Change for the better
It was one of those days when anything could make me angry. I was sad, irritable, made a big deal out of small inconveniences, and couldn’t stop thinking of negative outc... »
Personal Accounts
Choosing less
My husband and I spent a year in a small town in Tanzania. When I say a “small town,” I mean a town with two stoplights, no supermarket, no restaurants to speak of, only... »
Achieving my dreams
When I started mapping out my goals five years ago, achieving them seemed daunting. But I claimed the promise, “Faithful is he [God] that calleth you, who also will do it... »
A yearly appointment
One day about three years ago, my father invited his five children, married and parents themselves, to accompany him and my mother to the Holy Land. He was already 85 and... »
The light of Christmas
I was gathered with friends in a living room full of Christmas decorations. There were refreshments on the coffee table, and we were singing Christmas carols together. Wh... »
Christmas rush or Christmas reason?
A few Christmases ago, as I was standing in the doorway of a department store, enjoying a lovely Nativity scene in a store window, a mother and her little girl came hurry... »
The everlasting light
The Christmas when I was six years old, I learned a poem titled “Where Jesus Was Born.” The poem tells the story of three boys who went to see Jesus. One was blind, anoth... »
A real tree
We children had always wanted a real Christmas tree—a tall, lavishly decorated one, like other families had. It would have “singing” lights, silver tinsel, and glass orna... »
Christmas is for kids
At the heart of Christmas is the Child of Bethlehem, who was born into this often cold, hostile world to warm us with His heavenly Father’s love. It was a child who began... »
Christmas candy
Christmas is approaching, and I’ve been thinking about colorful lights, Christmas trees, presents, Christmas carols, church bells, and most importantly, the birth of our... »
The star singers
When my children were young, we read about an old tradition that existed in various parts of Europe since the Middle Ages. Groups of children and young people would go ho... »
Silent nights
Weary. That used to be my word for December. Yes, I know it doesn't convey the true wonder of the season. But the days are hard and long, and by this time of year, I have... »
The ultimate proof
How quickly Christmas has come again! The days, weeks, and months fly by, and I end up being both surprised and resigned to reaching another Christmas season. Not that I... »