hospitality
The disciples went fishing because they were hungry and, frankly, there wasn’t much else to do (John 21:3). Their lives had taken a dramatic turn for the third time in about as many weeks.
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…
you choose Q: how do I deal with the guilt of my past?
Q: How do I deal with the guilt of my past? —Shellie
A: You’ve asked how you can deal with the guilt of your past, presumably due to some sin—something you regret. Perhaps you feel entrapped by these memories.
Jesus assured us that “every sin can be forgiven” (Matthew 12:31). If you have confessed and repented, God will forgive you (1…
a little is too much
There’s something so tempting about the antisocial delicacy of gossip. We enjoy it, even when it makes us feel guilty and ashamed. According to researchers, however, we don’t have to feel ashamed anymore because a little gossip is healthy. The researchers believe gossip is what keeps the culture going, greasing the social machine. “It’s a social skill, not a character…
time in a bottle
Last year, Daniil Korotkikh, a 13-year-old Russian boy, was beachcombing on the Curonian Spit when he stumbled upon an old bottle poking out of the sand. He picked it up, uncorked it, and discovered a letter written 24 years earlier. Frank, a German boy on a ship to Denmark with his family, had written a letter including his address for…
one thing
My friend Cha-Lisa threw away her to-do list— for good. During the weeks leading up to her decision, she and I had talked about feeling trapped by the never-ending inventory of tasks. Cha-Lisa said, “Get one thing done, and two more things pop up in its place.” I told her, “I feel guilty when I can’t finish everything.” We concurred…
verbal strikes
I grew up under the weight of a verbally abusive grandfather. To this day, years after his death, I still struggle with ramifications of things he said to me and how I responded.
During my teenage years, I took my grandfather’s endless criticism with a grain of salt and made every effort to respond to him in a gentle Christlike…
this one belongs to God
Revelation 12:10-12: Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him…
painful truth
My 4-year-old son and I were watching television when we saw a commercial for skin cream. A woman’s face appeared and then the camera zoomed in, revealing a rather serious set of crow’s feet. But it didn’t stop there. Computer animation gave us a peek beneath the surface of her skin—into her very pores. Finally, they showed the wrinkle cream…
forgiveness at the cross
2 Peter 3:9: The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
When was the last time you heard a sermon that was centered on the "Cross of Christ?" Anytime I think about the love of God…
seeing potholes
Potholes can be a pain. If a car tire hits a deep one, we’re talking some serious damage. That’s why the idea of Italian engineering students Domenico Diego and Cristina Corradini is so bright—literally! The duo, noting that many potholes in Europe aren’t repaired due to lack of funding, have come up with something called the Street Safe initiative. Their creative…
a tree and its fruit
Many of us place a tree in our homes this month, decorating it with colorful ornaments and lights. And, of course, gifts will be set beneath the tree, waiting to be opened on Christmas morning. What would Christmas be without the iconic Christmas tree!
In the Garden of Eden, there was a tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis…
face down
When my father died of cancer, the inevitable question in my heart was whether he would have lived if I had shown greater faith. I lived with significant guilt that his death was somehow my fault. Rather than bringing hope, every sermon I heard on healing was like salt on an open wound. I felt spiritually attacked and harassed whenever…
postcard secrets
Some years back, Frank Warren handed out 400 blank postcards bearing his address to strangers and asked them to send their untold secrets to him. Warren began receiving confessions like: “I haven’t spoken to my dad in 10 years, and it kills me every day” and “Everyone who knew me before 9/11 now believes I’m dead.” Today, Warren’s Post-Secret project…
the right time
I’ve known believers in Jesus who struggled with guilt for saying “no” to taking on a new responsibility in a church or a parachurch organization. Many of them felt that by not agreeing to do more, they were failing to “walk by faith.” Yet they are all people who possess good reasons for carefully selecting their priorities. Some of them…
