A Common Bond

One of my favorite parts of my daily devotional time is meeting new friends by reading The Upper Room. When I get a new issue, I immediately turn to the back cover (and to page 21) to see who will be sharing their faith with me over the coming weeks. I enjoy the smiling faces and the little biographies that add to their stories.

As I grow older, I feel the effects of isolation and lone­liness more acutely. With no immediate family or children of my own, I have found that by reading about people like me I can be encour­aged to continue to seek strength through my faith.

When I open the pages of The Upper Room, I become aware that I am not alone. Even though no two stories are alike, the writers all seem to share a common bond with me.

As Paul wrote in Romans, we all have different gifts (see Romans 12:3-8). Some of the stories teach courage, others endurance. Many find the miracle of everyday life through nature. Some struggle with the same trials and temptations I have, while others offer hope through perseverance.

Throughout the years, the friends I have met by reading the The Upper Room and other similar publications have helped to make me feel a little less isolated. Their testimonies are gifts of love to be cherished by all.