When I die, will my family and friends say to one another, “She was such a godly person, except for _________”? I hope not! I want them to say, “She grew so much in _________ (that area). She never stopped growing.” I want to be like Paul, who said as he neared the end of…
O What Peace We Often Forfeit, O What Needless Pain We Bear
It was like swimming in a liquid jewel, I finally decided. When I swam in the pure, gem-toned waters surrounding the U.S. Virgin Islands, it felt like a feast for the senses. The bays that sculpt the coastlines of those islands are glorious places to find yourself swimming -- something I never imagined doing while…
Should I Settle for Cheap Happiness, or Is There Something Better?
Have you taken these easy routes to cheap happiness, as I have? The one-more-cookie comfort for sadness or loneliness? The momentary satisfaction of venting your feelings before praying them through? The brief "fun" of getting away with procrastination or toying with unhealthy thoughts? The mindless enjoyment of scrolling, scrolling, scrolling? Our struggles against ungodly choices…
The Ultimate Companion on Our Journey of Faith
That glazed look on some of us during/after one of our long journeys to the Philippines, 1997. How are you this new year? Shaken? Discouraged? Hopeful but tired? Lift up your heart with me to our wise and compassionate Companion on this pilgrimage through life. In four decades as a gospel worker, a long eye-blink…
Deadly Sacrifice on the Altar of Convenience
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…
The Nearness of God 