Cast a wide net
I love doing something kind when it really hits the spot. I will spend hours finding the perfect birthday gift to give a friend, or the exact right thing to say in a text... »
Personal Accounts
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... »
Nine how-tos of change
1 Take stock and set goals. Make a list of the areas you want to change in and what you can do to bring those changes about. Putting goals and plans in writing will help... »
Small beginnings
Countless stories and parables are told of small beginnings that lead to greater ends. This is my own small beginnings story. It was a comment from a stranger that got me... »
Learning to follow
Several years ago, I directed a youth singing group that consisted mostly of teenagers. They were all talented musicians and singers, and my job was to help further their... »
Dying grace
In this stage of my life, the subject of death seems to pop up more frequently than before, and it’s not always a happy thought. As Christians, we know that death isn’t t... »
The paths we take
In my search for meaning and truth in life, like most young people, I was also faced with the challenge of finding a purposeful direction for my life. Which way would I g... »
The abalone and me
An abalone is a shellfish that sticks to rocks in coastal waters. It’s a gastropod, which means that its stomach is its foot—it walks on its stomach. And apart from its s... »
Wings from weights
There is a beautiful stained glass window in the historic Wesley’s Chapel in London, inscribed with these words: “If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utt... »
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... »
The waters of God’s Word
In Psalm 27 we read that King David considered it his principal joy to be able to gaze on the beauty of God in the tabernacle where the artifacts symbolizing God’s interv... »
A whole lot of something
Have you ever had a cake that was more frosting or fondant than cake itself? When I encounter a cake like that, I usually scrape off the topping and eat the cake. The top... »