helping the stranded
After Nelson Mandela’s death at the end of 2013, many stories surfaced of his genuine concern for others. In 1950s Apartheid South Africa, Mandela once saw a white woman standing beside her broken car in Johannesburg. Approaching her, he offered help and was able to fix the car.
where’s God?
On the homepage of a website I discovered recently, all the global natural disasters for the current year are graphically presented on a world map. Icons reveal landslides, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods, erupting volcanoes, windstorms, and more. It’s sobering to see the number of natural disasters that affect people around the globe!
out of season
One year, spring in the US arrived with unseasonably balmy temperatures that broke records and elevated spirits. But the mid-80 temps (30 C) came with a price. Soon a cold snap hit, freezing all the blossoms. The budding flowers withered. Fruit farms were devastated. Food prices rose substantially.
a man like us
Ordinary people from tiny towns aren’t usually highly celebrated. Few are remembered long after they’re gone. The prophet Elijah, however, is an exception. The New Testament authors mentioned him more than any other Old Testament prophet.
to give or not to give
Some days I find only one. Other times they fill my mailbox. Not to mention the phone calls. Help the children, feed the homeless, care for the wounded. Worthwhile requests, yet it’s impossible to meet them all. Even with the contributions we make, I feel strangely guilty whenever I throw away a letter requesting donations or when I tell a contribution-seeking caller: “No, thank you.” The tension I experience is another reminder of the calling I must live out in a less-than-perfect world. Give selflessly, just like Jesus.
a lot by a lot
The first 4 years my adopted Ugandan son was with me, I experienced no fears about the future or my ability to support him. Recently, however, as I’ve struggled to pay bills and survive on a small ministry salary that provides us with no buffer, I’ve entered into a worrisome state. My fleshly desires have tilted toward greater financial security rather than the need to trust God’s provision on a seemingly day-to-day basis.
worry less
According to the World Health Organization, Americans are more prone to anxiety than people in other nations. The study revealed that 31 percent of Americans suffer from this disorder at some point in their lifetime. The chief culprits that lead to this anxiety are money, work, and the pressure to achieve and succeed. According to the study, Americans’ anxiety is five times higher than that of people in Third World nations.
money or mobility?
I hardly ever encounter beggars on the streets. But in some countries, you can find them begging at the markets and shopping malls. Once, when visiting a neighboring country, my hosts told me that for my own sake I had to ignore the beggars. If I showed the slightest interest in one, he would pursue and pester me until I gave him some money. And the moment I gave to one I would be very quickly swarmed by many others.
prayer with others
Early in His earthly ministry, Jesus sat down on the side of a mountain and delivered one His most memorable and stirring sermons (Matthew 5:3–7:27). He covered a lot of ground that day, including the topic of prayer.
ready, set, rest!
Pedro Soria Lopez is a champion sleeper. He won first place in Spain’s national napping competition. The contest was held in the middle of a bustling Madrid shopping centre where hundreds of participants vied for victory. Pedro’s prizewinning siesta lasted for 17 minutes and earned bonus points for his ‘thunderous’ snores.
What I find most amazing about Pedro’s feat is…
living by faith
Deuteronomy 8:1-3: Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and…
flying fish
The residents of Lajamanu, a remote Australian town, received a fishy gift last summer. Hundreds of small spangled perch dropped from the sky! Meteorologists believe the fish were sucked up into the clouds by a storm. “It could have scooped the fish up to 40,000 to 50,000 feet in the air. Once they get up into the system they [were]…
we've got answers
While in college, I volunteered at a center that provided emergency housing assistance. One winter day, a distraught woman called to complain about her negligent landlord. She couldn’t stay in her rental home because of severe maintenance problems. In a panic, she asked what she could do to care for her children in the cold weather. I gave the standard…
