READ: JOB 2:11-13; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-7; 1 PETER 1:3-9 Have you ever tried to cheer someone up, only to accidentally make them more upset? I’ve had times when I wanted to help someone who wasn’t doing well mentally or physically, but when I tried to say something, I felt like I only made the situation [...]

READ: MATTHEW 1:22-23; JOHN 8:1-11; ROMANS 8:1 The music blasted, and we sang so loud that dogs started barking. My car full of friends bounced as we moved to the thumping bass. Then—CRUNCH! That wasn’t part of the song. Did I hit a mound of icy snow? I wondered. I opened my door and looked [...]

I. ran a marathon once. In case you are unfamiliar, a marathon is 26.2 miles of running. That was in the year 2000, and I've never even considered running another one. I'm completely convinced it's because I didn't create a celebratory moment at the finish line. I've found that if I don't celebrate something that's [...]

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 [...]

Dull gray eyes stared back at me in the mirror. Unimpressive, unimportant, unseen. That's how I felt—invisible. Would anyone notice if I were gone? Would anyone really care? Contemplating my apparent superhero power of invisibility really lifted my spirits. Sighing deep, I tried to stop the tears from leaking from my eyes. As I turned [...]

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 [...]

Fear is one of the most discouraging forces against us. Fear can emotionally and spiritually make a person weak. Fear is a joy-stealer. It can hinder us from doing what God calls us to do. But remember, fear is temporary. Fear will pass. And when Jesus returns, fear will be gone for good. Until that [...]

The sun descends on the horizon, and the thought comes: "Did I do a good enough job today"? Almost every night, I would evaluate this question. I realize now that this was kind of like asking myself: "Do I deserve to sleep?" Most days, my answer was no. And I would feel defeated, exhausted, and [...]

Torchlight flickered in the dark, casting shadows on faces, reflecting golden light off the water—beautiful, and wrong. My mother's body was laid in the funeral boat and covered with flowers. Someone said, “It was her time to go.” The comment stung me, just like all the other well-meaning condolences. Their voices still prattled on in [...]

Job 19:25-27 is my favorite passage in the Bible because it assures me of seeing my Blessed Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, when He resurrects His people from the dead. This fills me with joyful hope and great expectation. I have something amazing to look forward to! The book of Job starts by recording heavenly [...]