I began training my retriever cross, Sophie, to be a helper from the time she was a pup. We often hiked the trails together in our mountain home and I felt that it was important that she could help me if I were to trip and fall or have an … Read more
Search Results for: "Psalm 46:"
Fear Collides With Faith
One summer, my fear of heights collided with my faith. I was helping with a group of children and youth at our church on a trip to a water park. There was a gigantic water slide with many bumps and curves, and the top was several flights … Read more
Seeking Balance
What fun we have with some of the novices who come to visit our region in the summer. We have a plethora of possibilities when it comes to watercraft — from kayak to canoe, from tender to sailboat. One thing the tourists all have in … Read more
The Transfiguration
Many churches celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6, based on the story in today's verses. We know what "mountaintop" experiences are, but this is not about anything that we do, rather that we become aware of what God is … Read more
Life's Unexpected Journeys
Dear friends, join me on a faith journey that will challenge my family to our core and bring us face to face with the reality of how fragile life is. We will encounter a crisis that tests our faith and gives us two choices: rely solely on … Read more
With God's Guidance
One night, I had a dream. I was at a resort in the Caribbean with a friend, and there were some people asking about their luggage, which had not arrived. The clerk at the desk said that they would find it, and one of the people responded, … Read more
The Main Support
When my brother built our greenhouse, he was wise enough to put in a main support that ran along the ceiling from front to back. The winter a year ago, with record snowfalls, we really needed it, for even though we kept the snow and ice … Read more
The Helper
Our youngest son, Nick, invited his parents on an annual family hike. His family likes to hike to waterfalls, and they have found new waterfalls to explore for the past several years. The hike has to be in the easy-to-moderate category to … Read more
The Red Chair
My Video Clip From God
It was nothing much really, yet it left an indelible imprint on my mind. I had been resting quietly in my easy chair by the window, submitted to my heavenly calling to "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10a NIV). Suddenly, a … Read more
A Lesson From The Owl
My husband had been having a hard time at the school where we worked together. He was letting the overwhelming needs of the students, both academic and emotional, get to him. Our school was small, and students of all ages were rewarded … Read more
The New Normal
Throughout the ages, there have been changes in people's lives. Most of these changes occur naturally as time goes by, while others have a sudden impact on our lives, as individuals as well as communities. The phrase "the new normal" has … Read more
Songs Of Praise
Praise God for the gift of music! Singing songs of praise can lift our spirits and fill us with His joy. I love to sing and give glory to God through praise songs and hymns. I play my favourite CDs when we are in the car. Lately, I have … Read more
A Perfect Time To Pray
If ever there were a time when we need to approach the throne of grace, it's now! The whole world has been turned upside down. We need God. We need His peace. We need His strength. There is no one else to turn to. Prayer is a gift from … Read more
The Fear Of What Might Be
A member of our church called me one day in September to ask if I could help her. She was born in the Netherlands and followed her Canadian soldier fiancé to Canada shortly after the war. They married and had five children. Her husband … Read more
My Soul Will Be Still, For The Lord Is In Control
One of my favourite experiences in church is praise and worship at the beginning of each service. Our church worship team plays contemporary songs with concert flair, complete with visual effects and loud beats, which enhances my worship … Read more
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Last summer, a good friend died after a very long illness. We had attended the same elementary school. I had forgotten about her until I met up with her some thirty years ago. We became good friends, and we visited back and forth a lot. … Read more
A Sabbath Moment
In a busy world, Sabbath is something that we need to seek intentionally. People need to pursue Sabbath moments in life. People in the church and in society alike need concrete examples of how to create Sabbath — in their car, through … Read more
Cloistered
I had just read the book, The Nun Story. As a teenager, I was so enamoured with the concept of being hidden away from the chaos of adolescence, a boyfriend, and trying to figure out my place in life, that I announced to my parents that … Read more
Can You Hear Me Now?
Being still is not easy; in fact, it is more difficult now than ever before. We have become technology gluttons, bombarded with a cacophony of smart phones, computers, tablets, iPads, radio, and television. From sun-up to sun-down, the … Read more
Information Overload
Excessive information has become a plague. That occurred to me one day after receiving a ticket for unintentionally violating a "No Parking 2 to 6 A.M." bylaw. If there was a sign somewhere, I missed it amidst the plethora of signs on the … Read more
The Sound Of Silence
Growing up in the 1960s, I learned to love "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel. And the sign said: "The words of the prophets Are written on the subway walls And tenement halls And whispered in the sound of silence." It was … Read more
A Roller Coaster Ride
Stop the roller coaster! I want to get off. Since I don't like heights, I've never liked roller coasters. However, one summer at Canada's Wonderland, when our daughter was about six years old, I decided to go on one of the tamer roller … Read more
Sometimes God Shouts To Make Us Hear!
Lately, I have been spending more time than previously reading the Bible, doing devotionals, and going to Bible study classes. I've also been devoting more time to church activities, but I've felt that something is missing. In the past … Read more
Encounters With God
It's that time of year again: time to go through drawers and closets, sorting out, downsizing, and organizing. It's something that I like to do about this time each year, before the good weather comes when I would rather be outside … Read more
Sadness And Joy
On the morning of the 27th of January, I woke up early, and I was teary-eyed. I had been dreaming about the birth of our first child, stillborn on January 29th, 1957. I think about her quite often, and certainly around that time of the … Read more
Know Who Is God!
Have you ever been assigned a responsibility, and then others took over? They wanted to run the show, and you were pushed aside. You felt sad and frustrated because you could not do what you were assigned to do. You could not be who you … Read more
In His Rest
In all the busyness of today, we can lose sight of what is important. For myself, I know that sometimes, it is the end of the day before I realize that I was so busy with things, I did not spend as much time with Jesus as I should have. … Read more
The Family Tree
A number of years ago, a distant cousin put together our family tree on my father's side. It revealed that my heritage is Welsh and English, although I am convinced that there is also a Russian branch missing from the tree as I am always … Read more