Everybody has a father story, and they run the gamut. I grew up in a traditional family. My father was present, supportive, and loving. Many families aren't as fortunate. Some fathers drink to excess, abuse or run around on their wives, …( read more )

An atheist friend once remarked to me that Christianity is destructive because it produces passivity. Yet a cursory glance at the achievements of strong believers down the centuries easily proves otherwise. Nevertheless, my friend raises a …( read more )

One Saturday afternoon back in 2003, I received a call from a leading member of our congregation, a good friend of mine, who asked me if he could come and see me, "Right now!" Needless to say, I wondered what the emergency was. Ten …( read more )

Recently, I hosted a party for two friends whose birthdays fell in the same week. Although I had hoped for sunny weather so that we would be able to enjoy sitting out on the back patio, it rained that day, and we were kept indoors. What we …( read more )

Yesterday was a good day, with lovely weather and sunshine all day. It pleased me a lot going through the day with peace and easy–going thoughts. But I have to admit that when I got up this morning, I never considered that I should …( read more )

Joshua and Caleb have profoundly influenced my life with their faith and optimism. As two of the twelve spies sent forth to give an account of the promised land, they alone returned with a positive report, in stark contrast to the …( read more )

As a person of diminutive stature, I have found that I don't tend to overlook things, I underlook them, for I am not looking high enough. At home, I have to remind myself to fetch the stool and check the tops of things like the fridge and …( read more )

Recently on quiet summer mornings as I walked our country valley road, I was aware of sounds made by creatures and machines that I could not see. I heard engine noises from jets and propeller-driven aircraft. Truck and car tires hummed, …( read more )

Recently, I watched a wonderful film called Pilgrim's Progress: Journey to Heaven, a modern adaptation of John Bunyan's classic tale. The story is a clever allegory depicting the spiritual journey of a man named Christian who could …( read more )

One of my dearest friends left for Russia for a return mission trip. We first went to Russia on a mission trip in February of 2012; a time when God especially showed awesome faithfulness to us! One of my duties on that trip was to teach …( read more )

Many of the Protestant churches in our area are struggling. It is a matter of grave concern to many of us. There are discussions and workshops; there is talk of amalgamation and re-alignment; there is even talk of closing some of the …( read more )

A landscape architect of my acquaintance envisions outdoor sport and recreation facilities, then draws plans so that others can build what he sees as possible. He supervises construction in the role of project leader while project …( read more )

I was reading a little devotional by Norval Hayes entitled "How to get your prayers answered". He tells the story of a woman in the congregation challenging him about her continual prayers not being answered — prayers for her daughter of …( read more )

As a frequent user of e-mail and a frequent maker of prayer, I began to liken prayer to e-mail. I saw that my prayers are always "To: God@heaven.org". Sometimes I send "Cc:" — copies of my prayers to my friends by asking them to pray as …( read more )

The other day, Sophia, my eighteen-month-old daughter, faced up to me. We were stuck between the kitchen sink and the chairs from the kitchen table. I surmised that there was room for only one of us to pass by. The … (read more)

Each year on the 24th of April, a remembrance day is held around the world to commemorate the genocide of over one million Armenians in 1915 because of their refusal to deny Jesus Christ and worship Allah. An Armenian who … (read more)

We get the weather report sent to us every morning on our computer, and when there is bad weather ahead, we receive "Warnings Direct" for our area. We often receive repeated warnings of impending bad weather conditions. This morning's warning … (read more)

In 1996, I became so ill that eventually I had Red Cross homemaker service and used a wheelchair. Slow death was my future. In desperation, I asked people of the church to pray for me. My husband prayed. Today, at … (read more)

1. When a disaster strikes, even as far away as in Japan, it causes all of us to think about what it would be like if that happened to us. To see people's houses blown apart by advancing water and … (read more)

While studying early church history several years ago, I came across one of the most fascinating and inspiring stories of faith, told by Perpetua, a young, newly-converted Christian who was martyred around the year 200 A.D. in Carthage (near modern … (read more)

As I was coming around the bend in our street from walking my son to school, I could see the front window of our house. The sheer curtains in the living room were astir. I saw a collie's head peek … (read more)

I will never forget my first experience teaching the primary-level Sunday school class at my church. I loved using the old flannelgraph board to illustrate Bible stories to my students. While most of the lessons were easy to teach, I … (read more)

I have a problem with judging distance; I always have, as far as I know. Overall, this has not caused too many problems, except for some with driving and parking — to which my family will attest! One of my … (read more)

Two years ago, our local television morning show asked for the definition of a Canadian. The winner coined this phrase: "A Canadian is an immigrant with authority!" It is true that at one time, most Canadians came from somewhere else. … (read more)

Today as I write this, it is Sunday, and I always look forward to going to church to study God's Word and to fellowship with my Christian brothers and sisters. It wasn't going to happen today, because my human body … (read more)

When the Monarch butterfly landed on my knee, I let myself pretend that it was the one that I had met the year before. It was charming to think that it had made the very long journey from Mexico, just … (read more)

We had been talking about forgiveness at our Bible Study, when one lady offered the following thought: "I know God can forgive me, but it's so hard to forgive myself for mistakes I've made." I had known her for some … (read more)

It was about a year ago when his wife was still in the hospital after serious heart surgery. She was slowly recovering, but he looked tired and worn. During the Sunday morning "welcome time", I whispered to my husband that … (read more)

While camping one day, I watched my husband as he was standing in rather shallow water at the end of the dock, coaching one of the grandchildren into the water. Jake stood there, arms outstretched, calling to Nicole to trust … (read more)

It's been a tiring and gruelling day. I've been on my feet and on the road since before the first light of day, and it is now late at night. I just want to catch that last bus and go … (read more)

In reading further through the book of Second Chronicles, one sees how this promise was fulfilled repeatedly throughout the long succession of Judah's kings. God blessed those who sought his face, but abandoned those who fell to the worship of … (read more)

Just imagine waiting for a lifetime for a promised event that would never come to pass in one's generation! All the heroes of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 lived a whole long life of hope, never giving up in their … (read more)

This world would be a much different place were there no goings-on behind the scenes. Consider for a moment, things in life that we have either helped take place, had the privilege of attending, or been the recipient of, because … (read more)