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: "Matthew 7:"
The Right Path
One wintry day, my husband and I were walking at the golf course, which has a trail that, along much of its way, parallels the river to our left. We hoped to see some overwintering river birds. At first, however, the river wasn't visible. … Read more
A Firm Foundation
On the Caribbean island of Antigua, a fellow-teacher and I followed a tour guide as she described the interior of a historic building. We were at Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour, a cultural heritage site on the island. All of a … Read more
Gifts From God
Today, I washed my windows and found myself happy and sad: happy when I found tiny little fingerprints on the window, but sad because I miss the one who put them there. A few weeks ago, my daughter, Missy, her husband, John, and my sweet … Read more
He Is the Real Deal
Being American, I am aware that for the most part, mine is a coffee-drinking country. In a 2021 report from urbanbeancoffee.com, statistics of coffee consumption in the United … Read more
The Quandary
My granddaughters love to play hide-and-go-seek. They will spend hours at it, if I am willing to play with them. When it is my turn to seek them out, I discover their hiding spots quickly. When it is my turn to hide, however, it often … Read more
Known By Our Fruit
He stood by the shopping cart and waited. My middle schoolers are known for some interesting prayer requests. If I ran the statistics, most would relate to sports — safe travels, good sportsmanship, the ability to remember moves, no … Read more
Being Kind To Strangers
Easter Sunday, March 30, 1997, is a day that I have never forgotten. I was looking for a new church home. A friend recommended a church to me, and I was not disappointed after attending my first service. The interim pastor on that Easter … Read more
Footprints In The Snow
It was a cold January morning — and one of those rare ones in the Pacific Northwest of the USA when we waken to a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground. It was also garbage pickup morning, which meant that I had to have the garbage … Read more
Seek And You Will Find
Recently, at our Thursday evening prayer meeting, we were praying for the people of our community and the surrounding area. Pastor Mark has been introducing himself to many of them, but he wonders whether they see their need for a … Read more
Narrow Road Or Wide Road?
My sister-in-law, Sharon, and I enjoy getting together for a weekly visit over coffee. Sharon has also written several PresbyCan devotionals, and one day over coffee we were discussing one of her recent devotionals entitled *`Watch Where … Read more
Jumping To Conclusions
Recently, I entered the elevator and met a fellow resident who had been absent from meals for several days. Assuming that she had been away visiting her family, I asked if she had had a good break. Valerie responded, "If you consider … Read more
The Plank Road
I was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Approximately fifteen miles south-east of Sarnia is a smaller town called Petrolia. In 1858, a road was constructed connecting these two locations. The land was flat and the road was straight, so it … Read more
The Trailer
My son-in-law made a trip to Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, to pick up supplies for their business. While he was there, he also picked up a small tent trailer that I had purchased online a year previously and had left with friends until … Read more
On Finding The Word Of God
With a fifth child on the way and in need of more space, we bravely knocked on the door of a big, old house. My husband and I had just heard that the owners were thinking of selling. That day, we began our very own "It's a Wonderful Life" … Read more
I Need This Thing …
"I need this thing …". So begins the customer's request upon arrival at the hardware store. My husband, the employee, must next discern what is needed. "They don't always know what it's called," he said to me. "They don't know what's … Read more
Seeking Truth
On several occasions this month, I have had an automated telephone call saying, "Thank you for making your purchase of a mobile phone with …". It goes on to say that if the item is not my purchase, all I have to do is to press "1" on … Read more
Judging Others
During the summer when I walk to our city park, I take bags and a grabber to pick up trash along the side of the road. As I pick up plastic drink bottles, straws, miniature liquor bottles, and assorted other trash, I mutter about "those … Read more
For The Gate Is Wide
Here in Cheltenham, on the edge of town, we have a world-renowned racecourse that holds events. It is a massive area that occasionally becomes a village in its own right. Just before the COVID-19 shutdown in early March, we had one such … Read more
Storms And Floods
Each spring, the melting snow and ice upstream cause the Ottawa River to rise to a roaring torrent, crashing over the Chaudiere Falls near Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada, barrelling on its way to meet the St. Lawrence River, and eventually, … Read more
Pray, For The Devil Prowls Like A Roaring Lion
From my kitchen window, I enjoy the heavy, low-flying, distinctively coloured, quiet, slow-mannered pair of wood ducks that like to rest on their webbed feet awhile on the horizontal branches of my big, old maple trees almost every morning … Read more
The Surprise Party
This summer, I received an unexpected and surprising email. It was from the husband of one of the writers of the PresbyCan Daily devotionals. In Walmart, he had met my cousins, with whom he had been friends for many years, and he had … Read more
Do To Others
When I was a kid, my friends didn't want to play what I wanted to play, so my response was often less than Christian. I'd go whining home to Mom, who dried my tears and fed me cookies or brownies, washed down with a glass of cold milk. … Read more
A Strong Foundation
As the anniversary of 9/11 arrives once again, I recall visiting New York City on Remembrance Day just two months after the tragedy. On other trips, our senses were assaulted by flashing neon lights and the ear-splitting noise of honking … Read more
A Small Gate
My parents' home in Scotland had its own front garden. My dad planted a hedgerow to divide it from our neighbours and placed a green picket fence all around it. To get to the front door of our house, visitors had to walk through the small … Read more