore today and find rows and rows of books on the shelves. And without stepping into a church, you can listen to thousands of podcasts and sermons online. The massive amount of biblical resources available at our fingertips is astounding. So, is it possible during this age to experience a famine of God’s Word? Do we need to heed the warning for the prophet Amos (Amos 8:11) or was that relevant only for ancient Israel?
enjoy God
The crewmembers of an international airline that makes a daily flight to Uganda stay at a hotel down the street from my home. During their 24 hours in the country, many of them visit my organization, Tukutana, and spend time with children in our programs. The guests often bring gifts. This past Friday, though, two women came empty-handed. Instead of…
i am a branch
A young boy was planting an apple tree in the backyard. As soon as it was planted, he exclaimed to his grandfather, “Pop-pop, we just planted an apple tree. Now we’re going to put apples on it!”
The boy’s attitude reflects the way we sometimes view fruitfulness in our life. We often behave as if we can bear fruit by…
prayer
How’s your prayer life? Mine has been rocky to say the least. I don’t always know how to do it, I don’t always want to do it and usually , and I’m ashamed I don’t do it more often. Prayer can be intimidating. It was to me. Just using the word “prayer” invokes a sense of religious ceremony and sanctification…
face-to-face
Throughout the day, my husband and I text each other. Some texts consist of requests for information or reminders of a to-do list. Oftentimes, though, a brief message conveying our love does wonders to boost our sense of closeness in an otherwise busy day. A quick text, however, can only accentuate what has already been formed in the larger context…
snitch!
A snitch is someone who freely gives up information about a friend or acquaintance. Because he volunteers information that often gets people arrested, evicted, or even killed, a snitch is considered one of the lowest people on the neighborhood food chain. People have a hard time forgiving a snitch.
John encouraged believers to snitch on themselves. For when they did,…
alone
I saw this quote on a friend’s Facebook page: “It’s not that I feel alone because I have no friends. I have lots of friends. I know that I have people who can hold me and reassure me and talk to me and care for me and think of me. But they can’t be inside my head with me all…
the slippery slope of sin
My friend had been a loving mother who put her Bible degree to good use by teaching Sunday school and participating in several Bible studies. But last month she informed her husband that she recently had two affairs and is open for more. After I recovered from the initial shock, I marveled at how quickly a person can destroy her…
teach us to pray
My biggest problem with ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ ” wrote Helen in response to an online post, “is knowing which version we’re using. . . . It’s always assumed we know it by heart, but I first learned trespasses, then learned sins and now am confronted by debts and debtors. So, when ‘we will now say the Lord’s Prayer’ is announced, instead…
