Maria Fontaine
The birthday mix-up
It was my birthday and I was returning a phone call from one of my relatives, but to my surprise, I didn’t recognize the voice that answered. The woman on the other end s … »
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If I were to ask you to describe Jesus’ ministry to people, what would you say? It’s an important question, because He’s called us to be His representatives in this world … »
The superhero within
Have you ever experienced some particular problem or pain that surprised you by how debilitating it was? Perhaps it was a sore toe or an earache that outwardly seemed sma … »
Faith in times of crisis
No matter how devastating, irreversible, or hopeless things seem when you’re facing a major setback or a life-threatening situation, you can choose to continue to activel … »
Hope in hard times
Life is hard, there’s no question about it. But there is someone you can talk with when decisions seem too hard to make. There is someone you can run to when your heart i … »
The violin and the broken string
There is a story, versions of which can be found on several websites, about the world-famous violinist Itzhak Perlman. It illustrates a beautiful principle about God’s gr … »
Goodbye past, hello future
Our future isn’t limited by our past. No matter what point we’re at now, the future is still as bright as God’s promises. If you’re not where you want to be, there’s time … »
Manger beginnings
There are many things we can celebrate at Christmas, the most essential being the gift of our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. To paraphrase a beautiful prom … »
Appreciating aging
Since turning 70, I’ve been thinking more about the benefits of aging. Even though many of us who are getting older have already felt some of the disadvantages or difficu … »
Thoughts on the realities of life
As believers, we can sometimes have unrealistic expectations about our lives. When things aren’t going smoothly, there’s a tendency to beat ourselves up about it, or feel … »
Optimizing prayer
There are many instances when we pray for people and they are healed immediately or within a short time. But we also experience situations where we pray for some very ser … »
Love in the parking lot
Did you know that parking lots at midnight can be very romantic? I’m talking about the romance I experienced with Jesus while walking in a parking lot. I needed to get so … »
The thorn factor
I don’t think that God intended any relationships to be perfect. I think of it as the “thorn” factor that He allows into the equation—that element that we shrink from, bu … »