No matter how exhausted life leaves us, when we look expectantly to God in faith, we will surely find solace and strength. Those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour can add that in Christ we have … Read more

Who do you look like in your family? Whose eyes do you have? Whose ears? Who is responsible for your head of hair or lack of it? We are born with certain characteristics — they come from our parents, sometimes … Read more

When we landed at Port Angeles, Washington by ferry from Victoria, B.C., the clouds hung low over the town and the famed Olympic Mountains were completely invisible. The weather was so poor we really wondered whether it was worth driving … Read more

Ever get the idea that church doesn't matter much? "I go to church," you say. "That's nice" is the answer. Nice, as if you confessed a passion for rhododendrons or let on you spent Sundays breeding Irish setters. Not "nice", … Read more

I left the scarf on the Aberdeen to Glasgow intercity train. I was annoyed, it had sentimental value. A few weeks later I called at the Lost and Found Office in Glasgow, and then in Aberdeen. It wasn't there. I … Read more

In the story of the transfiguration we see, maybe for the briefest of moments, a glimpse of who Jesus is, a truth made obvious to his friends who have come with him. Transfiguration is a personal experience. Have you ever … Read more

I just returned from leading a weekend retreat with 10 members of my youth group. I selected the theme of "Becoming" and chose Romans 12 as the scripture passage. Over the course of the weekend, I was invigorated by the … Read more

Do you know what I heard on the radio last week? An ad for a local funeral chapel, totally serious and in painfully good taste. "When your loved one dies, come and see us about our new Grief Management Program." … Read more

I don't know if people still read John Steinbeck's award winning novels, but they should because they always have a powerful message for those who love people. Take for instance Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, which is the story of a … Read more

Many years ago, an evangelist was invited to hold meetings in a remote mission station in the hills of Kentucky. To get there, he first had to ride a logging train, and it was dark when the missionary met him … Read more

Robert Fulghum made a best seller with a book called, Everything I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten. You know this, I think: Share everything, play fair, don't hurt people, put things back where you found them, and … Read more

One of my children , Kristelle, was involved in a project at the Shiretown Nursing Home called Memories in which the lives of five senior citizens were recorded for posterity. It was a wonderful experience for both young and old … Read more

An elderly man bought a small farm, and after two years, his son visited him. They stood together on a small hill and looked over several acres of trees. The young man exclaimed, "Dad! How did you ever plant all … Read more

Have you thought about what you want to leave behind? Spiritually, I mean. When I was little, we used to go to the family cottage in winter and we had to walk in all the way from the main road. … Read more

See if you've ever been in this place in your spiritual life: Your spirit is parched and withered. In prayer you hear only the echoes of your own pleas. You wander aimlessly through the barren soulscape, searching for that Friend … Read more

David was the youngest child in his family, and for some reason, he didn't find it necessary to talk until he was almost three years old. By pointing and grunting, he could get anything he wanted. Finally the family realized … Read more

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do? The good things, I mean. An old teacher of mine said "You can make someone do something once through guilt. You can bring them a few times more through … Read more

Rhoda goes to answer the door. She is being disturbed from a prayer meeting called for Peter who is in prison. She asks who is at the door and Peter says it is himself. She's so flustered she goes back … Read more

Four-year-old Debbie not only insisted that Grandpa read her a story; she would have no substitute for Hansel and Gretel. Repeatedly, Grandpa stopped at points where violence erupts: a hungry mother and father plan to solve the food shortage by … Read more

So how long can you hold your breath? I can do it for a minute and ten seconds. You can hold your breath if you want, and turn a delicate shade of Presbyterian blue. But most of us don't want … Read more

Meet my pet rock, Ebenezer. You may laugh at having a pet rock and you may think Ebenezer a presumptious name for a dumb rock but it is all scriptural and it is all significant in informing our faith and … Read more

I recently ran across a framed certificate of recognition that I was given a year or so ago by my congregation for my leadership of the Youth Group. As soon as I turned it over, I remembered why it was … Read more

Growing up, I had a grand-uncle John Lauchie, who was a gruff old farmer. He was married to Mable. My memories of them are from the time when they were in their late seventies. Both of them were getting old … Read more

Despite all the blatant commercialism of the centennial Olympic Games, few could be unmoved by the spectacular opening ceremony with its multi-media variations of "the power of a dream" theme. The audio/video clip of Martin Luther King's famous 1963 "I … Read more

On December 11, 1995, I asked God "What is my call?". I heard back, "Be a good father and do the best you can for him." Not a typical call. More like a general expectation He would place on any … Read more

As a Christian teenager, I heard this message a lot: God calls each of us. I've repeatedly sought His call for me over time, through university, embarking on a career, and starting a family. Yet when I asked Him, "what … Read more

During our Vacation Bible School this week, my prayer was that God would make our VBS a memorable experience. The theme for the week was prayer, and the curriculum worked through the Lord's Prayer in five sections, dealing with our … Read more

I recently watched the movie Dead Man Walking and was moved by the power of the story. The movie is based on the work of Sister Helen Prejean who acts as spiritual advisor to death-row inmates. A scene near the … Read more

Have you ever been close to death, or thought you were? A car accident in Canada left me immobilized and away from home. The doctor said, "You may die in the next two days!" I was faced with impending death, … Read more

She sat with 5 Via Rail tickets in her hand. She was due to leave for Montreal on Sunday evening. It was now Saturday. The Via Rail trains had been shut down for more than a week due to a … Read more