12 prayers for the New Year
Prayer for new beginnings: Dear God, thank You for a new year and for Your care and blessings throughout the past year. I bring to You my hopes and plans, my uncompleted... »
Articles
Mystery helix staircase
Around 1880, a boarding school for girls run by the Sisters of Loretto near Santa Fe, in the American state of New Mexico, needed a stairway to connect the choir loft to... »
The best is yet to be
Odd, isn’t it, how our perceptions change as we age. When I was very small, my brother, who was all of 18 months older, defined “big.” When I was in 1st grade, I thought... »
The right path
A friend of mine told me about an incident that occurred after he attended a Bible study and was driving home. While he was stopped at a traffic light, a delivery boy on... »
The book of Ruth
The Book of Ruth is a neat little nugget tucked away in the historical part of the Bible. It’s only four chapters, told in the narrative. One of the interesting things ab... »
My plan or yours?
I want you to experience My joy and Presence in your life. I have answers to your questions, solutions to your problems, and insight into the complex situations you encou... »
Jesus and the cobbler
One of my favorite Christmas stories is about an elderly cobbler who dreamed one Christmas Eve that Jesus would visit him the next day.[[This version was adapted and shor... »
The last stocking
Every year at Christmas, my friend Ira and I get together to assemble Christmas stockings for the orphans at two nearby orphanages. It gives us a lot of happiness to do t... »
The birth of Jesus
The story of Jesus’ life begins with the story of His birth, as told in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Old Testament foretold His coming, revealing specific informa... »
Amazed, treasured, and pondered
[After hearing the angel announce the birth of Christ, the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had see... »
Finding the purpose of Christmas
After a couple of low-key Christmases in a row, due to health restrictions prompted by the pandemic, many of us have shifted to simpler, more intimate celebrations. Doing... »
Lonely at Christmas?
If you’re feeling lonely this Christmas, you’re not alone. Sad Christmas songs are popular because they strike a responsive chord in many. For a number of people, Christm... »
Occasion to love
For many of us, since we were young children, Christmas has been a special time of celebrating Jesus’ birth, giving and receiving gifts, and spending time with family and... »