In a recent email, I was listing for a family member a number of current, mundane things related to home maintenance repairs and various family health issues, including waiting for lab reports and appointments. I ended the list with "It's … Read more

My adventuresome 16-year-old brother was an avid fisherman, who, in times of flooding, hunted ducks, of which he had two in the back of Dad's 1967 Ford Bronco. He and his friend were exploring the creek that had flooded into a marshy … Read more

There was a time, before I trusted in Jesus' knowing better than myself, when everything worldly seemed up for grabs. It was a time of exploring our coming-of-age freedoms. For me, this included a girlfriend. Latterly, I realized that … Read more

Christians say that we trust in the Lord, but what does that really mean in practice? Recently, my neighbours, who took in an evacuee from a wildfire, were able to see the trust component of faith at work. Elise, 90 years old, had made … Read more

In the early days of the horseless carriage, a plank road was built through the deserts of Imperial County, California, USA. Thousands of planks were laid horizontally in an attempt to access that most difficult part of a commerce route … Read more

A few months ago, I saw on Facebook a picture of a little boy and girl leaning on a partial wall looking into the distance. The caption was from a mother or a grandmother, and it read, "If only I could change your world, I would." Yes, … Read more

After attending a gathering in a remote area on the other side of the city from where I live, it was time for me to drive home. I was alone, and it was late at night. I was in an unfamiliar area. Following a sign that directed me toward … Read more

God calls us to a life of trust. A man who has greatly inspired me in that direction is George Müller, who lived in the 1800s. His classic autobiography is entitled, A Life of Trust. I still regret that when I was visiting Bristol, … Read more

Early in our lives, we may have heard words like "Mother knows best" or "Father knows best". As we grow up, it is normal that, more and more, we start to feel that we know best. During this time of living with a pandemic, it has … Read more

There was a day when I needed to have my hair cut in a strange land far from home. So, I located a nearby hair salon down the street from where I was staying. When I got there, I met four persons: three mature men, whom I assumed were … Read more

There was a time when I wanted to do a business transaction with a stranger, and this particular deal involved a large amount of money. So, I quickly consulted one of my mentors about my plan, and he said, "Let's ask the Lord about it … Read more

My dad has dementia. He started to wander and get violent in mid-November 2019. There were two trips to the emergency room in three days, admission to the hospital for twelve days, and then admission into a nursing home. During this … Read more

Crossing a high, fifty-foot-long, rickety swinging bridge during the pouring rain took prayer and balance. Dad's mill crew was on a mission of mercy to sick neighbours who lived, and were stranded, across the creek. They waited until the … Read more

This was my Scripture on the day when we flew to England this spring. It was very encouraging! Our plan was to visit several places, but not to rely on family — separated by considerable distances — to drive us. The plan included … Read more

It was time to trade in our car for a newer model. We asked God to lead us to the right vehicle. An online search finally produced a 2014 sport utility vehicle (SUV) that looked promising. The dealer said that it was at a lot in a nearby … Read more

My feet are the key to my ability to walk, to go where I want to go, even to hold me upright. They work hard — arguably harder than most other parts of my body. On a good day, I barely even notice them. When all is going well, I don't … Read more

I'm making a folding display frame that will stand up on a table and hold the name tags for recurring clergy meetings. When not in use, it closes up with a clasp, but it needs a carrying handle. So, I went to a thrift shop and bought one … Read more

Last year, I suffered from a concussion. As a young mom with a busy life, I did not give my brain the time that it needed to heal. In turn, this caused the concussion symptoms to drag on much longer than needed. I wasn't able to care for … Read more

I awoke on Saturday night close to 12:00 a.m. with sharp pain in a tooth. After forcing aspirin chips into a tiny cavity that I had previously not known existed, I slept until 6:00 a.m. when pain awoke me. More aspirin chips got me active … Read more

I think that I have been doing things backwards! I often seem to struggle with understanding — or more precisely not understanding — why people do what they do, why life seems such a challenge at times, and why I can't seem to figure … Read more

Perhaps you have heard the story of the person hanging from a cliff waiting to be rescued. He has a vision of God's hand reaching down from heaven and lifting him to safety. So, when a helicopter appears, he sends it away. After he falls … Read more

Here in British Columbia, Canada, the forest fires of this past summer were the worst in the history of the province. Over 1.2 million hectares of forest and pastureland, and many homes and businesses, were consumed. Livestock and … Read more

My grandmother wrote this verse on the cover page of the first Bible that she gave to my father. My father did the same in the first Bible that he gave to me, and I did also in the first Bible that I gave to my son. We even have it … Read more

The week had been slow, but I'd been in full-time ministry long enough to know that things can change in a second — and they did. Besides my normal schedule, all I had planned for the next day was to pray with our church mission team at … Read more

Though I could see the tower from my front porch, its being near did me little good. My wife and I were living in a small town in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Like many others, we had decided to forego a landline and use our cellphones … Read more

"Judge carefully" … "Do not judge" … "Judge for yourself" … "Stop judging" – the Bible Well, is it okay to judge or not? The above texts aren't helpful, are they? It's no wonder: They're extracted from their contexts! Furthermore, … Read more

"You must take the blue pill in the morning. The pink pill is for bedtime. But remember that the red pill is the one that you take at noon." This is the type of conversation that I hear on a regular basis as I visit shut-ins in their … Read more

A few nights ago, a young neighbour boy came over to play. He was hanging out in the sitting room, colouring quietly. After some time, he began playing with a decorative pillow, tossing it up in the air and back down again. But soon, he … Read more

Are you packing and getting ready to leave home, or facing a big change in your life with a lot of uncertainty? I know something of what you are going through, because I am, too. I was supposed to be moving, but now I am told that this is … Read more

I live in the country, on the outskirts of a village of about 1,300 people. Our house is on a main road leading into the village, and although there are street lights in the village, they end just before our house. When I take the dogs … Read more

With the coming of winter in the north, the cold, dry air quickly takes its toll on a person's skin. One must learn to be prepared and diligent to prevent problems. So each winter, I begin to use moisturizer, especially on my hands and … Read more

My mother, with whom my husband and I have been living, is in a retirement facility. At some point in time, a decision will have to be made regarding the house that we live in. I remember the time when my mother asked us to move in with … Read more

There is really only one answer: I do palliative care at our local nursing home. I sit with dying patients, both those who are peaceful and those who are frightened. I offer to pray with each of them. If they answer "yes", I pray aloud … Read more