EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS
When you were growing up, perhaps your mother sometimes told you, “No, you cannot have a piece of cake (or cookie, or candy) right now. It will ruin your dinner.” When she said, “ruin your dinner,” did she mean that the dinner would burn or become soggy? No, what she ...
Although Christmas had come and gone for another year, the little brown church in my neighborhood had not changed their sign-board message yet. I am sure they must have wanted those passing by to take in the thought-provoking words it...
As the mother of three children with quite varied personalities, I have noticed that the typical response I get from them sometimes determines whom I’m likely to call upon for help. While...
Never having learned to drive, someone has always been kind enough to pick me up in their car to go to appointments or gatherings. I always get ready early so I will not keep the person waiting. So I notice when our pastor announces special events, meetings, or choir practices and then adds, “If...
As a high school band director, I sometimes help parents make decisions about purchasing instruments. I have found that parents generally fall into one of two categories. Some just want to purchase the...
This past Christmas, my wife and I sent a Christmas card to some family members who live quite far from us. When the card was opened, the song “Silent Night” could be heard being sung by a beautiful voice. The only problem was that the recording was a little short, ...
I like the story of Nehemiah because he stayed encouraged even when his circumstances were discouraging. When Nehemiah asked about the state of the Children of Israel, he was told that the Israelites were under great affliction, and...
God’s intention, in every occasion of suffering, is to bring gain from our pain. More than one hundred years ago, on June 6, 1882, one man’s experience of heartbreak gave birth to a hymn that has...
Finally, at four o’clock in the morning, my alarm clock began to ring. Even though I had known for sure that the alarm was set, I had not slept soundly. I had picked up the clock and checked it half a dozen times throughout the night, thinking it must be...
As the new year dawns, it is common for ideas to start going through our minds of what we should resolve to change in the next calendar year. Maybe we want to lose weight, exercise more regularly, take more time for our children, read more, etc. For some people, these resolutions...