God delights in lavishing us with gifts. He loved us so much He gave His only Son for our sins. "How will He not also, with Him, freely give us all things?" the Apostle Paul asked (Romans 8:32). In the beginning, He made us a fresh, luxuriant garden, where we could work and walk, at…
I Grieved the Missed Opportunity When the Store Burned
What? Our grocery store had burned down the night before? I was shocked, and not just by the news. The worst part for me was that I had been there the previous day. I had felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to talk with the cashier about knowing Jesus. For some reason I avoided…
What Kind of Music Do I Want to Play?
Don’t do this at your home! Coming distractedly down our uncarpeted tile stairs some years ago, I missed a few of the last steps and fell, painfully spraining my ankle. The good thing about the situation was the first thing out of my mouth. “Thank You, Lord!” I sang out. I was surprised and happy…
What Was He Created For? The Tale of the Young Nobleman
Far away in the Limmerey Isles, a young man grew up happy and carefree. He had become feudal lord in place of his noble father (for his parents had given him full control of their lands while on a distant quest), and he was much heralded in the villages that were part of his domain.…
Just an Ordinary Sail in a Double Outrigger Canoe
It was our 20th anniversary. Ed and I were about to take a romantic sunset sail around the beautiful Philippine island of Boracay, just four miles long and one mile wide. Two guys would sail the large double outrigger canoe, and we would sit back and enjoy the view. Or so we thought. Sailing around…
His Power and Glory Resting on Me
For the first time I can remember in a devotional time, I sat completely stunned. I covered my eyes as though a literal brightness had blinded me. After a difficult turn of events in our family, that morning I had turned to 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient…
His Show is On All the Time
My son gestured to the view from our back porch. “That’s your TV,” he said to me. He’s right. God’s amazing show is always running and always worth watching. I love to look out early to see Venus shining brilliantly in the dark morning sky. The outrageous oranges, pinks and golds of sunrise make me…
It’s the Little Things That Make You Blue
It's the Little Things for Ed It’s the little things that just won’t wait. It’s the little things that make us late. It’s the little things that I must do, It’s the little things that make you blue. I’ll dye my roots; I’ll bake some bread. I must put clean sheets on the bed. This…
With Love and Respect for All
With the sorrow, pain, and racial tensions we have been feeling in the U.S. these days, I am remembering a time when I experienced some of the most intense feelings I have ever had. My husband Ed and I, both white Americans, were with a group of other people from our organization, from Ghana, the…
Fortune Cookies, A Conference, and A Romance
“Will it ever be my turn?” I wondered as my plane winged its way to Washington, D.C. that July. Would I ever marry? Most of my friends had married by then. I longed for someone to lavish my love on, but had never met that someone who was just right for me. The five-day planning…
