Finding meaning
One of the central questions that philosophers and theologians have struggled with for millennia is the mystery of what gives life meaning. Everyone wants to be happy and... »
Volume 15.03 | March 2014
Valerie therapy
It was a perfect spring day. A gentle wind, warm and coaxing, announced the arrival of the season. Everyone around me was in a good mood. But it’s often on days like thes... »
Present seeds, future blossoms
Walking through a botanical garden in Kolkata, India, I was enthralled by the vibrant and vivid colors of the flowers. For a few hours, I felt like I’d been transported a... »
The green wristband
My first visit to the Exit rock festival—held annually in the shadow of a beautiful castle in Novi Sad, a pretty Serbian town on the Danube River—was unforgettable. There... »
Who’s it for?
There have been times when I’ve felt I was playing a game of pretending to be a good person, for instance when I was volunteering for relief work after the 2011 Tohoku ea... »
Whether or not an angel
Hebrews 13:2[NIV] says, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” I’ve known this... »
Candle on a candlestick
Manifesting God’s love to those whom He places in our path each day is at the heart of Christian life. Writing about this, the apostle Paul went so far as to say, “the lo... »
Remembering Martha
My neighbor Martha passed away this week after a long battle with emphysema. I will miss Martha and have found myself thinking about her a lot these past few days. When m... »
The value of healthy living
Staying healthy doesn’t happen automatically. It takes effort, and also usually involves some sacrifice, some reordering of priorities and forgoing certain things that wo... »
When nobody noticed
It was a dull and rainy day as I sat at the window of a small brick row house in Leicester, England, watching the rain form small rivers on the window pane. A friend was... »
A worthwhile life
We are unlikely to have Abraham’s calling to become the father of nations.[See Genesis 12.] Not many of us have the strength of Samson to bring the perpetrators of evil t... »
Make time for people
It’s easy to be a good person but still be wrapped up in your own little world. After all, you already have more work and other responsibilities than you feel you can kee... »