In today’s scripture reading, Paul was sailing through stormy seas with a large group of people who were scared and beginning to lose hope on their journey to Rome. As they...

Nestled in a hollow on the moor, it was the finest sheepfold I had ever seen. One enormous circle, built of stone from the rocky debris nearby, it provided protection from...

Arriving home, I slung my briefcase at the sofa. My superintendent had just informed me that he was about to cut my position. The school board would meet in one week...

I am an assistant director of a summer camp in Wisconsin, where my daughter Emily taught sailing for a couple of years. One day I went to the lake to watch...

On my way to work, I sometimes saw a homeless man sitting in a wheelchair on the corner, but I always passed him by. Maybe I would say, “Good morning,” but...

On a family vacation to New York City, I went to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, thinking it would be a quiet place to pray and reflect during a break from our hectic...

I recently suffered a cough, sore throat, and flu. I tried to accomplish my tasks as usual, but every time I tried, I felt dizzy. I prayed and asked God to...

Before I set out on the path to ministry, church members on a discernment board had to answer questions about me regarding my faith. Among the questions was this one: Does...

My dear high-school friend was bright, tenderhearted, and thoughtful; but she was not happy. One morning she did not come to school. I learned later that she had taken her own...

I can identify with Elisha’s servant who stumbled out of bed to discover an army aligned against him. Like the servant, I have sometimes found myself surrounded by threatening circumstances —...