While in my early 20s, I was a nominal Christian. I went to church, but did not know Jesus as One Who died to save me from my sins and give me a "wonderful new relationship with God". Briefly, I worked for a company in Toronto, Canada, … Read more

"Can you come over? The sewing machine that you loaned me isn't working right." My neighbour was frustrated. It was a new machine that had been used only a few times. What could go wrong? My first attempt to fix it didn't work. I tried … Read more

One day in March, I got a phone call from one of our grandsons. He told me that he was in deep trouble, and that he had a bad cold and intestinal problems. He asked me not to tell anybody, but he was being held by the police. A friend of … Read more

My husband Larry was about five years older than his sister, Carol. When she was a teenager, one Valentine's Day, she received a box of candy from her latest beau. Not wanting to disturb the beautiful heart-shaped box, she set it up in … Read more

The nightstand clock confirmed that it was 2 a.m., yet sleep was nowhere in sight. Completely exhausted, I found myself resorting to counting imaginary sheep. One, two, … ninety-eight, ninety-nine. Then, just before reaching one … Read more

My husband and I recently visited Williamstown, Kentucky, USA, to see the Ark Encounter. Upon arriving, far in the distance on a hill, we could see a full-size replica of the ark that God told Noah to build, and we were taken there by bus. … Read more

Years ago, John and I raised sheep on our farm. During those years of farming, we learned many spiritual lessons. God's creatures can teach us much if we pay attention. Our sheep would come running from the back fields to the barn only if … Read more

"I guess we're eating out tonight," my son muttered as he surveyed the empty countertop. Just five minutes earlier, he'd set a frozen pizza on the counter and gone upstairs. When he returned, all that remained was the pizza's cardboard … Read more

There's a beautiful family of North American songbirds called the Wood Warblers. Every spring, when these colourful little birds return to their breeding grounds, the heavens are filled with their trills and whistles. There are over 50 … Read more

My 2022 New Year's resolution has been to acknowledge God's blessings in my life, and to continually give God recognition and thanks. I've found that when I focus on my blessings, my discontentments and disappointments have been … Read more

Seventy years ago today, I entered this life. The expectation at that time was that a good and long life would span 70 years, and maybe, just maybe, I might see 80. Her majesty was just beginning her reign, acceding to the throne on … Read more

The English meaning of the name "Kayley" is "keeper of the keys; pure". In regard to keeper of the keys, this suits my collie, Kayley, very well. Right from the beginning, she has had a habit of lying in front of the dog door. Whether … Read more

Having grown up on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, I'm somewhat familiar with ocean tides. Sometimes, we could swim easily, but other times, we had to walk a long way to reach the edge of the water. In 1972, my husband and I … Read more

When John and I were farming, we had a flock of a hundred sheep. The sheep taught us so many lessons, much like the ones found in Scripture. March and April were the months when the new lambs were to be born, so I would spend hours at … Read more

After a couple of days at the YWAM base in Belize, I wondered what I was doing there. The setting, despite its beautiful name, "Destination Paradise", was a challenge. High heat with humidity, mosquitoes, fire ants, sudden tropical … Read more

Once upon a time, I taught chemistry in a particular high school, and — glory to God — I was a vessel through which many of the high school children received Jesus. On a certain day, one of my female students opened up to me and … Read more

Part of my spiritual journey was working towards a B.A. degree in Religious Studies. During that period, our family moved and settled into a new church, which was an ideal fit. One particular morning, I asked God for clarity on what He … Read more

There was a day when I needed to have my hair cut in a strange land far from home. So, I located a nearby hair salon down the street from where I was staying. When I got there, I met four persons: three mature men, whom I assumed were … Read more

Those words may cause us to wonder how we recognize the voice of God. How do we know when He speaks? God speaks to us clearly through the words of the Bible. He also can speak to us through the action of His Spirit contacting our spirit … Read more

Like most pastors, I'm often jokingly told that our jobs are easy because we work only one day a week. Usually, I laugh along with the person, who thinks that this is exceedingly funny, but within my heart, I'm actually weeping for myself … Read more

A newborn baby's first possession is his name. Parents normally put much time and consideration into the name that they give their child. It is a person's name that identifies and sets him apart from all the other people in the world. … Read more

When I was pregnant with our first child, Jared, I read an article explaining that after babies are born, they recognize voices that they'd heard while in the womb. So for the next nine months, my husband Bob and I would talk to him, pray … Read more

Years ago, my uncle walked from his workshop — the behind-the-hedge kitchen piece of the former old farmhouse — then he came out across the grassy house yard and into the kitchen of the newer house. He held out his hammer to me. He knew … Read more

It's been just over a year since a very dear friend of ours passed away suddenly from cancer. Eight months ago, our daughter-in-law's father passed away within three weeks of finding out that he was ill. And now, another dear friend of … 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

"Many car owners just don't listen to their cars. If they did, they could prevent a lot of damage." This was said by an experienced mechanic. He's convinced that if owners paid more attention to their vehicle sounds, they'd be quicker to … Read more

I have an entire collection of Walt Disney classic movies on VHS videotape that either I purchased or were given to me as gifts. All my children and grandchildren have enjoyed watching them over the years. But technology changes, and a VHS … Read more

It was a crisp, luminous winter's day when we ventured out of the city for a drive. Hawks were perched prominently in the treetops. Just outside a barn door stood a huddle of cattle absorbing the sun's warmth. It was a glorious morning, … Read more

A friend returned from a blood donor clinic sporting a red Band-Aid® with the words "I gave life". That made me think about blood and how important it is. Blood is life. By the fifth week of pregnancy — the first week that a mother … Read more

In the past year, several opportunities or "doors" have been opened to me. One was to lead a much larger church group than I'm used to. Even when asked to take a small group, I was sure that someone else could do a better job. Now, here … Read more

I enjoy toast for breakfast. Peanut butter and jam is my favourite morning fare on bread, and has been for years. It's good to know that peanut butter, in moderation, is good for you — protein, right? I love a sandwich for lunch, but in … Read more

My wife Ruth and I farmed on the shores of Kagawong Lake on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada. We had the privilege of raising sheep for a number of years. Since then, we have also had the privilege of doing short-term mission work in … Read more

During the time when I lived in the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, I saw many flocks of sheep in the desert area where we were building a 175-mile pipeline. On several occasions, I had to fly to our field office in the interior of the … Read more