The kind deed that backfired
I don’t know a time when my heart had felt quite so hurt. I had done a favor for a friend, and now I heard that he thought I had malicious feelings towards him. For reaso... »
Amy Joy Mizrany
Ask! — and you will receive!
It was exam day for my brother and me. All the late evenings we had spent studying were about to be put to the test. We had taken one exam already. Our lecturer sent us a... »
Peace in the storm
After a busy day of work, my colleague and I had one last stop. We loaded our van with educational materials and headed to drop them off at a little library. This library... »
The bishop’s candlesticks
The many stories Victor Hugo weaves in Les Misérables are powerful and memorable. My favorite one is about the ex-convict Jean Valjean and a small-town bishop. After bein... »
The meaning of Christmas
It’s Christmas, and I love to sing! It’s almost a subconscious action at this point—whether I’m walking or sitting or on my phone, I’ll be singing. It’s something I do th... »
The greatest moment
I’ve always thought it was fitting that Jesus’ crucifixion took place on a hill. His cross was raised above the pathways and bustle. You had to travel up to it, you had t... »
One day at a time
I like to say that I don't get stressed. It's true that I'm not a very stressful or stressed-out person. But the truth is that while I don’t often get stressed over event... »
You’re beautiful
Something precious happened at Sunday school today. After teaching my class of younger children, I went to host the Q&A session with the older children. Today, there... »
The light at the end of the tunnel
When heading out of Cape Town toward the Du Toitskloof mountains, you go through a tunnel that was cut out of a mountain. This tunnel makes any journey in that direction... »
Times of change
One of the biggest challenges of the modern world is the rate of changes that affect our lives. In a constantly swirling cycle, trends are born and die faster than ever,... »
The fellowship of traffic walkers
I was fundraising for charity at a traffic light, and I noticed something interesting. Every time another person walked by, they would give me a sort of laughing smile an... »
The art of compliments
My music teacher was over 70, kind, old-fashioned, and somewhat fastidious. But he had a way of making you feel special. He would always take you seriously and express in... »