Grandpa’s smile
He lay covered in white hospital sheets, hooked up to a tangle of tubes and wires. As I approached, I barely recognized him—the pasty skin, the sunken cheeks—but when he... »
Joyce Suttin
Joyce Suttin is a retired teacher, writer, and frequent contributor to Activated magazine. She lives in San Antonio Texas with her husband and has an on-line ministry excerpting, editing, and writing inspirational material.
Flowers, projects, and dreams for the New Year
I love tending my garden, but I have a problem sometimes with flowers. I love to buy a few each spring and enjoy them through the long summer days, tending them and water... »
Candles and prayers
There are some verses I’ve had a very difficult time with. One of them is “Pray continually.” [[1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV]] That verse is often on my mind, and I’ve learne... »
Practicing empathy
I was watching an interview last Sunday, and the guest was asked, “What’s the greatest need in the world today?” Without hesitation, he responded, “Empathy. The world nee... »
My very bad week
One or two things going wrong in my week aren’t the end of the world. I can handle a few bad things. I know that every week has its allotment of issues, and I’m used to d... »
Facing change and trimming trees
The tree trimmers finally showed up. I’d been nervously waiting for them, both looking forward to them pruning my trees and also terrified of what the outcome might be. I... »
Between a rock and a hard place
I’d been going through a few tough weeks, when I began questioning my faith. Not questioning God, but questioning how much faith I had to face difficulties. I’d also been... »
The long dark night
I had walked to the health store, ten blocks from home, to pick up some vitamins. Though I loved walking and made this trip often, something felt different that day. I ha... »
A lesson from Bo
Bo was our golden lab who loved to swim in our pool. He lived for his exercise, and the pool was his domain. One day, my son was learning new strokes and tried the dead m... »
The postman’s palace
It was a simple, mundane life, the life of Ferdinand Cheval. He was born in 1836 in a village southeast of Lyon, France, where he attended school for only six years until... »
Kitchen whiz
You can hear me banging pots in the kitchen. Slamming doors and rattling glassware, I hastily put away the dishes. Clanging loudly, I slam the iron pot on the stove. Mom... »
My journals
I was doing some organization and deep cleaning of my belongings. This is the longest I have ever lived in the same house, and I’ve accumulated a lot of things. In the co... »
