Last month, my husband Terry and I arrived at the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) Base at San Antonio del Mar, Mexico, on the Pacific coast just south of the American border. We had flown down to volunteer, doing whatever needed to be done … Read more
Devotional
The Writing On The Wall
(KJV) I have osteoporosis, and have gone from being 4'11½" tall to 4'7". Though I am small in stature, I know that I have a big God living in me! I have often been confined to my bed when the pain in my joints and back was severe. … Read more
The Special Brush
Having eight dogs requires a lot of regular upkeep to ensure that my little house is always neat, tidy, and clean. I therefore wipe down my floors and vacuum each day. It may sound like a lot, but in reality, it takes me only twenty to … Read more
Moving People On
When I read Martin Wiles' devotional on January 9, 2024, Unexpected Blessing, I was reminded of a time when God made a way for my family to move. In July, 2008, just prior to our daughter … Read more
Doing It As Unto The Lord
I live in a large metropolitan area with a mild climate and an abundance of generous social services. Consequently, one needn't look far to see panhandlers and homeless tents. Whatever one's viewpoint, great human need all around us is … Read more
Small Pieces
I find working on a jigsaw puzzle to be fascinating, addictive, and annoying, all at the same time. My mother loved doing them while she still had vision, spending hours figuring out the edges, then the main images. It's even harder when … Read more
Balance — Or …
There is balance to a life of faith. Our Reformed ancestors sought to re-establish such a balance centuries ago as they placed emphasis on "faith" and not so much on "works", so much so that Martin Luther called the book of James "an … Read more
Issuing Orders
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 Cup Of God's Comfort
The first line of the email read: "Have you ever felt the weight of the world pressing in, drowning out the gentle whispers of God's love?" It was an email from a Christian clothing company, so I figured that it was some kind of pitch for … Read more
Trust And Obey
These days, I find that I am stressed — I'm juggling a bunch of deadlines. While I was praying recently, I began thinking about the distractions and pressures that tend to pull me away from following Jesus. Stress, anxiety, and worry are … Read more
After Silence, What Next?
By nature, I am an introvert. In a crowd, I keep quiet, not because I am shy, but rather because I don't feel that I have anything to say and because I prefer to think rather than to speak. Still, there have been times when I decided to … Read more
John 3:16 Over February 14
There's something about February 14th that makes many hearts thrill and flutter. In the Philippines, Valentine's Day is a grand, festive day, and various businesses sell roses, stuffed toys, and chocolates — the famous items that are … Read more
The Gift Of Compassion
On Valentine's Day several years ago, when I was about to visit someone in The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, I decided to buy her some chocolate. Once in the store, I was moved to pick up about a dozen small chocolate bars for … Read more
What A Lost Passport Tells Us About Faith
It was time to renew my passport. New photos taken, check; references obtained and verified, check; and forms filled out, check. I determined that the quickest way to obtain a passport would be to visit the local Service Canada office. … Read more
Another Season
Another season was upon us. Moving. The word sends prickly shivers up my spine. I've done it so often. Either Dad was moving our family when I was young, or I was moving myself as I followed in his footsteps as a minister. Some moves, I … Read more
The Lord Sustained Me
When I was a young child, a television newscaster reported one night that there was an intruder seen trying to break into homes in the vicinity where we lived, and he was still at large. Of course, we bolted the doors and made sure that … Read more
The Walker
I've recently started using a walker in the house. It helps my balance when I am moving around. It also proves to be very useful if I need to carry something from one place to another. I just load it up and I'm on my way. The seat comes in … Read more
The Hungry Goats
During the colder months of the year, the minute our goats hear me outside in the morning, they begin crying out very loudly for their hay ration. Mmmmaaaaaaaaa echoes round and round the dark barnyard until their breakfast hits their … Read more
Speaking A Different Language
When my two college-aged grandchildren are home on school break, I'm often invited to the home of my daughter and son-in-law for games night with my grandkids and their friends. When we play word games or trivia games, that's when our … Read more
When God Delays
In life situations, delay is usually a bad thing, indicating procrastination or putting off doing something that is necessary or useful. An example of this is when my semi-comatose mother lay dying. My father delayed going to the hospital … Read more
The Portrait Of Love
An Unlikely Friendship
In the parking lot of the grocery store where I sometimes shop, there is a man who stands with a smile on his face and hope in his eyes. He is never demanding or rude, but if the customers allow him, he takes their shopping carts away … Read more
Betrayed Or Blessed?
When tragedy strikes, I've heard people ask, "How could a loving God do that?" He is all powerful, but for reasons beyond our understanding, He allows horrible things to happen, and through the experience, "God is able to bless you … Read more
Caretakers
Climate change is one of the biggest issues that we're facing today. Whether we believe that human activity has caused it or not, there seems to be something going on with regard to glaciers melting, sea levels rising, and more storms … Read more
Live In Peace; Leave Worry
This year, I will be resigning from what I have considered to be a home for me: the school here in the Philippines that provided me with a scholarship to continue with my studies in secondary education. It eventually became the workplace … Read more
Let God Be God
I am not a doctor or a nurse. I am an English major with a minor in journalism, and I received my master's degree in counselling and psychology. I went the education route and ended up working as a newspaper reporter for more than two … Read more
We All Need Each Other
I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a severe form of arthritis that causes inflammation in my spine, knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, and hands. I could not shave or even look into a mirror because my neck was locked in a … Read more
A Colourful Cast Of Characters
Sometimes, I have a hard time writing. I think that I have to be optimistic and clever — or at least try — and I want to send the positive message of Christ and His love. So, there are days when I feel that I cannot write because my … Read more
The Master Gardener
In our recreational vehicle (RV) park, the sites are small, just big enough for an 11-foot-wide park model (an RV that is set into place) and a driveway, leaving a couple of feet on each side between each unit. So, the avid gardeners have … Read more
A Mayberry Moment
"Are you ready to hear a Mayberry moment?" I once pastored a small country church near a tiny country town — located, in fact, in the smallest county in the state. The chairman of the deacons served as the chief of police. We always … Read more
Comfortable Or Conformed?
For eleven years, my husband Marcelo and I had been renting an apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA. In 2020, when it came time for us to renew our yearly lease, we were hit with some very unexpected news. In order to keep up with … Read more
Partnering With Jesus
Many years ago, I began my first full-time teaching job with high hopes that I would be able to use and enjoy my gift of learning languages easily. My new assignment in the far north of British Columbia, Canada, was a tall order for a new … Read more
The Clariton
Recently, I listened to a BBC radio programme called The Life Scientific with guest interviewee Professor Sir Michael Berry, a physicist, born in 1941, who reviewed his life's work with … Read more