The first Bible verse I recall memorizing was Romans 8:28. It wasn’t my doing. I was only 6 or 7 years old and attending a weeklong church conference with my family. A lady named Dorothy was in charge of the children’s ministry that week. We worked hard — with Dorothy’s unwavering patience and guidance —…
Read moreTag: Christian Faith
The Rock and the Roller Coaster
I like roller coasters, but I like rocks better. Every now and then (admittedly less often as the years pass) I find myself getting on a roller coaster to be lifted and plunged, tossed and turned. It’s thrilling. Scary — but safe-scary. I am buckled in tight, riding on a short, predictable track, then the…
Read moreThe Olympics and Learning to Limp
Like many, I watched some of the Olympics on TV over the past two weeks. The training and talent of the young athletes were breathtaking. Their vigor and vitality, to say nothing of their amazing feats, made me want to put on my running shoes, or swimsuit, and get outside — get in shape! It…
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The Most Challenging Race
A runner learns to trust God when the bottom falls out of her world. by Christina Rose as told to Donna L. Morse I felt the pull, then the pain. It immediately slowed my pace. I’d never had an injury in all my high school years of cross-country running. Far from home in new surroundings,…
Read moreTesting God’s Promises
What God says He will do is more than just words. by Karen Foster I sit among strangers in a sterile hospital room, waiting. We each wait for our loved one to come out of surgery. We wait in our own little worlds. Read a magazine. Check a smart phone. Stare straight ahead as…
Read moreBack from the Wild Side
Steps away from God lead only to destruction. by Rick Stock as told to Jeanette Littleton Somewhere inside, my brain knew it was cold. I saw white puffs when I breathed. I heard the wind whipping the chains on the courthouse flagpole. But as I put my head against the frosty green Pinto, I…
Read moreMy Turn to Die
Navigating the ups and downs of addictive behavior. by K. P. Rojas The letter sat on my desk, unopened. Why was I afraid to open it? Because I knew there was something in that letter I didn’t want to read, didn’t want to tackle. I had no idea its pages would lead to a…
Read moreJust 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…
Read moreFreed from Facebook
Anything is an idol if it comes between us and God. by Carol Cumberland “I love seeing you on Facebook, Jamie,” I said to our friend’s daughter. “But it’s pretty addicting, and I might have to get off of it altogether.” What have I done? I just admitted to Jamie that I have an…
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