This past Wednesday night, we were in the crowd of 100,000 watching on several JumboTrons in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as the hometown Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League Stanley Cup final. As we … Read more
Search Results for: "1 Corinthians 12:"
Gift Of The Gab
Having the ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone at any place at any time must surely be a gift. When I came to the verses in the Bible that talk about the gifts of the Spirit, … Read more
Ask, Believe, Receive (Part 1)
It's difficult for me to believe it today, but as a child in school, shy, embarrassed, and tongue-tied, I was reluctant to ask my teacher anything. My parents told me repeatedly, "If you don't ask, you won't get to know. … Read more
A Unified Whole
In the church where I grew up, there were no paid positions except a pastor who was shared with another church. All the members used the gifts God had given them to keep the church functioning as the Body of … Read more
For The Common Good
As a child, I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to teach and sing and inspire others with my gifts of music and the usage of the Word. As I grew older, I couldn't understand why God did not … Read more
Looking To Jesus
Before moving to Delaware, USA, ten years ago, I attended a Bible study in Pennsylvania with Christians from various backgrounds and denominations. This unique ministry was called "Jesus Focus", and began in 1974 at a time when many churches failed … Read more
Aaron's Rod
Several years ago, I started a newsletter as an encouragement for individuals with disabilities and their families. My title, "Aaron's Rod", was inspired by the story in Numbers 17. I included in my newsletter this mission statement: "Inspiring children of … Read more
My Garden Tomatoes – They're All Different!
How the time passes! It seems only a little while ago that I purchased my tomato plants, and then around the 24th of May, I planted them in my garden. This year, I did what was recommended: I rotated my … Read more
Times Of Sorrow
On the 9th of December, 2007, my father-in-law died. My wife had just returned four days earlier from a visit to her parents in British Columbia, Canada, and though her dad was declining and having some difficulty, his death was … Read more
Salmon Journey Continued
A couple of years ago, I wrote a devotional after watching the salmon swim upstream at the falls near where we live. Last year when I went to watch them again, it was a totally different scene. The water level … Read more
What Is A Church?
I recently sat down to dinner with a good friend. My friend grew up in Ireland, a country with a very strong sense of national identity. Irish people know what it means to be Irish. My friend understands what people … Read more
What Is Your Shape?
While I was visiting a friend's home one day, she apologized to me because her dining-area table was covered with a half-finished jigsaw puzzle. "My husband and I have been working on the puzzle for a long time," she said. … Read more
Little Christmas
It was a tradition in our home to leave the tree up and decorated until the date which my mother called "little Christmas" had passed. This fell on January 6th, and I now know it as Epiphany. We were afraid … Read more
Our Greatest Gifts
Matthew, in his Gospel, gives us only the highlights of the incident of the wise men. We do not know how they banded together to travel as a group, and we must simply assume that they travelled by night to … Read more
Daily Gifts
Many's the time I stand in awe of a flower or tree shoot which has spread and sprung up some distance from the main plant. While I understand how it happens, I cannot help but delight in this extra "gift" … Read more
Sharing Our Gifts With Others
We were vacationing as a family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, and attended church. It was there that I saw an amazing portrayal of the gift of discernment. When it came time for the offering, my mother and I were … Read more
Bind Us Together, Lord
Recently, my nephew took his mother and several others of us out for dinner to celebrate her 89th birthday. He took us to a fine dining room in Mennonite country near St. Jacobs in rural Ontario, Canada. On the way, … Read more
Lobsters And Icebergs
While watching the local Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television news recently, a reporter was interviewing two people from Ontario, who were having a lobster boil on an ocean beach near St. John's, Newfoundland. It was a nice day in May, and … Read more
The Body Of Christ
I ask the children what I would need to make a body. It varies with the group. Some think of the easy things — like legs, hands, eyes, etc. Others come up with more detail — blood, brain, heart, skin, … Read more
Small But Vital
The entrance to our friend's large farming property was imposing, with its signboards pointing to the various farming activities: "Sheep", "Cattle", "Wheat", "Citrus", "Cotton", "Homestead". We were warmly welcomed, and, after settling in, were taken on a tour of inspection … Read more
Just The Seasoning
It's turkey time again, and I am up to my elbows in stuffing. As I season bread cubes, the label catches my eye: Poultry Seasoning. Ingredients: thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, pepper, and nutmeg! Little pinches of this and that, integrated … Read more
Chili Cook-Off
Recently, our congregation added a new ramp to our church, making it wheelchair accessible. Throughout the year, various events had been held to raise funds for the ramp and various related items. One event was a "Chili Cook-Off". The day … Read more
Church Or Sports Team?
In a recent English class, where we were learning reading and writing skills, we were exploring the meaning behind different words. Our instructor listed a variety of words, and we were asked to choose one word and come up with … Read more
Making Time To Take Time
Just as we've been given the ability to share our joys and happy experiences, we were not meant to face our challenges and sufferings alone. We have all been given the choice both to ask for and to offer help … Read more
Sharing The Celebration
Last Christmas we tried something new. We decided to spend Christmas somewhere else, a first for all of us. We lived in separate parts of the country and although we'd always been able to spend Christmas together, we knew this … Read more
Weapons Training
In the style of karate I was taking, one was able to learn weapons training — but only after one reached the rank of Green Belt, which could take two to three years. The reason for this line of thinking … Read more
Baking A Cake
I do not like to admit it a whole lot, but I do enjoy baking. One thing I have learned through mistakes is that the ingredients for a cake must be added correctly. There is a reason why the measurement … Read more
Team Member
When one joins the armed forces here in the United States, one must go through boot camp. I went through the navy's boot camp to prepare for my service. Upon our arrival, we had our heads shaved, and we all … Read more
Playing Guitar
One of my hobbies includes playing guitar. I am no great player; I just mess around with it. One thing I have noticed through the years of playing is that every player has his or her own style. I can … Read more
Breadmaking
Many of us may remember, as a child, watching a parent or a relative making bread. As a child, and even now, I think the smell of freshly-baked bread is one of the most wonderful aromas. Of course, breadmakers have … Read more