Seeing positive outcomes of some suffering should lead us to trust that God can bring good from all suffering. Consider three people who through suffering became extraordinary: Doctors once thought that Joseph Merrick, “The Elephant Man,” had elephantiasis, though now they believe he suffered from Proteus syndrome, which causes abnormal growth of bones, skin, and […]
There’s a lot of reasons in our world today to be overcome with discouragement. It seems there is unrest around every corner. News is filled with murder, rape, abuse, burglary, and tragedy. Entertainment has become politicized. People on social media often act like spoiled brats instead of listening to one another like mature adults. Health […]
Do you sometimes feel as though your faith needs a boost? Hebrews chapter eleven is often called the “Hall of Faith.” It is meant to encourage us, but sometimes I find it discouraging when I compare myself to the people listed. Take Abraham, for instance. Can you imagine if one morning you told your wife […]
We face a difficult reality when we try to help a hurting person find hope and healing, but they refuse our efforts. We have a certain advantage when dealing with our children, because we have the power to enforce a certain response. That is not necessarily a good thing, because eventually they will make their […]
While Scripture does not say as much as we’d like about circumstance-control, it says a great deal more than we like about self-control. Scripture warns, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Such a city, and such a person, will be left unhappy. Without self-control on […]
It was the height of the depression in 1934 and the women from the Sunnyside Seventh-day Adventist Church- dubbed the Sunshine Ladies- met to sew quilts and clothing for struggling families. Food for many during that time was in short supply and the ladies gathered up scarce resources to provide to those families who had […]
Farmers are diligent to prepare the soil for planting. When everything is right, they put seeds into the ground. As they do this, they have a mental picture of a field ready to harvest. They anticipate corn, oats, wheat or soybeans in abundance – what they call a “bumper crop.” Gardeners follow a similar routine […]
Earlier this year, my wife and best friend Nanci was diagnosed with colon cancer, and is now beginning a combination of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. (You can read more on her Caring Bridge page; we would really appreciate your prayers.) Nanci recently wrote a prayer based on Psalm 23. It spoke to me, and I […]
One of my favorite bloggers, Tim Challies, linked to a fascinating article in his daily A La Carte feature: Your smartphone is making you stupid, antisocial and unhealthy. So why can’t you put it down!?️ Here are some notable sections from it about the impact smartphones are having on our lives and minds: They have […]
The Resurrection In 2012 my dear Mom passed away. My wife and sister and I went through her things in preparation for taking care of her estate. We discovered that Mom had quite a collection of jewelry. Most of it was costume jewelry. She never spent a lot of money on herself. But even though […]
