Battered sails
After an intense period of work a few months back, I had been looking forward to taking some time off. I knew I needed to think about my future and plans in conjunction w... »
Personal Accounts
Not every wave is worth riding
With no other employment options at the time, my situation was not a happy one. My boss was making my life miserable. He was self-centered, ill-mannered, and crude; yet,... »
Heaven’s reflection
A friend was showing me a photo that he took at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden—a large park in the middle of bustling Tokyo. It showed a brilliant blue sky with green tre... »
Living with loss
Steve was a cheerful little boy with big brown eyes, curly blond hair, and a dimple that appeared on his right cheek every time he smiled. He had dreamy eyes, and often s... »
Fruit in season
My son’s voice broke as he spoke, “Mom, I don’t know what’s happening. I just moved my family in order to take a new job, but now that job has fallen through!” I did my b... »
The forest getaway
Last winter I took a five-week trip to fundraise for a humanitarian aid project I’m involved with. My plan was ambitious—possibly overly so. Long, intense days for over a... »
I'll take the mountain
As the car kept winding up, up, up, I couldn’t help but wonder if our friend’s house had been built on the very top of the mountain. Darkness had fallen by the time my si... »
Snail patrol
Today I went for a walk with the kids in the countryside surrounding the village in which we live, an area consisting of farmland, dirt paths, and small woods. The weathe... »
Living hope
I grew up in a Christian home and have been familiar with the Easter story since childhood, but it wasn't until last year that I discovered what Easter means for me perso... »
A breath of fresh air
It was a particularly hot, muggy summer day, and Jeffrey and I had already been traveling for a few hours when we plopped down in a stuffy bus station waiting room in nor... »
An imperfect world
It was just a little thing, that smile on my baby’s face, but it changed my perspective on life. As he woke and looked up at me, he was looking at what mattered most in t... »
Being social
“Who are you here to see?” the petite dark-haired nurse asked as I sipped tea in the waiting area and scrawled in my journal. “My nephew,” I answered with a smile. “He’s... »
My princess
For my daughter Audrey’s first birthday, my wife and I planned to have a small celebration with a few friends and family members at home; instead we ended up with a cupca... »