Light in the Darkness
A friend of mine grew up in a rural part of Hawaii where her family had no electricity. As a child, the dark hours of the night frightened her. Without streetlights or the occasional lamp-lit window, it was easy to imagine a scary ogre or hungry beast lurking around the corner. Eventually, my friend left Hawaii to attend college in another region of the US. Although modern lighting brightened the evening hours, her fear of the dark persisted. Finally, as a married adult with children, she began to ask God to help her overcome her fear, and He answered her prayers. She’s no longer afraid of the dark!
walls
Walls are designed to keep people safe. But walls also divide, keeping people apart. The 96-mile (155 km) Berlin Wall kept the East Germans in. The Great Wall of China, which was believed to be 5,500 miles long (8,850 km) and is now estimated to be 13,170 miles long (21,196 km), kept enemies out.
all good things
Recently, I toured Bassett Hall, the home that John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife Abby purchased in Williamsburg, Virginia, in the 1930s. Upon the death of the famous philanthropist, the home was bequeathed to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation—the foundation the Rockefellers had created for the purpose of restoring the many historical sites in the village.
The home was simply…
defended
The past several years have been a significant training ground in surrender. Confronted with the truth of God’s Word, my husband and I realized that much of the way we had been doing ministry previously did not reflect the call to discipleship so resonant throughout all of Scripture. Our hearts ablaze with passion and zeal, we put our plows to…
safety net
A friend of mine bought a trampoline for his young boys. After he had assembled it, his sons excitedly begged him to let them give it try. He reluctantly let them climb onto it but told them to be careful because he hadn’t installed the safety net around the trampoline. So his boys cautiously crept to the middle of the…
bogged down
My computer has become a test of my patience. Beyond sluggish, it takes at least 10 minutes to boot up due to it being infected with viruses and malware. Being an impatient, impulsive button-pusher, I have to walk away after I turn it on. Otherwise, I’m tempted to hurry the process by striking a key too soon. Trying to keep…
presence and protection
A pastor gathered his wife and children together for a time of prayer, just prior to his departure for an overseas missions trip. He prayed, “Dear Lord, please protect my wife and the children while I’m gone.” When he finished, his wife asked him: “Who do you think protects us while you’re here?”
Good question! Sometimes we take God’s protection…
