From its inception, I have had several injections of COVID vaccine; my latest was in September 2023. These jabs have saved me from the worst effects of catching the disease, as I did earlier this year. Praise God, so far, I have not been … Read more
Search Results for: "2 Peter 1:"
The Right Documentation
"You need the right documentation," I was told after my healthcare request was denied. That episode last year reminded me of similar episodes where I didn't have the "right documentation", even though I had sufficient evidence to qualify. … Read more
Foot In Mouth
Every time I read about the apostle Peter's early life, I feel that we must be related. Poor Peter, always putting his foot in his mouth over one thing or another. I remember many times in my life when my mouth opened, seemingly of its own … Read more
Not For Future Use Only
"Do not postpone for the future what you so greatly need in the present." (attributed to Hudson Taylor) Her vintage dishes showed little wear. Of course! She had considered them too precious for everyday use, so she carefully preserved … Read more
Promise, Prophecy, Presence, And Fulfillment
Although I've read the Old Testament multiple times, I didn't fully internalize how relevant it is, both to my walk with God and to my understanding of the many ways that it points to Christ. This summer, I'm in a Bible study that focuses … Read more
Opening The Gate
Long ago, I learned that there is a special key for every lock. When opening the gate to my dad's logging road, I tried the key that I'd last used, but it did not work. I went home and he gave me a new key because the lock had been … Read more
Discontent: Holy Or Unholy?
Discontent can be a destructive energy that harms us physically, emotionally, and relationally. It may be a symptom of ingratitude or an inability to accept one's lot in life — never having "learned to be content whatever the … Read more
Eyewitnesses
Almost every day, I receive emails from Christian ministries and organizations with invitations to subscribe to a special conference or video series about church growth. They usually try to entice me with special gifts, or they claim to … Read more
Lessons From A Cow
"Sally has to go!" lamented the farmer. "It's because of her bad influence on the other cows. She's the dominant cow in the herd; and that's bad." This farmer, in the video that I watched, had seen enough of Sally's bad influence on … Read more
Growing Up
I love to receive my grandchildren's annual school photographs. I can see how they've changed and grown. They often stand back to back with each other — and me — to see who is taller. The younger ones stand straight as their height is … Read more
Great Expectations
In an Advent liturgy presented in our church, one word leaped off the page at me: "Expectations". That word rattled around in my brain for the rest of the service. What was so special about that word? As I reflected, I realized that I … Read more
From The Vine Came The Grape
A tradition my Italian grandfather brought from the old country was winemaking. Besides the delicious table fruit from his grape vines once native to the hillsides of southeastern Italy, every year he would harvest and press the grapes to … Read more
The Price Is Right
Some days when I am busy baking, I switch on the television to keep me company. One of the shows that I view from time to time is The Price is Right. In fact, I remember watching it with my grandmother when I was a youngster. It seemed … Read more
God's Reset Button
A reset button is a useful feature whenever things go berserk — like when our television screen goes jiggly or our computer freezes up. A simple push of the reset button or a click on the restart icon sets things back in order. It's … Read more
Breath Of God
It was in the late 1940s. My father was the pastor of a small Armenian Brethren congregation in Detroit, Michigan, USA. As my father arose from his chair to start his sermon by the reading of Scripture, he opened his Bible and in Armenian … Read more
A Lenten Journey To God's Treasure
Imagine your neighbour popping over every morning to beg for a scrap of bread. Meanwhile, you know that she has a stash of food supplies in her basement, because you donated it to her. In fact, you've given her a generous supply of … Read more
The Catch Me! Game
When my youngest daughter was approximately two and a half years old, she would climb to the top of the stairs and yell, "Catch me, daddy!" and jump, having the faith and the assurance that indeed her daddy would catch her. Now that my … Read more
Slave To Spoken Words
"I am the master of my unspoken words, and a slave to those that should have remained unspoken." This unknown writer must have felt exactly the same way as I did: guilty. Have you ever said something that you were … Read more
Scarecrow In A Melon Patch
As a young girl, before receiving Christ as my personal Saviour, I visited several fortune tellers, experimented with Ouija boards, and dabbled in witchcraft. I even attended one séance conducted by a team of experienced mediums. But … Read more
His Majesty's Witness
Like many teenagers back in the seventies, I enjoyed seeing the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Later, however, I heard that many Christians considered the film to be offensive. One reason for this criticism was the omission of the … Read more
Flour Power
Years ago, when my children were growing up, I learned that there is real power in homemade baked goods. The way a glass of milk and a couple of homemade cookies revived my children and their friends after a challenging … Read more
Just Stories
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