Four Life-Changing Benefits of Abiding in Christ
For six months, he agonized over the state of his soul. Each day, he resolved not to take his eyes off the Lord, but inevitably, daily pressures and the daily mail would vex his heart, and he’d forget God. The more he wanted to be holy and happy, the more elusive those qualities became. He […]
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life
In 1749, off the west coast of Africa, the first mate on a slave-trading ship lay sick in bed with Malaria. Delirious from illness, and despairing because of the wretchedness of his life, he wished for an escape. Staring at the ceiling of his cabin, he recounted all the ways he had cheated death. He […]
Do Not Be Troubled: Jesus is the Way
When Elisabeth Elliot first learned that her husband, Jim, had gone missing among the Auca Indians in the Ecuadorian jungle, the Lord brought Isaiah 43:2 to mind. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.” She prayed this simple prayer to steady her […]
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
On the evening of February 28, 1909, a passenger train climbed a mountain slope through Shiokari Pass in Japan. Inexplicably, the last carriage car came uncoupled from the train and began to slide back down the hill. Inside, the passengers panicked as the car picked up speed. Passenger Masao Nagano, who was also head of […]
Jesus is the Door – Will You Walk Through?
For my twelfth birthday, my Mom took me to see my childhood idol, Amy Grant, in concert. To say I was a fan would be an understatement. I had all of her records and tapes and spent untold hours memorizing every word of her songs. Having never been to a concert before, I asked if […]
Jesus is the Light of the World & His Light Brings Hope
For 68 years, Pierre-Paul Thomas’s world was void of light. Born with a congenital condition, his optic nerve was severely damaged, and cataracts clouded his eyes. Surgeries from childhood had proven unsuccessful, and any glimmer of hope he would someday see had long been snuffed out. But in the most unlikely way, a frightening tumble […]
Introducing a New Writing Community: The Writers’ Bloc!
Have you ever encountered art that’s so beautiful that it moved you, maybe even to tears? Sometimes the response is completely appropriate and right, like the awe you feel in front of Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, or at the base of Mount Rushmore, or staring up at the Eiffel Tower. We stand amazed at the […]
Your Seasons are in God’s Hands
On Saturday, I took part in a strange American ritual called a cheer competition. Even though I cheered in high school, today’s competitive cheer world is completely foreign to me. It’s louder, faster, more impressive, and more expensive than anything I experienced growing up. I felt conspicuously sparkle-less as I entered the crowded arena and […]
The Lies Writers Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free
The world is full of good advice for writers. Just ask Google, “How to start writing?” and you’ll get a host of interesting answers like become a reader, commit to a routine, use writing exercises, and find a community to support your efforts. We’d all agree that this advice makes sense and would help us […]
Coram Deo & How to Make Your Life & Work Count for Eternity
Are your life and work making an impact for eternity? This is an uncomfortable question. But perhaps this is the question behind the question of why we make new year’s resolutions. We desire to lay aside the things that hinder and distract us from fulfilling our life’s purpose. So we change external things, like cutting […]
