If we have wandered as sheep, we can followthe voice that calls us back to the fold. by Tami Rudkin I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11, NIV). A lone figure: agile, muscular, bearded; calm, perceptive, purposeful; rod, flute, prayers; protector, provider, guide. The…
Read moreYear: 2010
Immanuel: The Excalibur of Israel
Spiritual parallels in the legend of King Arthur. by Bob Hostetler The whiskered knight eyed the crowd outside the stone church. A massive stone occupied the ground beside the knight, bearing an anvil in its midst. Stuck into the anvil by its point, a sword gleamed, bearing these words in gold: “Whoso pulleth out…
Read moreImmanuel: God With Us?
The One who created you is closer than you think. by Tami Rudkin The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel — which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23, NIV). Immanuel: God with us. Really . . . God with us? The prophet…
Read moreCrowded Inn, Crowded Hearts
It’s easy to let other things interferewith the One we need most. by Bob Hostetler Pity the poor innkeeper. This character involved in the birth of Christ has received a lot of bad press in the past two thousand years. He’s not given so much as a walk-on part, not even a cameo appearance…
Read moreBreakfast by the Sea
Forgetting the past. by Bob Hostetler The man called to them from where He stood on the shore. “Friends,” He said, “you do not have any fish, do you?” Peter glanced at John, one of the six others who had fished with Him through the night. He nodded in the direction of the man…
Read moreNew Grace
A woman follows her convictions and findsa new relationship with God. by Alice Drake* What if they’re right? I wondered again. Holding the letter in my trembling hand, I was even more unsure of my decision. The elders from my previous church wanted me to return and submit to their counseling — their way…
Read moreMarried to an Older Man
Love and devotion are not bound by age differences. by Sharon Norris Elliott When I was born, he was in high school. When I was in kindergarten, he was starting his first real job. My first broken heart unevenly matched his heartbreak over a failed marriage. This scenario is the backdrop for me and…
Read moreLook Before You Leap
Answering these questions can help youavoid making a mistake in marriage. by Susan Johnson* Marriage is an enormous commitment. After the wedding, when the blush of romance is over, real life sets in. Marriage never fixes problems in a relationship; it only adds more complex issues. When you are in love with someone, you…
Read moreHe is Our Peace
How God rebuilt a marriage on His foundation. by Barbara Curtis “Hey, how does this one sound, honey? ‘For he is our peace, who hath made both one. . . . ‘” Tripp, my new husband, reluctantly pulled his eyes from the Sunday paper and regarded me with a thin, patient smile. For days…
Read moreFrog in a Pot
How God delivers from self-deceptionand co-dependency. by Susan Johnson* “You expected me to love you — just for existing.” My soon-to-be ex-husband left me to ponder these words as he walked out the door. Waves of guilt and sadness washed over me. I had left Ernie nine months before. Our attempts at reconciliation had…
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