suffering with God
Pain. We take pills to ease it, hold prayer meetings to heal it, develop strategies to avoid it, and think up philosophies to explain it. We rarely, however, consider suffering as part of God’s plan for our lives.
man and woman
Ah, December . . . shimmering, white snow caressing the ground—and streets. But in time, traffic and dirt will alter the roadside snow, resulting in a sullied state.
invisible hand of God
While her mother-in-law was out of town, my friend was given the keys to her luxurious car. Later, my friend said to me, “The leather seat seems to be made just for your body shape. And the car cruises silently along the highway. Wow, such luxury is intoxicating.”
tears in a bottle
Lisa Linehan is on her way to the altar. She’s booked a wedding location, purchased a dress, and has even set the date. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a groom, even though she has “been out with 70 different guys” to find one. Here’s a peek into her thinking: “I get so excited thinking about this wedding. And I still hold…
filling your house
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 NIV: What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.…
families
We thank and praise God for our families,
on whom, we know His blessings are released;
whether with many or without children,
all families are interdependent.
Men of their own homes. husbands and fathers are,
doing much more than just providing three meals each day;
wherever they go and whoever they are,
they are accountable for all they do and say.
Usually physically stronger,…
providence
My family spent the past week nervously watching the progress of a storm that was predicted to hit our area about the time we planned to leave on vacation. The storm arrived 2 days before we were scheduled to leave, grounding flights and pushing travelers onto already overbooked planes on future days. On the morning of our scheduled departure, the…
boring
The gospel of Matthew contains the most important news the world has known. Why then, is its beginning so . . . boring? Genesis starts with epic majesty: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In contrast, Matthew writes tepidly: “This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus” (Matthew 1:1). Yawn.
But, then again, Matthew’s list…
should i?
Scene 1: David hears that Keilah is under attack. David: “Should I help the people in Keilah?” God: “Yes, go and help them.” David: “Are you sure? It may cost us our lives.” God: “Yes, go.” Narrator: So David went and delivered Keilah from the Philistines.
Scene 2: David catches wind of Saul’s strategy to destroy him at Keilah. David: “Will the…
live forward
Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions (Ecclesiastes 7:10).
Several of my Facebook friends have been posting photos about their yester-years. It triggers some nostalgic moments for me. Spurring such a mood is my current phase of unpacking my boxes containing all kinds of stuff that reminds…
You guide me . . .
[caption id="attachment_7950" align="aligncenter" width="497" caption="—pic submitted by Kristin Palmer, US"]
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You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever (Psalm…
color-blind
The term “color-blind” is somewhat misleading, implying that people with this condition can view the world only in black and white. In actuality, most color-blind individuals can make out hues of yellow and blue. Only a small percentage of people are blind to all colors and can see only in shades of white, gray, and black—somewhat like seeing the world…
what a difference
Conventional wisdom says that the world’s religions differ on the details but are fundamentally the same. They put their followers in touch with the divine and teach variations of the golden rule: Do unto others as you want them to do unto you. So rather than fight over our differences, religious people should recognize that our shared moral ideals mean that…
divine detours
Last summer, my boys and I took some memorable bike rides. One path that runs alongside a local river became the boys’ favorite. There are numerous spots to stop, toss their helmets aside, and explore along the riverbank. Their most celebrated discovery was a pool of tadpoles. In contrast to my boys, I don’t like to stop while riding, and…
training daze
After graduation from college, I worked for an organization that did not pay well. It was tough. Sometimes I couldn’t even afford my next meal. During that time, my mother became sick. I felt awful not being able to help pay for her hospital expenses. It was one trial after another, and each new trial was harder than the previous…
