As I traveled with a group from my home country, Ukraine, to Russia to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Methodist Church in Eurasia, Ukraine was experiencing a political, economic, and...

The phone call came in the middle of an ordinary morning. The caller was almost incoherent, overcome with grief. “Ricky is dead.” Ricky was my nephew. It was a freak accident,...

It’s that time again, and I am ready to begin another new year. I have the same hopes for this year as I did for the last one: exercise more, get...

Today’s quoted scripture was written for early Christians, but I think many people who struggle with low self-esteem can identify with these words today. At sixteen years old, I am no...

I have always enjoyed drawing. During one of my classes on caricature drawing, my professor said: “Before drawing the outline of the person, place a cross on the face. This will...

What should have been one of the happiest days of my life ended up being one of the loneliest. Eight days before my graduation from seminary, my wife decided she didn’t...

Our family had just enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Our relatives were headed back to their homes. “Well, I guess Christmas is over for another year,” my husband...

The verse quoted above sounds romantic when it is read at a wedding ceremony, but when it came to packing up and following my husband to a new city, it struck...

Some say that happiness is what we make it. The more time I spend with a certain friend, the more I’m convinced that’s true. My friend was a successful businessman. Then...

Just before our church’s Christmas celebration, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, so I did not answer the phone. I only sent a text message to the caller, asking...