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.... »
Personal Accounts
The traveling professor
I was listening to a podcast when this quote stood out to me: “Pain is a traveling professor. Pain knocks and the wise say: ‘Come in—sit with me. Teach me what I must kno... »
Balance is not the right word for it
I read an article from a life coach about the myth of a “balanced life.” He was saying that the expectation that we are able to juggle exactly the right amount of sleep,... »
Forgiveness
“If my brother offends me, how many times shall I forgive him?” someone once asked Jesus, before offering a hopeful guess. “Seven times?” “No, seventy times seven!” was J... »
Striving for peace
I visited a friend who asked for advice about a problem he was having. A former colleague had moved on and started his own business in direct competition. He had taken so... »
Light in the darkness
It was the end of 1974. I was 18 and had made the trip overland from London to India with a few friends via the so-called “hippie trail.” We traveled through Istanbul, Te... »
The chocolate filling
My friend and I stood at the pastry stall, debating our choices. “I’d really like to get the chocolate croissant, but only if it has the chocolate filling!” “I think it d... »
How can we know we are saved?
When my youngest son was 14 years old, he joined a Christian youth group and Bible study in preparation for baptism. At the end of the class, the pastor asked the student... »
The hope of heaven in times of pain
When I received the email saying my brother John had died suddenly of a heart attack, I was shocked and devastated. John was just 50—too young to leave this earth, I thou... »
The search for Mary Magdalene
For centuries, we’ve heard dozens of varying stories and interpretations of Mary Magdalene (also called Mary of Magdala), one of the leading female figures in the New Tes... »
We’re keeping the dent
Recently a young woman who is a friend of my daughter backed up into my car, leaving a dent and some scratches. She offered to pay for the damages, so we got a quote. It... »
Overcoming the phantom zone
Nowadays, I can't help but notice when watching movies that the lines between good and evil have become increasingly blurred. Decades ago, most movies illustrated values,... »
