Grace to keep on loving
In one of the most powerful and poetic chapters of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul describes the sort of love Christians are meant to embody: “Love suffers... »
Volume 14.05 | May 2013
Plucking feathers
In my childhood farmyard in Pleasant Hill, New York, we always had an abundance of chickens roaming around looking for worms and bugs, scratching the ground for seeds, an... »
Long-tempered
I used to have my own definitions of longsuffering and patience. Longsuffering was putting up with something, and patience was putting up with nothing. The one was expres... »
Life happens
Sometimes, at the most unexpected times, we get little revelations that clarify perspective, give insight, and recharge our faith. I got one of those the other day. It ha... »
Creating space
I decided “better late than never” and ventured into something new and long overdue: at age 50-plus, I registered for lessons at a local driving school. To my horror, dur... »
Longsuffering—the conciliatory fruit
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”[Galatians 5:22–23]... »
I can’t stand her!
There are some people that we like more than others; and let’s face it, some people like us more than other people do. When I worked as a nurse in the emergency room of a... »
Why is God taking so long?
Question: I’ve been looking for a new job, but so far without success. If I have prayed and am doing my part, why isn’t God helping me? Answer: The way God works in our... »
The marriage mirror
“Mari-i-i-i-ie!” My husband Ivo’s stressed voice rings through the house. “Where did you say my green shirt was again?” “It’s in the closet, on the left side, between you... »
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... »
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,... »
Morning calm
The Bible contains a lot of guidance for how to spend our time and energy: We’re to love and help others,[See John 15:12; Matthew 19:21.] share the good news of God’s lov... »
Reality check
If you’re like most people today, you’re used to moving fast and expecting quick results. The problem with that—or at least part of the problem—is that what was enough ye... »