Coming to grips with the sanctity of life. by Teresa Cook* I sat deep in thought at the nurse’s station as monitors beeped softly from the darkened rooms of the four-bed intensive care unit. “Your patients are all stable,” my head nurse had said earlier when she made assignments. “It should be an uneventful…
Author: nowwhat
Just Us
In our anti-grace world, a little love and kindness go a long way. by Kristina M. Santos On a summer day I visit my mother-in-law in the nursing home. I sit beside her on the bed, holding the vanilla milkshake I’ve brought while she takes small sips. At ninety-eight years old, she’s confined to…
Set Free
Sometimes the prison we’re in is of our own making. by Rebecca Olmstead Desperate for more of God, I had looked forward to Bible camp for weeks. But I’d begun to feel as if I’d come to a great wall. So I asked God to knock it down — or give me a ladder….
The Baby I Never Held
The God of all comfort knows how to soothe our grief. by Eva C. Maddox A wave of nausea swept over me as I prepared breakfast. Simultaneously, a troubling thought soared through my brain. I couldn’t be pregnant! Not now — when my toddler is finally into big boy underwear. No! I had spent…
Child of Promise
The sufficiency of Christ . . . when we need Him most. by Donna Scales The telephone call came on a Friday afternoon — the call that changed our family’s future. The caller identified himself as Dr. Combs.* Why would he be calling? I wondered. We just saw him this morning. Dr. Combs was…
The Mother-Daughter Miracle
Prayer and the power of changed lives. by Rose Davidson* The rage in her eyes skewered me to the floor like a dagger. “No, Mommy, no!” I screamed, my shaking hands covering my bottom. Undeterred, she jerked my arm. The belt slapped my legs repeatedly. “Didn’t I say one swat for each thing you…
Signs of Sexual Abuse
by Jeannie Moore Sexual abuse is widespread. Some estimate that as many as a third of all girls are molested. And it’s damaging; it brings physical, emotional, and psychological trauma that may last a lifetime. Children often keep sexual abuse a secret. Sometimes they do so because they don’t have the language to describe…
Betrayal
After years of deception, the ugly truth comes out. by Jeannie Moore The day started off like any normal day for me. I met my husband, Jerry,* at our favorite restaurant for lunch. We discussed the children’s program we both were involved in at church. We briefly talked about my classes at the college…
Referrals for Abuse
Childhelp – IOS Soresters National Child Abuse Hotline 1/800-4-A-CHILD This organization is in the fight against child abuse and neglect. Child SHARE Joanne Feldmeth, Executive Director3536 Ocean View Blvd. #250Glendale, CA 91208818/957-4452 This agency was set up to recruit, train, and support families or individuals who will provide quality care for abused, neglected, or…
Breaking Through – Recommended Resources
The Wounded Heart, by Dan B. Allender Door of Hope: Recognizing and Resolving the Pains of Your Past, by Jan Frank No Place to Cry, by Doris Van Stone and Erwin Lutzer On the Threshold of Hope, by Diane Mandt Langberg, Ph.D. Also, there are abuse recovery groups across the country (survivors of leadership training…