At age 16, when I joined a six-week bicycle trip through Holland, England, and France, I found Holland manageable, but England’s hills were overwhelming. I hadn’t properly trained for 
bicycling 30-50...

A friend once gave me an outdoor house ornament made of faceted glass balls that rotate in the wind. I hung it outside. When I awoke to sunshine the following morning,...

At age 42, I developed an ailment that affected my motor skills. My gait became uneven, my head tilted to the right, and an array of other 
muscular problems left me...

I found an intriguing and challenging shawl pattern. The variegated yarn had the brilliant warm hues of a sunset. As I skimmed through the directions, I thought, What? This makes no...

When I was a child my family did not attend church regularly. My primary exposure to preaching was through radio sermons that were mostly about fearing God’s condemnation. I started to...

We were miles from the nearest town. With the low-fuel warning light on in my car and two mountains to cross, I prayed, “Our cell phones don’t work out here, and...

As a minister, I recently received an appointment to a new congregation. I was packing and waiting for the big change in my life when I saw my grandmother’s old watch,...

In today’s reading we find Jesus talking to Peter after Peter has denied him. Jesus tries to help him focus on his own life. However, Peter instantly asks about another disciple...

My friend Robin was discouraged. Only 13 children had attended our church’s annual vacation Bible school. “We put all this money into it,” she said. “I recruited people to help. I...

One morning I heard a song that mentions having 10,000 reasons to bless the Lord. As I listened, I asked myself, Do I have 10,000 reasons to be grateful? I began...