During my granddaughter Roneish's visit to Canada from the United Kingdom, she went on a solo exploration — a sightseeing tour of Toronto, Ontario. She took herself up the CN Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in the western … Read more

My dad became what we affectionately called "the coffee guru" of our family. Daddy loved his coffee. In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he wanted to find out what made coffee so good. He took the time to study and research online, … Read more

In our marriage, God has always been there for us as we both have had to partner with Him in undertaking the hard yards to achieve our goals. Sometimes, it becomes challenging to thank God for the work that we are doing, when we are … Read more

Recently, I heard a broadcast in which a man told how, when he was just 18 and a new believer, he heard today's verse. He was already working with the youth in his church, and at that moment, he was stapling handouts for the next event. … Read more

Denver, my ninety-five-pound dog, has a habit. He routinely stands beside the dog food bin licking its outside. Day in and day out, the same old, same old: lick, lick, lick. By his behaviour, you would think that I starved him, even though … Read more

Some years ago, one of the churches in our area was without a minister for a couple of years. I was one of the people who went there on a regular basis to lead worship services. When the new pastor was about to take up residence in that … Read more

I read a cute story on Facebook about a little boy who thought that he was old enough to visit his grandparents by himself. After much discussion, his parents agreed, and with his suitcase in hand, they took him to the train station. … Read more

It was a long month and more for me — and probably longer for those around me! A sudden fall on my 39th wedding anniversary changed my life. (Sorry Jeanne — it wasn't the day that we had planned!) I think that I adapted rather well to … Read more

The dogs were barking insanely, racing along the fence from one end to the other. Frank, my gelding, and the three goats stood in the corral looking frightened. My mind was on the grizzly that had been hanging around. As I left the … Read more

It is impossible to travel anywhere in Nova Scotia, Canada, without confronting a sign reading "Nova Scotia Strong". Nova Scotia has had to learn to be strong in the first months of 2020. With the rest of the country, we had to respond to … Read more

Each time I turn on the radio or connect to the Internet, I am inundated with news about COVID-19 and new developments. It seems that my social media feeds are peppered with conspiracy theories which verge on the scary, but which are … Read more

Seventy-five years ago, on May 5, 1945, the occupation of the Netherlands was finally over. A great number of people had suffered terribly. Jewish friends and neighbours were taken away to extermination camps, the large majority of them … Read more

This is my friend Esther's story: People say that there is no God, that there are many gods, or that our God is not all-powerful. I tell you that there is a perfect, Almighty God, and He is with us through all circumstances. On … Read more

Now that the starter plants have been transferred to the outside garden beds, I stop amidst my morning chores to pop over and examine them. I check to see if each plant looks healthy and has enough moist soil around it. If not, then I do … Read more

In today's broken world, there is an ongoing deficit of hope, and it would seem that the need for encouragement and a true sense of self-worth is one of the greatest threats facing the world. Typically, I would not have given much thought … Read more

At the time of writing, here in southern Ontario, Canada, we are experiencing a very hot and dry summer. The grass in our yard, as well as in the neighbourhood, is turning brown, and vegetable gardens are in dire need of water. In … Read more

Joshua needed a prod. He had been Moses' assistant, and now it was up to him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. But Joshua was hesitating. Doubting. Was he the right man to do this? Would the people follow him? Was he able to … Read more

When I was in high school, our teachers held a pep rally before every big American-style football game. Cheerleaders in short skirts and bulky sweaters led us in cheers designed to increase the courage of the team, especially if the … Read more

As I cruise the posts at Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon looking for a book to hit my fancy, I am often influenced by the choices of others. Their appreciation of a particular work makes me check out the book at the library or buy it … Read more

In Christian vernacular, we use the word giant as a substitute for a major problem in our lives. This idea or imagery developed from the biblical narrative of David and Goliath. More than three years ago, I had a setback after being … Read more

One thing that I have learned since having a horse is that I must be alert at all times when I am out riding in the cart pulled by my gelding, Frank. Why? Because horses are easily spooked. We can be out enjoying the stillness of a crisp … Read more

I once heard Ron Mehl use as a sermon illustration a story told by Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, about a single missionary who served the Lord in China for many years. In 1948, all missionaries were expelled from the country … Read more

I have had a dream to write since I was in grade 5. It all started when I was selected to go on a special trip to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the annual jamboree for bus patrols. As a bus patrol, I was responsible to ensure that younger … Read more

Every day can be an adventure with the Lord, a "God day", even if we don't see it at the time. God always seems to give me a personal analogy when I give the Sunday School lesson for the kids at church.

My lesson was from the book of … Read more

There have been times in my life when I've had responsibilities which I've thought were greater than I could handle placed on my shoulders. Then I've thought of Joshua, who inherited a tremendous responsibility when Moses died, and the task … Read more

We once had a Sheltie, named Tammy, whose timidity kept her from enjoying life outside the safety of our home. Our solution to this problem was to yoke her with a young puppy named Pepper, whose gregarious nature was infectious. … Read more

I decided to do something really great for my two budgies, Sunny and Cordelle. I built them a flight cage. God created birds to fly, and that's what I wanted mine to be able to do. Thus, I gathered up … Read more

We live in a world where fear seems to be the motivator! Terrorism, bomb threats, super bugs — the list goes on. We are bombarded with fears in the news, the Internet, and the newspapers. No wonder there are days … Read more

We recently went out west for our holiday, and our journey took us to the Rocky Mountains in western Canada. Our first hotel was nestled in the Rockies, and as I sat there and reflected on the vastness and majestic … Read more

I found myself at an impasse in my life. A door had opened to serve the Lord in an area in which I have skills. I was both very excited and somewhat fearful of the opportunity. Somehow the fear began … Read more

Timidly, I knocked at the door. I'd been away from the hospital setting for some time, and so it was with a certain amount of apprehension that I prepared my mind for the visit. A nurse quietly opened the door, … Read more

Recently, my daughter and I were having a mother/daughter chat. As we talked, we started remembering some of the more challenging episodes in our lives: her leaving home for the first year of university, and searching for her first job. … Read more

A young high school student came to me one day and said, "I don't know what to expect when I get to school. I am just entering high school and I'm scared." Further inquiry led me to ask him what … Read more