I'm currently reading a series of biographical books: Great Generals. I've finished two books on General Patton and General Grant and am now reading a book about General Eisenhower. All three of them were called on to make major … Read more

A respected friend recently died after a heroic, three-year-long struggle following a disabling stroke. At the funeral, I overheard a man conclude, "We all have to die sometime. It is good to die well." I almost wanted to scream, "No, it … Read more

By contrast, this afternoon, I was sitting watching a gentle breeze blow the leaves on a tree one way, then, without explanation, blow them another way, and then, unexpectedly, stop blowing them. I certainly can't explain why wind … Read more

On Manitoulin Island, John and I had cattle and sheep on a farm for years. We were very aware of foxes searching for food. They are very cunning animals. They can smell a mouse beneath the snow and catch partridge that burrow under the … Read more

This is a familiar passage from a well-known story of 2000 years ago. Fast forward to today: You have just sent a tweet which features a picture of a majestic star: Fellow scientists and academics, we have been charting the course of … Read more

Many of Jesus' disciples had been professional fishermen before Jesus called them. As such, they knew the weather, boats, sea, and seasons. Not much fazed the tough, seasoned, veteran sailors until … One long day, Jesus finished … Read more

Last year, I had emergency surgery and nearly died. For a week after I was released from the hospital, had it not been for the kindness of my son-in-law's sister, I would not have had a place to go. My landlord had just sold his house when … Read more

When I read gospel stories like this one about Jesus and the centurion, who believed that Jesus could heal his servant by just saying the word, it makes me wonder if the days of "great faith" are well and truly over. A lot of folks that I … Read more

Often's the time when attending a celebration of life for the spouse or relative of a friend that the title of today's devotional has come to mind. It is also the title of a book about President John Fitzgerald Kennedy from the … Read more

One Sunday morning, our pastor introduced his sermon by referring to a ministry known as "Cat n Dog Theology". Having two cats at home, this idea naturally aroused my curiosity. Then, I heard the following quotation: A dog may look at … Read more

More than ten years ago, I went with a touring group to Israel. As we rode in the morning sunshine in an open-decked boat on Lake Galilee, we met a similar boat. In the picture I snapped, that boat appears to glide on clear, blue glass, so … Read more

I needed a black skirt for a concert, so I googled the word "skirt", hoping to find fashion ideas. To my surprise, I got fishing sites and discovered that a skirt is a kind of fishing lure. This is not … Read more

In a world with so many different spiritual writings, why should anyone pay special attention to the Bible as a revelation from God? For me, convincing evidence comes from the fact that Isaiah, living 700 years prior to Jesus' time … Read more

In early December 2011, we were victims of hurricane-force winds, clocked in excess of eighty miles per hour. These winds caused a power outage where I live, one which lasted several days. At the time of the power outage, we … Read more

Written by Katharina von Schlegel in 1752 and translated by Jane Borthwick in 1855, Be Still, My Soul is a sombre song containing encouragement for restless souls. Grief and pain can be borne when God is near. The future is … Read more

Just one aspect of my renewed relationship with Jesus my Lord was that here was a perfect model whom I could rely on, depend on, love, trust, and believe in totally. I could follow our Lord Christ, and be guided … Read more

Until recently, I have not given much thought to the serious problem of homelessness facing so many individuals and families. The threat of being homeless, however, has now has touched the life of a family who is dear to me. … Read more

In a hospital where I worked, there were many invisible people. They were people the institution could not have functioned without — but they were invisible, even to other employees. These were the cleaning people, the security guards, the kitchen … Read more

Recently, I felt that I had lost a sense of peace and balance in my life. Life was coming at me way too fast, one day blurring into the next, and I realized how long it had been since I'd … Read more

Dad and I spent many mornings watching dawn break over our backyard pond. Fishing poles in hand, we waited for the slightest nibble. Often, we'd catch a few bream — enough to keep my hopes up. As my tenth birthday … Read more

My aunt had a most beautiful, big Christmas cactus which filled her round dining room table. In early September, the rich, deep green cactus began budding and bursting into beautiful pink flowers, which bloomed right through Christmas and into the … Read more

When commencing the next part of our journey north up the inside passage of the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, the sea was literally like a millpond. I was very pleased with myself that I had prepared a meat … Read more

When I was a teenager, I worked in a clothing store where young people came to buy the latest fashions. I sold flared jeans, bomber jackets, heavy knit sweaters, and afghan coats. Our store manager, Joe, was constantly buying new … Read more

In the course of two months, I have had two separate illnesses, which had me pretty much bedridden with fevers. I realize that I had been ill before that and had been trying to let my own immune system handle … Read more

Camping in Alaska can be a great adventure. There is so much open land here that it is very easy to get away from everything. On a recent camping trip I took with my family, we wanted to go to … Read more

On one of the last cruises I was on in the Navy, we got caught in a hurricane. The ship I was on was not very big. Within the hurricane the waves had risen to 55 feet, so our little … Read more

Several of my oldest and dearest friends and I had met at some rented cabins for the weekend. We had arrived late at night and had risen early for a refreshing morning walk. On the owner's porch lay an old … Read more

Harsh words? I was like that teacher of the law. I wanted to go to places where Jesus taught — Church, books, Bible studies – I followed His work. Until He asked these harsh words: "Do you love me? I … Read more

Do you have any idea how powerless I feel in many pastoral situations? So often, all I can do is sit and listen and hold a hand and lend a shoulder to cry on. Yet often God invites me to … Read more

One of the greatest gifts given us by God, after the Gift of His Son, is the natural order of His creation. Our world is beautiful and awesome. The existence of "natural laws" (which are God's and we only imperfectly … Read more