Thankful for setbacks
After my husband passed away, I was living alone with my younger children—one young adult who was already working, two teenaged boys, a younger daughter, and a preschoole... »
Rosane Pereira
Under the cross
A few years ago, I had a scary experience. I was coming to the end of a very full week and was already exhausted, when my daughter called from Chile explaining how she an... »
Have courage and be kind
The 2015 adaptation of Cinderella portrays a young woman who lives her life by the motto that her parents taught her before they died: “Have courage and be kind!” While t... »
The best year
Last year, I struggled with the decision of whether or not to spend New Year’s Eve with my family in Niteroi, Brazil. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent a night... »
God cut the red tape
When our family moved to a new country for my husband’s work, we heard distressing stories about the process to obtain a local driver’s license. My new friends told me of... »
Eternal moments
I was once traveling in a van full of people, including my oldest daughter, her husband, and my two-year-old granddaughter, Sharon. When Sharon got fussy, I moved to sit... »
Forgiving and forgetting
My oldest sister Sheila had a big influence on my life when I was young. She taught me to play the guitar and she used to write sweet melodies of love and hope. She showe... »
Christmas on the road
Some years back, my husband and I were serving as missionaries in northern Brazil when an opening came up for us to take part in a new venture helping young people in Bue... »
Made whole!
When I was very new in the faith life, I spent some time in Nova Friburgo, in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, along with two other missionaries. It’s a beautiful city wi... »
The source of strength
The book of Habakkuk is one of the shortest books in the Bible. It begins with the writer’s laments over Israel’s troubles but concludes with a beautiful affirmation of f... »
A lesson in kindness
A few years ago, our neighbors gave their female dog to a friend of theirs. Some time later, this old man died and the dog journeyed to our street, but our neighbors no l... »
Breaking the habit of worry
Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, promised by God and given to them by a miracle in their old age. He isn’t as famous as his father, or even Jacob, his son. Bu... »
It’s good to be alive!
When I was 17, I went with friends to spend carnival in the city of Salvador. We rented a very cheap house and slept on the floor like most of the locals. Even though our... »