One of the hard things about the Christian life, and one that the world doesn’t get, is praying in faith. Two things are important to remember in this: The prayers are lifted up to the God of all creation through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not praying in blind … More Worth the Effort
“Where were you last night? Who were you with? What were you doing? Why did you get home so late? Why didn’t you call?” Remember those days? I’ve had my share. My parents had a few rules and one was that, if we were going to be out later than our allotted time, we had … More Interrogation
I could barely talk with her. We spoke different languages, but in the short time I had with my mother-in-law, God gave me glimpses into the life of a woman of influence. She had no position in this world other than that of being a widow and mother. She lost her husband early in life, … More A Woman of Influence
Most people who knew me well during my years overseas know me for my routines. I cleaned my house the same day every week. I washed clothes on Mondays, towels on Wednesday, sheets on Friday. I woke up every morning and had my quiet time. You could call me a creature of habit. I called … More Daily Rhythms
My dad had a gift. He could remember sermons from his young adult years, name the pastor, know the title and passage used. I wish I had a mind like his — I’ll blame learning multiple languages to inhibiting my ability to remember anything in one. It’s a poor excuse, but handy, when I need … More Worth remembering
It’s been a day of contrasts. Much of my morning was spent with police officers and an unruly patron. My lunch was with a dear friend over tomato soup and quiche. My afternoon was caught up again with some of our regular patrons and a complaint aimed at a colleague, while my dinner was spent … More For and Against
Sometimes God has to get us out of our seats, because he’s got someone we need to meet. That happened to me today, an otherwise ordinary day. I’d been sitting at my desk too long, and felt the need to move. After checking on staff, I turned to go back toward my office, and there … More Eternity in your heart
My dear sister and brother-in-law gave me free tickets to a Christmas concert this past week, and something interesting happened. As I listened to the words of some familiar songs — I started crying — not through the entire concert, but when touched by a particular phrase being sung. I realized the power of the … More Desire of nations
He wasn’t talking about Peter when he said, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” No, you have to read the whole passage in Matthew 16, to understand what Jesus was saying. He’d … More The Gates of Hell
I taught the children’s Sunday School class last week, and though I accepted the task with fear and trepidation, I must say I had a great time. It’s been a while since I’ve taught children, but this group of six were amazing. We were talking about the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, and … More The Importance of Touch
