Kayley, one of my collies, is three years old now and is still a barker. She barks at anything and everything, despite my training, discipline, and frustration with her and this noisy bad habit. Collies do tend to bark, since they are … Read more

"Why don't you come for a visit, Charles? It'll be a good chance to get away from everything and relax. Just come by yourself, no need to bring anything." I've had some weird dreams before, but this was definitely one to remember. I was … Read more

I watched as if it were rolling in slow motion — or it could have been me moving in slow motion. I stretched my hand forward as it rolled to the floor — shattering. My heart skipped a beat. My favourite coffee mug lay in pieces on the … Read more

Millions of Christians wonder if we are now living in the end times. They watch in shock as morale in North America deteriorates. Churches are becoming increasingly marginalized. More and more, theologians and false teachers manipulate and … Read more

As part of the history class that I took in high school, I had to study the origins of World War II. Our class spent several weeks focusing on the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and how he motivated the American people to deal … Read more

In celebration of the birth of a brand-new day and a brand-new year 2022, snowflakes fell from the sky like bright confetti, each one a miraculous reminder of God's love and faithfulness. The footprints of yesterday's sins vanished … Read more

Throughout my many years in ministry, I've recognized that the invisibility of God is a problem for some people. Because He cannot be seen in person, they refuse to accept His existence. They think that if He were to turn up one day and … Read more

When we were children, my brothers would at times try to build a floating raft, using spare boards and bits of rope. We watched many dramatic films of life and death experiences aboard life rafts, with sailors battling waves and storms and … Read more

What parents would not choose to wrap their children in an invincible security blanket every morning before sending them off to face the harsh world outside? It often begins at the kitchen table, as we educate them about how big God's … Read more

We are created as social beings, meant to interact with others. The important thing is whether our interactions with others show God's love. One of the most common greetings is the handshake — now, not allowed. Some of us would … Read more

The other week, I received a letter from my bank, declaring that it would be making changes to my account. This came as a surprise to me, so I asked God for His favour and rang my local branch. However, after a few minutes of conversing … Read more

I purchased a new clock, and its ticking seems loud to my husband. I am not bothered because I am hearing impaired. Whenever he mumbles "Tick, tock …" under his breath, I am reminded of nights spent with my grandmother. I often stayed … Read more

When we lived in England, we resided in a pleasant town just south of London. One Friday evening, we were away to London for a show, and on Saturday morning, I saw that there was a broken window in the door of the back entrance to the … Read more

During the winter, Agnes, our goat, suffered a ligament injury to one of her hind legs, which resulted in her being fitted with a solid brace. The brace was meant to hold the damaged area in place, allowing it to heal and to give Agnes … Read more

I was on my way to an appointment. I had only left the house and been driving for a matter of minutes, when I realized that I had forgotten something. I hurried back home, opened the front door and walked in. Immediately, I could sense … Read more

Once in a while, I enjoy doing a word puzzle to enhance my vocabulary and concentration skills. The goal of one particular game was to find as many words as possible within the phrase, REMEMBER YOUR VALENTINE. It is believed that these … Read more

by Isabel Allison A little lad, loved by kin of mine, looked straight ahead, then in voice sublime — for child philosophers tend to mime — spoke out amid the chatter of Christmas supper time: "This sure has been a good Christmas," … Read more

Now being 85, I have been busy writing my latest book on the story of my life. In so doing, I have recognized that the basic force that has guided me all my life is the love of God moving in my soul. John puts it clearly: It is obvious … Read more

The first thing that I do every morning is to look out my large bay window to check on the weather. Today, the sky is blue, and the sun is shining brightly. It promises to be a pleasant day, so I head out to walk my dog. It is then that … Read more

Why is it that here in North America, a gift of flowers is reserved for Mothers Day, romantic occasions, or perhaps a sick female friend? We rarely give flowers to a man, except at his funeral — unless he's a horticulturist by trade. In … Read more

Albert put me to shame. At the ripe age of 89, he slogged to church every Sunday through deep snows and sub-zero temperatures. We offered him drives multiple times, but he declined each one, saying that he needed his exercise. His … Read more

I can see a how a grieving person could be drawn into the false comfort of turning to a medium or a spiritist. Like a moth to the flame, some might seek out such a "practitioner" to try to re-connect desperately with the dear departed. … Read more

Some time ago, I was talking with some people about the Lord and our lives as Christians, along with experiences that we have had in life. They were using words like "God spoke to me", feeling that they had a word from God, and talking … Read more

Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. – C. S. Lewis Until my early sixties, I was a very active person. In my … Read more

The instructor at a recent meeting of the local canoe club presented three navigational aids: a map, a compass, and a GPS. He then challenged the members present with a question: If you were able to take only one of the three on a trip, … Read more

At this time of the year, churches all over the world are placing red and green cardboard boxes in their foyers. These are not ordinary boxes, but very special ones. Most people refer to them as the shoeboxes, but these boxes will never … Read more

Life runs along mostly predictably for many of us. Yes, we have things tucked into the far corners of our minds about health and retirement and so on. But when a family has a medical crisis, these thoughts instantly find their way back … Read more

The seed of doubt that was planted in the mind of Eve by the serpent in the Book of Genesis still has the ability to rear its ugly head in our minds and hearts today. Just like sin, doubt can creep right in, in a way that we aren't even … Read more

As I was reading a relatively familiar passage in Matthew, an occasional occurrence happened to me that always amazes me: some of the words seemed to jump right off the page and instantly grab my attention. Perhaps Jesus might have … Read more

As people leave their churches and organized religion, what do they put in its place? I am noticing an increasing emphasis on spiritual things today. Even a secular magazine like The Readers Digest has an article this month called "Til … Read more

Years ago, on Thanksgiving Day, my sister gave me a book which included a number of traditional stories, poems, prayers, recipes, and games. Some of the games looked rather interesting, and I thought that it would be a great idea for … Read more

Over the past several weeks, my husband and I have been watching movies from the "Bible Collection" series. They present wonderful, true-to-life portrayals of many characters from the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, these productions provide a great basis for … Read more

Recently, I experienced a setback in regard to a simple surgical procedure on my eyes. I had carefully completed all the needed preparations for the forty-five-minute surgery, only to be told at the last minute that it had to be … Read more