Last year, I suffered from a concussion. As a young mom with a busy life, I did not give my brain the time that it needed to heal. In turn, this caused the concussion symptoms to drag on much longer than needed. I wasn't able to care for …( read more )

I awoke on Saturday night close to 12:00 a.m. with sharp pain in a tooth. After forcing aspirin chips into a tiny cavity that I had previously not known existed, I slept until 6:00 a.m. when pain awoke me. More aspirin chips got me active …( read more )

I think that I have been doing things backwards! I often seem to struggle with understanding — or more precisely not understanding — why people do what they do, why life seems such a challenge at times, and why I can't seem to figure …( read more )

Perhaps you have heard the story of the person hanging from a cliff waiting to be rescued. He has a vision of God's hand reaching down from heaven and lifting him to safety. So, when a helicopter appears, he sends it away. After he falls …( read more )

Here in British Columbia, Canada, the forest fires of this past summer were the worst in the history of the province. Over 1.2 million hectares of forest and pastureland, and many homes and businesses, were consumed. Livestock and …( read more )

My grandmother wrote this verse on the cover page of the first Bible that she gave to my father. My father did the same in the first Bible that he gave to me, and I did also in the first Bible that I gave to my son. We even have it …( read more )

The week had been slow, but I'd been in full-time ministry long enough to know that things can change in a second — and they did. Besides my normal schedule, all I had planned for the next day was to pray with our church mission team at …( read more )

Though I could see the tower from my front porch, its being near did me little good. My wife and I were living in a small town in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Like many others, we had decided to forego a landline and use our cellphones …( read more )

"Judge carefully" … "Do not judge" … "Judge for yourself" … "Stop judging" – the Bible Well, is it okay to judge or not? The above texts aren't helpful, are they? It's no wonder: They're extracted from their contexts! Furthermore, …( read more )

"You must take the blue pill in the morning. The pink pill is for bedtime. But remember that the red pill is the one that you take at noon." This is the type of conversation that I hear on a regular basis as I visit shut-ins in their …( read more )

A few nights ago, a young neighbour boy came over to play. He was hanging out in the sitting room, colouring quietly. After some time, he began playing with a decorative pillow, tossing it up in the air and back down again. But soon, he …( read more )

Are you packing and getting ready to leave home, or facing a big change in your life with a lot of uncertainty? I know something of what you are going through, because I am, too. I was supposed to be moving, but now I am told that this is …( read more )

I live in the country, on the outskirts of a village of about 1,300 people. Our house is on a main road leading into the village, and although there are street lights in the village, they end just before our house. When I take the dogs …( read more )

With the coming of winter in the north, the cold, dry air quickly takes its toll on a person's skin. One must learn to be prepared and diligent to prevent problems. So each winter, I begin to use moisturizer, especially on my hands and …( read more )

My mother, with whom my husband and I have been living, is in a retirement facility. At some point in time, a decision will have to be made regarding the house that we live in. I remember the time when my mother asked us to move in with …( read more )

There is really only one answer: I do palliative care at our local nursing home. I sit with dying patients, both those who are peaceful and those who are frightened. I offer to pray with each of them. If they answer "yes", I pray aloud …( read more )

This morning, I stood in front of my patio windows witnessing the sunrise. I was overcome with the sense of God's power, and I felt profoundly privileged as the colours changed and the sun glistened on the snow. For the past three weeks, …( read more )

Have you ever had a stretch of time when opportunities arose to test what you're made of spiritually? For me, this particular stretch has lasted over three years. Besides daily annoyances, the death of a parent, and career challenges, …( read more )

What if the world suddenly stopped spinning? Would the entire human race cease to exist? What if your house were hit by a falling tree, or a tornado, or a bolt of lightning? What if you got sick and couldn't look after your elderly parent …( read more )

This verse of Scripture reminds me of my childhood and makes me look back at my life. Did God set me apart from birth and call me by His grace? Dad was a minister and all three of us children were raised as believers. It was taken for …( read more )

When I was in grade 9, I had to do a report in front of my class. I began reading my report, and my hands began to shake, my breathing became irregular, and I ran out of the classroom. When I got home and told my mother, she made an …( read more )

Have you ever been in a place or situation that you felt was truly hopeless? I'm sure that if we are honest with ourselves, we have all been in that place at one time or another. What is our first response when we find ourselves in a …( read more )

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a technical marvel made possible by a group of satellites in earth's orbit that transmit precise signals, allowing GPS receivers to calculate and display accurate location, speed, and time information …( read more )

One thing that I have learned since having a horse is that I must be alert at all times when I am out riding in the cart pulled by my gelding, Frank. Why? Because horses are easily spooked. We can be out enjoying the stillness of a crisp …( read more )

The Californian Gold Rush of 1849 is surfacing again, though in a reduced form. It pales in comparison to the real thing in the mid-1800s, when prospectors sometimes just bent down and plucked nuggets of gold off the dirt. It is more than …( read more )

At the jail where I guard, there is a row of lockers to store our clients' personal belongings while they are in a holding cell. The lockers preserve their valuables and clothing from being lost or stolen until they are returned to them …( read more )

Knowing God on a deeper level is the topic and aim of the Bible study which I am currently teaching. When we resumed in October, we were privileged to have a new lady join us. From the outset, her wide-eyed wonder and excitement over …( read more )

I have had a dream to write since I was in grade 5. It all started when I was selected to go on a special trip to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the annual jamboree for bus patrols. As a bus patrol, I was responsible to ensure that younger …( read more )

"How do you do it?" my friend stammered. "How do you go out and talk to them? I hate it. I don't know their names, and I hate crowds." (So that's why she was hiding in the broom closet.) After I explained that the guests probably felt the …( read more )

Do you ever feel like you have no idea where you are going? You plan, prioritize, and schedule your activities, but then still wonder, Where am I really going with all of this? Now, you may be saying, "This is no help at all! I read …( read more )

I am perturbed. No, I am not perturbed; I am very frustrated. My Internet connection keeps breaking, and each time this happens, I lose communication with my Facebook, Outlook, Twitter, Linkedin, and blog friends. Not only is it …( read more )

I'm trying to grow my fingernails. I've been trying all of my life to do this. But when there is the least little bit of stress, I fiddle with my nails and pick at edges that stick out, and before I know it, I've ripped off the end of a …( read more )

My daughter gave me a beautiful picture of a mother holding her baby as she looked out the window. Under the picture it said, "Mother, I will love you forever." It reminded me of how newborn babies are so tiny … (read more)