There was a challenging Christian T-shirt that came out years ago with the slogan, "If God seems distant in your life, then guess who moved?" It was meant to get people to question their relationship to God and to reflect … Read more

Years ago, we had a bush right outside our living room window. One summer, a pair of little sparrows built a nest in the bush. Next thing we knew, there were a few little eggs in that nest. It was … Read more

When I was a young married woman, my parents offered to take me and my three children out west in their motor home. Since my husband had to work, he told us to go. This trip was some adventure for … Read more

Many churches (including mine) take a strong stand against any form of gambling, because they understand the personal cost paid by those enthralled by the faint hope of ill-gotten gains. However, that doesn't stop people from visiting casinos or buying … Read more

Looking! Hunting! Searching! How many times have we misplaced something and needed to find it? How frustrating it can be when we know we just saw it yesterday! And we need it tomorrow, or sooner! Where could it have gone? … Read more

Last year, on the last day of our Vacation Bible School, I wrote some reflections. The VBS had been a phenomenal success, greatly due to the amount of preparation and planning that our VBS team accomplished. I am in awe … Read more

Recently, I was invited to speak to a group of people. While preparing my speech, I picked up a book that promised to give some interesting tips on how to capture the audience's attention. The author said something like, "Remember … Read more

Recently, I attended a Celebration of Life. To the one who does not recognize our Lord as Saviour and Friend, this is a time of great sorrow, but to the large group of loved ones and friends who had packed … Read more

I love making up stories, especially for the children of our church on Sunday mornings. I started telling stories for my brothers late at night when we were kids. Three of us shared the same bedroom, and each of us … Read more

In the spring, our neighbourhood was busy with people working on their lawns after a long winter. People were out raking, seeding, replacing sections with rolls of sod, and cutting their grass. In the early spring, we did not have … Read more

How many telephone calls do we receive in a day that have nothing to do with people we know? Often these calls can become annoying, as they either interrupt our field of thought or bring us a long way to … Read more

I always wanted to be a musketeer. Alexandre Dumas' story of D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers has enthralled me since I was a boy. I think I first saw them fighting together in the 1939 movie, "The Man in the … Read more

Because our summers are very short, camping is a chosen activity in our area. To be outside as much as possible is the preference of many people. One summer, a group of our friends was planning on going camping. We … Read more

I used to fall for "fashion sense" advice in my younger years. "You must wear this. The new styles this year are two inches above the knee." "No one is wearing blue anymore. The new dress-for-success colour is grey. Your … Read more

You may not know it, but I love drawing as well as writing. I find both to be very therapeutic. I tend to draw late at night just before I go to bed. It helps to switch off my mind … Read more

A few days ago, I jotted a note in my journal about a gift I was offered when a new store opened its doors and welcomed the local population to come and shop. As soon as I stepped inside the … Read more

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was annoyed with the cashier who was putting too many items into each bag. She indicated that the store was saving bags. I was annoyed enough to stop shopping there for … Read more

Do you ever get those e-mails from Nigeria where someone claims to have twenty million dollars ready to deposit in your bank account? Quite often, the sender writes that he or she is a Christian, and that the Lord has … Read more

Mary Daniel wondered in Reunions , published on May 26, 2008, what had happened to some who had submitted devotionals back in the "old days". My sole contribution was Reflections On Success (Or A Lack Thereof) on … Read more

When I was a child, I took swimming lessons each summer. I would start in the beginners' class, because I was afraid to swim in deep water. Finally, in the third year, the instructor put me in the junior class. … Read more

Have you ever seen a monkey puzzle tree? They are also known as Chilean Pines and come from the Andes regions in South America. They prefer a cold, wet climate, so you see a great many of them in Scotland. … Read more

At a Bible study the other night, we were amazed at the spirit given to martyrs as we discussed Daniel chapter 3. We look at our own weakness, and we just know that we could never be so strong to … Read more

I am so looking forward to summer. I love being outside. I love going for walks. I love sitting in my yard, reading a book. I love puttering in my flower garden. I love watching the younger generation playing in … Read more

My eldest daughter was travelling from Roanoke, Virginia, USA, to Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, one morning for a business conference, a distance of about 265 miles. Even although she is twenty-one, I always pray for her safety whilst flying. I woke … Read more

In the Bible, it was Thomas: Today, it could be any one of us. We can read the Bible, we can feel God's presence and peace, but that little feeling of doubt is never too far away. Thomas didn't just … Read more

Do you ever start reading something, convinced that you know the main thought or plot and/or how it is going to end up? I do, on occasion, and am sometimes correct. Not so, however, with Julie Bowles' devotional on May … Read more

Our church has been growing steadily for the past four years. Through God's blessings, we've managed to breathe new life into our congregation, and we are beginning to outgrow ourselves. We're at an awkward stage because of the current transitions … Read more

When I was a child, we made a big deal out of Mother's birthday. Since it was always celebrated in September, we would usually make a card or a bookmark for our mother during recess or art class at school. … Read more

When I returned to my hometown after many years, my friend was still attending the same church we had attended as youths. He had been blessed with a moderate amount of wealth and social success, so I asked him why … Read more

For a while, I've been praying hard about something that I think is important, and I've been trying to convince God of the same. My prayers have been carefully spoken and well thought out. I've been looking to God to … Read more