One afternoon, around three years ago, I came to our church and saw a middle-aged man sitting on the pavement outside. As this was a church for students (and I was an undergraduate), his presence was odd. Also, the fact that he was just … Read more
Search Results for: "Luke 9:"
Being Fully Committed To The Lord
The year was 1965. I was trying to decide what I should do with my life, and I wanted to be sure that I was making the right decision. I finally decided to fulfill the call to fulltime ministry that came to me when I gave my heart to … Read more
The Transfiguration
Many churches celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6, based on the story in today's verses. We know what "mountaintop" experiences are, but this is not about anything that we do, rather that we become aware of what God is … Read more
Learning To Walk Properly
After having knee replacement surgery in January, 2020, I began the physiotherapy appointments, and quickly realized that I needed to re-learn how to walk. Over the years, my disintegrating knee joint and the resulting pain had caused me … Read more
Meet Our Dinner Guests
Today, I'd like you to meet Chippy and Red, our regular dinner guests this summer. Chippy is a chipmunk; Red is a red squirrel. They live in our backyard and join our evening meals on the deck. It didn't start smoothly, however. Red kept … Read more
In Our Mind's Eye
I had been thinking about going to Egypt, off and on, for well over 50 years. It was one of the places that I wanted to learn about and see. During the 15 years when we worked and lived in Europe, we never went there, because at that time … Read more
Help Wanted
According to statistics, in Canada, depending on location, between five and a half to six percent of the people who are able to work cannot find meaningful employment. Yet, employers don't seem to be able to find workers. Every once in a … Read more
A Sabbath Moment
In a busy world, Sabbath is something that we need to seek intentionally. People need to pursue Sabbath moments in life. People in the church and in society alike need concrete examples of how to create Sabbath — in their car, through … Read more
My Trip Back To The Potter's House
Shortly after I came to know the Lord as my personal Saviour, I was going through an extremely difficult period in my life. The pot that was my life had been formed and fired, but it had imperfections that had to be corrected. It was then … Read more
Healing The Hurting
God brought the saying to my mind; I never imagined anything would come of it. Every second week, I change the saying on the sign in front of the church that I pastor. Since I tire of trying to find unique sayings — and since we didn't … Read more
The Heavens Declare The Glory Of God
It was a very snowy winter. Snow after snow fell, day after day. We lived in a very white world. As spring thaw began, a team of horses pulling a sled suddenly went down so deep beside the winter-packed tracks that they threw snow over … Read more
God's Selfie-Free Zone
Can you imagine anyone risking their life for the sake of a selfie (a self-portrait using one's cell phone)? It happens, and that's why "Selfie-Free Zone" signs are posted in various areas of the world. Some spots are especially appealing … Read more
Procrastination
The summer is a great time to do things around the house or yard, but each time, it takes me a mountain of coaxing and unrelenting reasoning simply to commit to paint the deck, mow the lawn, or clean out and vacuum the car. Does the word … Read more
Who Are You Fooling?
Our prayer group prays regularly for people diagnosed as bi-polar. It is important that they take their medication regularly for the rest of their lives. When they do, they function well. They ask for prayer for relationships. They can … Read more
What Are So Few Bibles?
Yesterday, God answered a question that I had asked in a moment of discouragement over 42 years ago — and I was blessed beyond words! A friend and I had taken Bibles with us into Russia, even though it involved considerable danger, … Read more
Just Like Jesus
There are some days when I desperately need Jesus to walk beside me, to show me the kingdom of God, and to heal my hurts and disappointments, my anxieties and fears, as well as my sickness and sadness. In my heart, I know that only He can … Read more
Topsy-Turvy Teacher
One of the earliest images of Jesus that most of us have is usually of Him playing with and surrounded by children. Most church nurseries have pictures hanging on their walls with similar drawings. The best picture that I have ever seen … Read more
Listening To Jesus
Sometimes, instead of listening to Jesus, I listen to my own thoughts and ideas. I end up making foolish choices and stupid mistakes which Christ could have helped me to avoid. I thought that the older I got, the wiser I would become. … Read more
Archie The Engineer
Archie was a great preacher, and many of the young people in Glasgow, Scotland, whom I knew in the late 1970s, were drawn to Jesus through his straightforward, no-nonsense style of preaching. He was a heating engineer by trade and … Read more
Giving Thanks
Every fall, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives. But do people actually do this, or is it just another day off? For a number of reasons, through time … Read more
A Legacy Of Faith (Part 1)
Each year on the 24th of April, a remembrance day is held around the world to commemorate the genocide of over one million Armenians in 1915 because of their refusal to deny Jesus Christ and worship Allah. An Armenian who … Read more
I'm First!
Don't you just hate them? I mean, really? Who do they think they are anyway? We have all been there when someone pushes themselves to the front of what is happening and declares to everyone else, "I can do it … Read more
A Cause For Rejoicing
Our rural village is located about halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Within the last few years, our minister was diagnosed as diabetic, and was also operated on twice to insert a stent into his heart. One Friday afternoon, … Read more
Ahh! Spring
I can sense that spring is in the air in the part of Canada where I live. The signs to me are melting snowbanks and the sun with bone-warming heat in it. Birds are beginning to return, and small patches … Read more
Feeding A Thousand Sheep
One memory of my teenage years is the spring my dad shipped in a thousand sheep by rail from Texas. With our hired help on horseback, we herded them off the train, down the main street of our small town, … Read more
Plow Straight Rows
I live in permanent gratitude for a message I heard as a little girl in church years ago. By Bible verses and large vivid drawings, it was illustrated what happens when farmers plowing a field keep their eyes to the front: straight, even … Read more
Only One Person
Recently, during our morning walk and talk, a friend told me that her little four-year-old grandson, who used to love being in church before going on to Sunday School, had been different the past two Sundays. In their church, prior … Read more
Where Are You?
I went into town the other day and was attracted by the sound of a woman's voice reverberating off the surrounding buildings. As I came closer to the point of origin, I found a very smart woman speaking on her … Read more