Personal Accounts
Let it shine
This Christmas season the world aches and groans because of the losses and tragedies of the year. Many lives have been broken, and many dreams have been shattered. People... »
Joy to the world
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration. Many countries have unique customs and traditions that help make this a happy season. In Mexico, starting nine days before Chr... »
Why the baby?
As Christmas rolled around again this year, I began to wonder why God sent Jesus to earth as a little baby in Bethlehem. We have told and retold the story, and I have pra... »
Musings on the magi
One part of the Nativity story that has held particular fascination for me is the visit of the wise men, also known as the magi. Matthew is the only Gospel that mentions... »
Free at last
One by one the prisoners filed into the small meeting hall. Each one wore the same gray outfit and had the same closely trimmed haircut, but their faces showed that each... »
A different Christmas
For many millions of us, this year has been unlike any we’ve ever had. Not since World War II has so much of the world’s population been so affected by the same crisis. T... »
Peace and good will
On the night of Jesus’ birth, angels appeared to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. “Glory to God in the highest,” they proclaimed, “and on earth peace, good will... »
Christmas reset
Last Christmas I was a few months into a new job. My new office was an hour from my home, my hours were from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and I worked on Saturdays. I was alw... »
My three sons
Dressing my three preschool sons alike seemed sensible at the time. It made clothes shopping easier, for one, and because they were brothers with similar builds and compl... »
God’s imprint on me
Lately, when I have gone to the bank I’ve noticed that I now only have to show some identification and then put my right thumb on a biometric reader. This effortless acti... »
A new lease on life
“That’s not fair” must have been my three most-used words when growing up. It seemed that someone—or everyone—always had it better than me. By my early teens I had a well... »
Feeling beautiful
I looked at the mirrored wall at the gym as I moved through the tai chi motions and had the most surprising thought. I never knew I was so beautiful. Let me explain. I ma... »