Talking TO God in private is personal. Talking ABOUT God in public is, well . . . public. And talking TO God in public? Problematic! Usually, we get tongue-tied. We worry about sounding spiritual, saying what’s “right,” and what others think. At times, talking to God in public comes easily: At religious events, such as […]
Category: Grief/Encouragement
Back to School
It’s back-to-school time! I’m guessing some parents (including me) are delighted, and most kids are disappointed. Kids tend to ask lots of questions before school begins: “Will I be riding the bus?” “Who is my teacher?” “Are the kids nice?” “Do I wear regular clothes or a uniform?” But kids don’t ask questions just about […]
Where Are You Looking?
I was lonely and asked the Lord to speak to me. I received a letter from a dear friend, but I didn’t hear the Lord’s voice. I was grieving and asked the Lord to comfort me. A friend stopped by and sat with me as I cried, but I asked the Lord to comfort me. I was […]
Most Blessed
Courage is not natural to one’s character. But it can appear when a person is forced to face fears and depend on Christ. My suffering with a disability has cultivated within me courageous character. I am blessed. My struggle with being misunderstood because of my disability has cultivated within me grace and mercy. I am […]
The Sandbox
I came across this story on the Internet. Rock in the Sandbox Author Unknown A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the […]
Eyesight
David M. Montgomery accepted his seminary diploma hearing the thunderous applause from Dave’s family, friends, youth leaders, mentors, and fiancé. The energetic celebration continued when David married his longtime sweetheart, Danica Peterson. Six years to the day of having first met, they married; their desire for children was immediate. But their hopes were shattered when […]
Two Horses
Author Unknown1Note: Every effort has been made to determine the author of “Two Horses.” If you are the author or know who the author is, we would be grateful for that information. You may convey it to us by leaving a comment. Just up the road from my home is a field with two horses […]
Courage
Miss Hurricane Carla was a flirt. She winked at Galveston, whistled at Palacios, waved at Corpus Christi, waltzed with Port Lavaca, and walked away with Rockport, Aransas Pass, and half of Matagorda Island. Her previous escort warned us that she was a wicked woman . . . but few fishermen believed those rumors that blew […]
Learning to Die Before Living with Delight
It was August 1994. The couple entered the neurologist’s office. An uncomfortable silence settled on the room. The doctor explained that Morrie had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s a brutal, unforgiving illness of the neurological system for which there is no known cure . . . and yes, it’s […]
What You Never Expected
The opening story of the evening news was about a parent who forgot her child in the car. The day’s temperature was 107 degrees, outside of the car. The next story was about several people gunned down, and the next one detailed a car accident that resulted in severe injuries to all parties. By then, […]
Timeless “Time-Outs”
Silence Quietness Reflection Sounds like a dream vacation or simply wishful thinking in our busy lives, lives taken up with tediously attending to tasks and to-do lists that take hold of our time. It’s difficult to remember that we choose how to use our time. And many of our lives have the added stress and […]
Handling Adversity
Step into the time tunnel with me and let’s travel together back to Uz (not like the wizard of, but like the land of). Wherever it was, Uz had a citizen who had the respect of everyone, because he was blameless, upright, God-fearing, and clean living. He had 10 children, lots of livestock, plenty of […]