No devotional was posted today because of a bug in the automatic update script. … Read more

If we take a Canadian five-dollar bill (or any bill for that matter), it tells us on the face of it what denomination it is, and we believe it. If we take it to the store and see something marked … Read more

Yesterday my husband and I went into a large grocery store. We were picking up some things that we had forgotten when we did the big shop. Yes, we are retired and we are blessed in the fact that we … Read more

Which version do you prefer? Recently I received an e-mail which begged the age-old question "Why did the chicken cross the road?" complete with thirty-nine different explanations. There were answers from someone's perception of how Plato would have responded and … Read more

This past summer I drove several hours south along the coast to meet with my in-laws in celebration of my father-in-law's birthday. It would also have been my late husband's birthday, and as I drove along the beautiful Big Sur … Read more

There's a little church which I must pass on my way home, and it always has a saying on its signboard. They're all clever, but some stick with me more than others. One such saying read: "Shadows fall behind when … Read more

I am a law enforcement officer in northern Georgia, USA. I am preparing to speak to a youth group concerning putting on the full armour of God. I have learned that the Roman soldiers, much like the British knights, had … Read more

I learned to pick berries when I was just little. My mom taught me that if you lift up the bushes or leaves, the juiciest, tenderest, best berries are underneath… you just have to look. Some people just pick from … Read more

It happened in the month of my fiftieth birthday and after 24-3/4 years of service. I was downsized, redundant, expendable. Now it's six years later and last October 1, I started my first full-time job. They say life begins at … Read more

Anyone who has ever used a choke chain to walk their dog is probably familiar with the "p" and "q" rule. That is to say, when making the loop for the animal's head, the chain is dropped through the slip … Read more

I have been home for a week with a teenage son. He had a week with the flu, struggled back to school for four days, then collapsed with mono. If I hadn't suffered through this disease myself at 16, I … Read more

Occasionally, the subject comes up regarding anonymity in our e-mail, especially where it pertains to our place of residence. There is a certain amount of risk in having people know where you reside. The phone is another bit of technology … Read more

Joshua had just been given the responsibility of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses had died. Picture him standing on a cliff of a mountain or small hill, looking into the valley of the Promised Land. Can … Read more

I was brought up on the King James Version and my mum always told us that charity begins at home. She taught me early to volunteer, which also included canvassing for one charitable organization or another for most of my … Read more

Just the other day the Holy Spirit guided my wife and me to these passages. For anyone who praises the Lord on a regular basis and listens to His word on the Sabbath has a hard time understanding those who … Read more

A friend I'd not seen in quite some time was at a meeting the other night. If her husband were to fetch her, she would have to leave early and miss half the meeting, so I offered her a ride … Read more

I thank God that I have always had a good relationship with my family, both immediate and extended. As a minister I often speak with single parent families, and with those caught up in abusive family relationships. It wasn't until … Read more

When I came upon one of the regular neighbourhood walkers one morning, he was bent over, obviously in discomfort. Upon asking if I could do anything, he replied that no, there was nothing anyone could do, he was always in … Read more

I think that often, in our Christian faith, we think that we have to have a big story to tell, a turning point in our lives that will make people really sit up and listen. You know, like the story … Read more

My dog is what one would call small- to medium-size. She's generally friendly, a little too friendly perhaps, and thinks (or so it seems) that all people and other animals like her too. This morning as we were on our … Read more

A local radio station is running a promotion to increase its daytime listeners. It's giving away coffee mugs with the station's call letters on them, asking listeners to drink coffee at work with the station's mugs. It promises listeners that, … Read more

As we were "buzzing" down an old highway on a weekend trip to the States last spring, we came upon a farmer's field that contained the following message, each word on its own sign and set in succession in a … Read more

Paul could have overwhelmed the ordinary listener with his intellectual powers but he chose not to. Instead he spoke simply of Jesus Christ by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide his thoughts. I was travelling with a Presbyterian pastor for … Read more

Our prayer group requires no admittance fee. No weekly donations. No contribution towards the lights, the maintenance costs, janitorial services, Spiritual Director's fees, the heating costs. And so it was, last fall, that I suggested we bring something for the … Read more

During a time in my life when I was in a whirlwind of emotional pain and confusion, and wanting so much to do whatever it took to find release and direction, a friend came alongside me and kept pouring truth … Read more

Several of my oldest and dearest friends and I had met at some rented cabins for the weekend. We had arrived late at night and had risen early for a refreshing morning walk. On the owner's porch lay an old … Read more

Discipleship, to some degree, has become a buzzword within the church. Everyone seems to talk about it, but it rarely gets fully explained. If you were to ask what a disciple of Christ is, most people would agree that a … Read more

At the bottom of this page, it says, "Pray about contributing a devotional". Sounds okay, but how do you do it? What do you say? What actually do you pray for? Perhaps my experience will help others. I had a … Read more

Over nine months our family watched cancer creep through my mother's body, defying all treatments. Mom tried to be strong for us. She fought against the disease because we wanted her to live. One day just before she died my … Read more

Every once in a while, I like to sit at the rear of the ferry, looking back at where we've been. I like to see the place I've left gradually get smaller in the distance; to watch the way the … Read more

It is New Year's Day 1998 (yes, 1998) and I feel like a mess. Lately I have been slipping into old habits that I know aren't pleasing to the Lord. I have a rotten cold, the house looks like the … Read more