Some years ago, my husband received a phone call from a social worker in a neighbouring province: "Could you take your mother in?" I had recently returned to our home in rural Alberta, Canada, after visiting my mother-in-law in hospital … Read more

These days, I find that I am stressed — I'm juggling a bunch of deadlines. While I was praying recently, I began thinking about the distractions and pressures that tend to pull me away from following Jesus. Stress, anxiety, and worry are … Read more

I still remember my great-aunt from the hills of Kentucky, USA. Aunt Anise had an old, covered water well in her backyard, which was absolutely amazing for a city boy like me. She also wrung chickens by the neck, plucked their feathers, … Read more

Recently, we had a high-pressure weather system over the United Kingdom. It is a good time to set our barometers when there is a reliable, consistent pressure over the mainland. I understand that mercury barometers are highly … Read more

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

Ever since I was a small boy with a telescope, I have loved the mystery of astronomical science and the universe. Scientists now understand that gravity can bend light, space, and time, which was only discovered and verified in the early … Read more

In the spiritual life, there is an important action called "The Sacred Pause," part of two-way prayer. Before proceeding, we stop and ask God whether the way that we are heading is the way that He intends us to go. Then we pause ("The … Read more

The famous preacher, Charles Price, wrote: We talk a lot about leadership, and rightly so, but our role is never to lead. It is to serve, and God is the one who makes leaders out of servants. If we want to know who our future leaders … Read more

The church that I attend, like many others today, is searching for a new pastor. Our pastor retired two years ago, after serving us for three decades. He still attends, along with his children and grandchildren. We knew that it would be … Read more

We know that Jesus, though God, had to be born human so that He could give His perfect life as the payment for our sins, but I really wonder why Jesus had to die such a horrific death. There were many ways that people died in those days. … Read more

PART THREE – January 25, 2018 Previously, I wrote that for financial reasons, First Presbyterian Church in Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, was closing and moving into an empty space downtown. We chose to make a daring and drastic change … Read more

During this past Easter season, there were a number of movies on television which those who make up the schedules felt were appropriate for the season — movies such as The Robe, The King of kings and Easter Parade — just to mention … Read more

We have a subscription to a Dutch-language newspaper which is published here in Canada and consists mostly of news and articles about and from the Netherlands. In the December 2016 issue, there was an article about a political party in … Read more

On several recent trips to the grocery store, I noticed how various shoppers have perfected the art of selecting fresh fruits and vegetables. For example: – A thump for a sweet watermelon – A squeeze for a firm, ripe tomato – A sniff for … Read more

This rebuke of Peter, whom Jesus had previously called a "rock", is one of His sayings that has stood out for me. One recent early morning, it came in very handy. My wife became ill several months ago, and I brought her to the hospital. … Read more

A fellow Sunday School teacher says that she gets more out of Sunday School than the children do. This devotional is about one of those experiences. Recently, while teaching Sunday School, I watched a second-grade student working on her … Read more

In the aftermath of the blizzard, weak rays of sunshine peeked through breaks in gunmetal skies. The grumble of snowplows scraping along roadways in a valiant attempt to free ribbons of asphalt from mounds of blizzard-laid snow blended … Read more

I was on my way to church one Sunday, when I couldn't help but notice the man walking on the side of the highway. Not only was it raining, but he was walking uphill, dragging a huge cross on his shoulder. As I passed this stranger, I was … Read more

Shortly after we moved to Meaford, Ontario, Canada, in 1948, I was just a young lad. I saw that there was a jewellery store called Huss Jewellery. For some reason, I went in to see the man about, I believe, the repair of a watch which … Read more

We just bought two baby goats, but before we did so, we inspected the corral very carefully for any loops or holes which a curious little escape artist like a baby goat could take advantage of, as goats are famous for finding a way — any … Read more

During the past few weeks, I have been reading some historical novels about the time of the Roman occupation of a considerable number of countries in the Middle East and Europe. One book in particular dealt with the capture of Christians … Read more

As winter approaches its final death throes, I find myself yearning to "fly the coop", like a hen escaping from a chicken coop. I am tired of being cooped up inside the house or inside myriad layers of bulky clothing. Although I do get … Read more

Last year, during the Lenten season, our pastor played a song in church called Watch the Lamb by Ray Boltz. This song is a beautiful depiction of the scene portrayed in today's Scripture. Not much is known about Simon of Cyrene except … Read more

It has been said that the Church is one generation away from extinction. That would suggest that the Church is an endangered species. Considering all the influences trying to snuff out faith, we could easily see it that way. We realize … Read more

I have a daily agenda — in about four different places. Occasionally I still forget things, or the entire schemata falls apart. Planning is in my genes. My father did it, my mom does it, and I've followed suit. My … Read more

I have a cupboard in my home office, and it is full of tools. In fact, the spare room is crammed full of toolboxes, and there are tools around the furniture. In mitigation, let me say that I do not … Read more

In 155 A. D., Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (Izmir, in modern Turkey), entered the arena. Before an angry, bloodthirsty crowd, the proconsul tried to persuade him to renounce his faith in Christ at the age of 86: But when the … Read more

Time seems to be the one commodity we do not have enough of — especially when it means putting aside some of it for Almighty God, our heavenly Father. We toil and struggle daily, busy with everything to improve our … Read more

Throughout the Lenten season, some churches in my area present live dramatizations of Scripture, portraying the passion of Christ during Holy Week. Personally, I find these re-enactments of great inspiration in preparation for the celebration our Lord's resurrection. A modern-day … Read more

I am always up for something new, going back to school at the age of… well, let's not go there; let's just say that things have changed a lot. I am in the classroom for most classes, but I also … Read more

In the hospital where I worked, name tags were very important. They told visitors that we were employees. They told other employers what department we worked in and what our specific job was in that area. While we were at … Read more

I enjoy baking. I bake a lot: I bake for special occasions; I bake for my children, grandchildren, and friends. It was a day like any other day when I got a call from my daughter. She asked me if … Read more

Every so often, I'm an observer of a contest to see who in the room has the most keys. Often the winner comes in at 25 or more keys. I say that I'm an observer, because, for years, I've had only three keys on my ring: for the church, the … Read more