I love working in my garden. I am amazed that tiny seeds planted in the soil can sprout and grow into large plants that produce tasty vegetables and beautiful flowers. The...

It was a cold, snowy winter. My three children and I were down to soda crackers and ketchup in our cupboard. My husband had moved out and was not providing food...

One day at church, I came across this saying: “Faith is stronger than fear.” This reminded me of a difficult situation when my family and I found this to be true....

It has often intrigued me that Jesus commended a social outcast in his parable about the good Samaritan. But until recently, I hadn’t paid attention to the fact that of the...

Each Saturday morning a men’s group from the church where I am a pastor meets for breakfast at a local restaurant. It’s an opportunity for men to talk honestly about their...

When I went through a difficult time, it was hard for me to understand what God was doing in my life. Everyone else seemed happy except me. I asked many questions:...

I was confident that I was going to get an A in my humanities course. I had earned nearly perfect grades and eagerly participated in classroom discussions throughout the semester. Now...

One of my friends in high school suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts. I tried to reassure my friend that I would always be there for support and encouragement, which my...

I recently began a new hobby: candle making. In my first class, I made a candle by layering different shades of blue. I had to wait for the first layer to...

As I got home with a car full of groceries, my buddies — a pair of four-foot-tall sandhill cranes who wander the neighborhood — foraged in the yard. I sang out,...