As I look out of my living room window early in the morning, I see a seagull standing on the rooftop of the neighbour's two-story building. What is he looking for? Another sea gull? He looks so alone, taking stock of his domain. The ocean … Read more

During the last number of years, I have visited a considerable number of elderly people, and most of them seem to want to talk about their life's experiences. I knew one gentleman who told me a great many stories about how things were in … Read more

One of the life-changing opportunities that I have had on mission trips to Nicaragua is to visit some of the prisons there. Going there each time has had a profound effect on me spiritually and emotionally. We go with a local pastor who … Read more

If you are like me, when we pray faithfully for a long, long time and we see no results, we tend to get discouraged, for it is our human nature. However, there is Someone Who is above our human nature, Whose schedule we cannot even … Read more

A praise team leader at church mentioned that he and his wife asked God for a word, specifically for them, each new year. It caught the attention of both my husband and me. We knew that it was for us. We were curious to know what word … Read more

If there's one thing that I've learned when I am in the corral cleaning up, whether it be summer or winter, it's to be deliberately conscious of my step, for the corral is fraught with perils. Brush, broken branches, rock, and uneven … Read more

As I grow older, I yearn for the Christmases of my childhood. Being the first grandchild in the family meant a great deal of spoiling. Though I don't remember those years, pictures relay the joy and giving that took place. Prior to my … Read more

As the years have gone by and I have grown older, the nativity seems more like a movie in my mind — not real, just a picture. It seems so long ago and so far away — what would it be like to really be there? There have been so many … Read more

In July of 2010, my mother-in-law died, and we inherited her old, well-used hymnbook. In the Christmas carol section of this hymnal, she had glued in a poem written by our daughter around 1977, when she was about eighteen years old. We … Read more

Years ago, the pastor of my church invited a rabbi from a local synagogue to host a traditional Passover meal for our congregation during the Easter season. It was an interesting experience, tasting various ritual foods, such as matzo, … Read more

The nine-year-old sat with his substantial pile of opened Christmas presents, gazed up at the adults around him, and asked, "Is that all there is?" That's also the title of a song by the same name. The verses tell of a house fire, a visit … Read more

How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven. Every evening before eating supper, my husband prepares the coffee for the next morning. He dumps out the old coffee, … Read more

The time before Christmas is a period of great stress for many young adults who attend colleges and universities. After several months of study, they have arrived at their final exams. Often there is much at stake. For many students, the … Read more

One winter long ago, a neighbour of our church phoned to complain that the church was not doing its share of clearing the sidewalks of snow. I had taken the phone call, so later after work, I went to see what had happened. As I saw it, the … Read more

When the children were little ones, on Christmas Eve or just before, my hubby, the kids, and I piled into the car and drove to the Christmas tree lot where we selected a tree, usually from the cheaper ones in the back. We'd haul it home … Read more

Do you secretly wrestle with a gnawing sense of insignificance, feeling like you don't matter much? The sense of meaninglessness is a common form of suffering today. That's why, for a moment, I'd like to shine the spotlight on Joseph in … Read more

Many years ago, shortly after I came to Canada, I was sitting in a church when this lovely hymn was announced. Even though I had not heard it before, I found myself singing wholeheartedly with everyone else. I have never forgotten the … Read more

They stream out of the store, carts crammed with piles of groceries, assorted Christmas items, wreaths, toys, candy canes, chocolates, huge frozen turkeys, and the occasional clinging child. A few people notice me standing beside the … Read more

You may have already started your Christmas card list. Soon it will be time to post the cards. But are we making the same mistake that we have made in the last few years? Who should really be receiving our Christmas greetings? Notice what … Read more

Even in mid-November in this eastern part of Canada, people were taking advantage of the relatively mild weather and putting out their Christmas decorations: lights, Christmas trees, and those inflatable lawn decorations. One day, I … Read more

Reflecting on today's Scriptures, I thought about my early upbringing in the Roman Catholic Church. I was taught to genuflect or bow the knee as a sign of reverence, as if Christ were physically present inside the sanctuary. Although … Read more

Some years ago, we were on a tour to Israel with a group of fellow believers and a pastor as the leader. Among many places that we visited, we did some extensive sightseeing in Bethlehem by bus as well as on foot. We visited the Church of … Read more

Have you ever felt so confused, afraid, or alone that you desperately needed to talk to someone, but no one would understand? Then you can probably identify with Mary after this visit from the angel. Women who have given birth could … Read more

Last summer, my daughter, her husband and their young family travelled through Washington State, USA, on their way to Yellowstone Park. They stopped in a little Bavarian-themed town called Leavenworth, to look around. One of the stores … Read more

Two Christmases ago, I wrote a devotional about a song that I had written ( Sing a Song of Praise ). Many of our readers responded, asking me if there was a tune for it. Unfortunately, I had a tune only in my head, and I had no idea … Read more

As Christmas approaches, I keep hearing these admonitions to children: "Have you been good or bad?" "If you are not good, Santa Claus will not come." The children quickly get the message, "I have to be good or I won't get that toy or … Read more

Twice a month for a great number of years now, I have been leading a Bible discussion at the local Long Term Care Centre. On special occasions such as Christmas, New Year's, and Good Friday, I lead a worship service there as well. My wife … Read more

My mother had the gift of telling us about real-life developments as they unfolded. She kept us spellbound with vivid details, even when the story took several years to reach its secretly hoped-for, but still-unexpected climax. One such … Read more

I am enthralled with Mary's song recorded in Luke 1:46-55. It's not what I'd expect from a young teen who finds herself pregnant — it's more like the utterances of a seasoned prophet! Here, Mary expresses her personal joy in the style of … Read more

Years ago, a friend from a small group Bible study showed me this verse: The phrase "take delight in you with gladness" haunted me. I wondered over and over how the Lord God takes delight in me with gladness. Recently, a face-to-face … Read more

I had decided that I would begin Advent by reading the book of Matthew. Of course, like several other books of the Bible, it included the dreaded family tree. Ho hum, what a bore. I was tempted to skip this part until the Spirit nudged … Read more