READ: ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12; JOHN 15:9-17 I used to own a rock tumbler, a machine that takes ordinary rocks and transforms them into polished, gemlike stones. The process would last for days, and the tumbler was so loud I had to keep it in the garage! After I put rocks and grit into the barrel with [...]

READ: 1 JOHN 2:1-29 Recently, I was buying some pizzas, and when I handed the cashier my money she did something that made me freeze: she held up the dollar bills to the light, examining them closely. She was trying to see if they were authentic. At that moment, I thought to myself, Oh great. [...]

READ: GENESIS 1:27; PSALM 139:13-18 I’m one of those people who likes to make a big deal out of birthdays. Whenever it’s someone else’s birthday, I try to at least send a happy birthday text, or get a gift, or even throw a party. When it comes to my own birthday, I always try to [...]

READ: PSALM 139 Have you ever had a moment when you realized that someone really knows you? I had a moment like this with my housemate recently, and it made me feel so loved. I had been feeling overwhelmed and depressed for a few days. My husband took our kids to run some errands so [...]

READ: PSALMS 27:7-14; 33:20-22 I keep calling out, GodEven though I am tiredEven though I don’t see You working yetEven though this life seems to be killing meI keep calling out, GodBecause You are my only hopeBecause You can bring me peaceBecause You can move into action at any timeI keep calling out, GodAnd my [...]

READ: ISAIAH 61:8; JEREMIAH 22:3; MATTHEW 23:23 It’s discouraging to see so much evil in the world. Evil and sin have been a part of the world for a long time, but as I get older, I notice it more than when I was a kid. I hear news about corruption, poverty, or health crises...and [...]

READ: GENESIS 1:27; 1 JOHN 4:7-19 You probably already know that snowflakes are remarkably unique from one another. And the reason each snowflake has a one-of-a-kind crystal structure is because every developing flake experiences slightly different atmospheric conditions as it falls from the sky to the ground. But have you ever thought about what they [...]

READ: PSALM 145:8-16; MATTHEW 6:25-33; PHILIPPIANS 4:4-20 One year as summer approached, I needed to buy some shorts. With my budget in mind, I browsed at a second-hand shop and found two pairs in the right size. Including a discount, I could pay for the clothes using a gift card I’d received. It would cover [...]

READ: ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12 There are times in life when our need for others becomes clear. If you try to take on a big project, you may quickly realize that you need to ask for help. When trying to learn something new, you probably know that you need to ask an expert for advice if you [...]

READ: HEBREWS 13:5-8; 1 JOHN 4:15 This world changes,But You, my Lord, never changeThe Lord who created the worldThe Lord who told Noah to build an arkYou are the same Lord who lives in me todayThe Lord who led the Israelites out of slaveryThe Lord who gave us the commandmentsYou are the same Lord who [...]