Lord, maybe what I need this Christmas is a new pair of spiritual eyeglasses, ones that would let me see the hope and trust those ill people had in You, so even if they have died, as we on earth call it, we know they are alive forever in … Read more

When my wife yelled, "Come here!" I knew something was wrong. I was napping in my recliner on a Sunday afternoon when she called for help. Since I was only twenty feet from her, I asked, "Can't you just tell me what you want?" But … Read more

One type of things that make personal computers easy to use are the little pictures on the screen called icons. Icons are interesting things — they take up almost no memory, and they exist for only one purpose: to point to the main … Read more

This is a story of two men. The first was my father. His name was Grant. Grant was born and raised on a small farm in Ontario, Canada. In 1939, while he peered into a mirror and carefully scraped shaving soap and a few sparse whiskers … Read more

He was a young, talented rugby player, and he was hospitalized after a very bad accident. She was a petite young nurse who nursed him back to health. Soon afterwards, they fell in love, got married, shared a beautiful life together, and … Read more

I suppose that we have all had dreams concerning what we wanted to do when we grew up. Years ago, I was in a meeting when amidst our time of discussion, one person asked the group, "What did you want to be when you grew up?" As we each … Read more

During the occupation of the Netherlands from 1940 to 1945, about 25,000 people were imprisoned for interrogation and prosecution in a jail near The Hague. Most were members of the resistance, and others were Jews and Jehovah's Witnesses. … Read more

Long ago, my husband, our two small boys, and I drove to another state where my husband had taken a new job. After arriving at the new town, during the first morning after a night in a motel, we ate breakfast at a nearby café. We needed … Read more

A few weeks ago, Judy, who has wintered in my recreational vehicle (RV) park for many years, came up to me after a meeting with a letter in her hand. It was a Christmas letter that she had received, and below the typed text was a … Read more

I write in my Bible — in the tiny margins, in between lines and columns — sometimes so densely that it obscures the text. I take notes on sermons, comment on verses, underline favourite verses, and record historical notes. I draw arrows … Read more

Being a writer, I have learned that it is vital to have a pen and a pad of paper or some sort of audio recording device readily available to save thoughts and ideas that come to mind. This is especially true at night. Very often in the … Read more

You've probably said one or more of these sayings in your lifetime: – He's as old as Methuselah. – You're the apple of my eye. – I just escaped by the skin of my teeth. – It's time to put your house in order. – It's like the blind leading … 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

Recently, I have had the chutzpah to update my desktop computer. The undertaking has also involved the updating of my own technological skills due to the advent of new gizmos and widgets. It has been at least seven years since I built the … Read more

"Come with us! This is a fantastic deal!" Several years ago, our friends were trying to persuade my husband and me to join them on a week-long cruise up the west coast of Canada to Alaska, USA. In the middle of May, the cruise line was … Read more

Years ago, I was given an oil painting that depicts a lighthouse. It is something that I treasure, and I hung it in a conspicuous place next to the back door, as it reminds me that the Scriptures are like a lighthouse to guide our lives … Read more

I watched as if it were rolling in slow motion — or it could have been me moving in slow motion. I stretched my hand forward as it rolled to the floor — shattering. My heart skipped a beat. My favourite coffee mug lay in pieces on the … Read more

One of the most beloved children's hymns is This little light of mine, often attributed to Harry Dixon Loes. I can close my eyes and travel back to a time when I held out a makeshift lantern and sang those heartfelt lyrics to our church … Read more

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives the meaning of the common expression, "go the extra mile" as "do more than one is required to do." This phrase is based on the teachings of Jesus in today's text. Our world is so much better when we … Read more

My grandfather had many admirable traits and a few that made life a bit difficult for his rambunctious grandkids. Grampy was a perfectionist. He was a boat builder who would tear out complete decking if things did not line up perfectly. … Read more

My granddaughter was busy playing with a Play-Doh™ ice cream sundae machine, which she had received as a gift. I could tell that she was getting frustrated with one aspect of the toy, so I went over to see if she needed help. She said … Read more

It was time to replace my old, clunky, hard-to-open storm door. After the somewhat painful process of researching, selecting, and ordering a new door, installation day finally arrived! The installer was scheduled to arrive in the early … Read more

It happened two days in a row: three different messages from God. Do you, like me, sometimes wonder how God lets us know what He wants for us? I'm a practical person, not given to flights of fancy or emotion. I'm more likely to read for … Read more

It is now 2022 — a new year. Frequently, people make New Year's resolutions — although more are probably broken than kept! Resolutions require a decision to do — or not to do — something, and then action to make that resolution … Read more

From the time that I was a young boy, I have always enjoyed putting the decorations on a Christmas tree. Usually varied in shape and size, they always included glass balls. These glass balls that allow the lights to shine through them, in … Read more

Are you ever amazed or surprised at what light reveals to your human eye? There is a small glass prism that sits on my kitchen windowsill. Sometimes, when the afternoon sunlight hits the prism just right, the bending of the light … Read more

When I celebrate communion at the church, one of the main areas on which I focus comes when the celebrant says: "O Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us." It is one of the most meaningful points in the … Read more

What a stunning reversal in normal summer weather patterns took place in late June, 2021! Rather than shivering and trying to keep dry on a typical camping trip, everyone in the USA Pacific Northwest was desperately trying to cope with the … Read more

Having a momentary lapse of thought, I poured oil into the pot where I was boiling an artichoke because I had mistaken it for the nearby pot of pasta. I shuddered at my mistake while it finished cooking. When I poured off the water, I … Read more

A news service interviewed me after I returned from Africa, asking about life in ministry, to which I answered, "I've never been bored. I've found that when I say 'Yes' to things, doors open. The more I say 'Yes', the more doors open. … Read more

During His time on earth, the use and facts of Scripture were the basis of Jesus' ministry. Whatever He did or said lined up with the Word of God. It did not matter what situation He found Himself to be in, where it was, before thousands … Read more

Beginning in the 1500s, lamps were placed on city sidewalks and intersections so that evening shoppers and workers could safely see where they were going. People were accustomed to seeing the lamplighter near dusk, walking from lamppost to … Read more

It's been over three decades of Christmases for me in Nigeria, and by God's grace, I have had memorable experiences in all of those years, especially those of my childhood. Christmas season in Nigeria can at times be crazy and full of … Read more