Kiara slammed her mug of coffee on the blue diner counter, defeated. She had just spent the last of her sratos on what was most likely her last meal for a long time. She'd thought there was no way she'd run out of the intergalactic currency. She sighed, thinking about all she had done with [...]

Your mission will be riddled with perils. Make no mistake, this exoplanet is uncharted territory—there are no illusions about our exploration team making it back to our home planet safely.” Commander Sholer crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze penetrating the souls of the group gathered around him. “Anything to add before we embark?” [...]

A baby cries because the crib is too large, and they don't feel secure until they are in the arms of their parent. A toddler reaches for the hand of an adult when a loud noise frightens them. A young child turns from strangers and clings to their parent. An older child grasps the hand [...]

Consider the birds, Whose magnificent wings Propel them through the air. No human voice could match Their song, and their beauty's Beyond compare. Consider the lilies, As they color the fields, And wonder at how they grow. Flowers do not work, Or look after themselves, Yet they're clothed by a heavenly glow. The God of [...]

Last Christmas, our pastor used the hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” as inspiration for a sermon. In the third verse, eighteenth-century preacher Charles Wesley wrote lyrics about how Jesus was born to give us second birth. But what does it mean to have second birth? When Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command, sin and [...]

Every Christmas, I hear about the “wise men” coming to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus as recorded in Matthew 2. But why is this historical event important? Who were the wise men and how did they play a key role in the Christmas drama? Let's take a closer look at the wise men. The Bible [...]

On a rainy African day, we flew in a small plane from the city of Monrovia, Liberia, to a small airstrip in the northern part of the country. This ninety- minute flight saved us two days of travel on muddy, washed-out roads. The most amazing part was rising above the rain clouds and emerging into [...]

When Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem with the newborn Jesus, there were shepherds in a nearby field. Suddenly an angel appeared and told them about the baby Jesus—the Savior they had all been waiting for had come! The shepherds ran down to the village to see this sight. Immediately after they had seen Jesus, [...]

The holiday season isn't always a time of joy. Stress can push at us from all sides—family, school deadlines, Christmas preparations, etc. Life is shaky. And not just for us. While Ahaz was king of Judah, his life was pretty shaky too. Both Syria and Israel (what was left of it after it split from [...]

The Incredible Sparkle, superhero and defender of Glimmer City, couldn't tell whether her constant shivering came from the cold or from the raw terror she felt coursing through her body. Behind her, the roof extended mere inches before dropping ten stories to the busy street below. Looking forward frightened her even more. Her nemesis, Dr. [...]