Trees in the desert
Coming from the lush tropical greenery of the rain forest where I once lived in Uganda, Africa, I was overwhelmed by the contrast of the rocky terrain of the Middle East.... »
Curtis Peter van Gorder
The tangled bird
My wife and I were walking in a grassy field in Australia. We passed a fence that enclosed some horses calmly grazing, when suddenly we heard a pitiful racket. A small sp... »
Hidden treasures
Occasionally the seemingly insignificant things that happen to us carry a deep meaning, if we will take the time to reflect on them. Here is an example: We had been doing... »
Movin’ and groovin’ with the conductor
Do you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere? Consider this: We are hurtling through space at a fantastic speed and don’t even realize it because w... »
God is on every page
I love quirky news stories, especially the ones that can be a springboard to dive deep into spiritual realities. They can kind of jolt us out of our complacency and help... »
Treasures of the heart
In my travels through distant lands seeing ancient sights, one theme resonates. It is a foreboding sense that the treasures and pleasures of this world are fleeting. It i... »
Perfect timing
Today I was reminded of a miracle God did in answer to prayer. I am sure He answers my prayers every day and those of billions of others around the world; it’s just that... »
“I saw, I touched, I believed”
If Thomas could tell us what he experienced when Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the grave, his account might go something like this... A lot of people read th... »
Christmas oranges
Our family has a longstanding Christmas Day tradition of sharing tangerines before opening our presents. It’s a way to remember our grandparents and great-grandparents wh... »
Festivals of gratitude
Thanksgiving is a holiday observed in the United States, Canada, Liberia, Grenada, and St. Lucia, but much of the rest of the world seems to only know about it through va... »
Missed flights
In the last year, my wife and I have missed three flights. In our many years of traveling, this had never happened before. It was something different each time—exhaustion... »
Caught in a tempest
A retelling of Matthew 8:23–27, as told by a disciple. No one could tell stories like the Master—stories of soil and sheep, a lost coin and a lost son, wise and foolish s... »
The good place
In my high school literature class, we studied Jean-Paul Sartre’s play No Exit, in which hell’s occupants are confined to a room and have nothing to do but engage in frui... »