Life’s Challenges
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We have a Savior who knows our struggles and knows our pain, and he will give us the strength to persevere and trust his will for us.
Look back
Tick. Tock. There are more than 30 million seconds in a year. How many of those 30 million moments of the year do…
Take the best of 2020 into 2021
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” If we didn’t know better, we might think Charles Dickens was referring…
When Christmas is hard
Is it hard for you to sing the song “Joy to the World” right now? Maybe you’re facing a layoff or handling a family…
I feel goaded by guilt
Do you know what it’s like never to feel that what you do for somebody else is enough? Or good enough? Are you insecure…
Wiggle on out
My first friend in Antigua was 70-year-old Junie James. Blind for years, Mr. James still made it to church every Sunday where we shared…
Rest for the weary
The year 2020 has been wearisome. I don’t know that I’ve gotten more or less sleep, but politics and the pandemic have left me…
Refinement by fire
I find the concept of trial-by-comfort pretty appealing. It sounds so much better than the whole trial-by-fire thing, which is a concept I’m not…
Canceling Thanksgiving
I spoke recently with someone who works for a major airline. She said that flight cancelations around Thanksgiving have been staggering. I talked to…
Joy in hardship
This Thanksgiving it’s not going to be particularly hard to have thankful feelings in my heart. The year has brought plenty of challenges and…
Punishment pays for your sin
At Sensō-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo, there’s a shrine to Kume no Heinai. An expert swordsman of the 17th century, Kume killed…
I’m not what I used to be
When you’re young, life’s possibilities seem endless. You may be broke, indebted even, but you’ve got time. Plenty of time. You’ve got energy to…
When saying “Thanks!” is hard
I got the text while I was at work. “We can’t come,” it read. Oh no. The visit we had been looking forward to…