age-old question
Last spring, two 48-year-old twin brothers chose not to help their mother after she fell and hurt herself. The duo simply left the injured woman in the entryway of the house they shared with her. Police were contacted after the mother hadn’t been seen by friends for several weeks. They found her body in the spot where she had fallen—3…
honored
The metro was packed with rush-hour travelers, and my family and I stood on the station platform waiting for the doors to open so we could board. Tired after a long day of sightseeing, we were already anticipating the refuge of our hotel room. I took my son’s hand and entered through the open train doors. As I looked for…
burning strong
Over the past few months, I've encouraged my husband to create a small fire pit in our backyard. As someone who enjoys camping, I love sitting on a cool night in front of a blazing campfire with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Tonight as we sat with family near the crackling flames (in the freshly completed fire…
reconciliation
Jacob conned his older twin brother and got his birthright (Genesis 25:29-33). Then he cheated Esau a second time when he tricked their father into giving him the blessings that belonged to Esau—the firstborn (Genesis 27:36). In anger, the older brother swore to kill Jacob (Genesis 27:41). So their mother advised Jacob to hide out at his uncle’s place (Genesis…
even better
The text message from my brother was terse: “Dad just passed away. Come to ward now.”
My 84-year-old father had vacillated between life and death for 2 months. He finally took his final breath. Dad had lost his battle with cancer, and losing him deeply saddened me. And yet I also rejoiced, for he hadn’t really lost the battle. He…
shockingly honest
What seemed like an ordinary day in church soon became extraordinary. The minister merely asked one of his elders to lead in prayer. But the man stood and said, “I’m sorry, Pastor. I’ve been arguing with my wife all the way to church, and I am in no condition to pray.” Then he sat down.
After one of those l-o-o-o-n-n-g…
today #23
Today . . .
I honor You.
I honor You with my life.
I honor You with my heart.
I honor You with my words.
I honor You with my actions.
I honor You with my hands.
In everything I do today,
Everyone I speak to,
Every move I make,
Every step I take,
I will honor You!
Today –
Is the most beautiful gift
I have been given in my life!
Therefore,
In everything…
numero uno
Consider this scenario. You’ve invited the 10 most important people from church to dine with Jesus, people whom you would consider VIPs—your pastor, elders, deacons, or lay leaders, for example. As host, you’re in charge of the seating arrangement. Assuming you have a round table that seats 12 people, where will Jesus sit? And since Jesus’ left- and right-hand sides…
"omg"
With the advent of cell phones, texting, and online chat, an abbreviated form of language has emerged. Texters and chatters regularly communicate with shortcuts like “lol” (laugh out loud) or “idk” (I don’t know).
For the most part, these abbreviations are harmless. One popular shortcut, however, is truly offensive to believers in Jesus—“omg.” The most common meaning given to this…
