It’s my birthday. I won’t say my age, but it’s a slight bit over 30. It’s hard to imagine I am turning 31, when all three of my children will be older than their mother! As a kid, our birthdays were never a big event; in fact, I don’t think I had a birthday party …
New Year, New You!It’s catchy. It’s marketable. And it plays on the natural dissatisfaction that we all feel. I often feel disappointed in myself. You may sympathize… I am my own greatest critique. As the winter chill wears off, spring opens new. It quickly gives way to summer heat, and before I know what has …
A New Year awaits us on Thursday, what will this new year bring? Much of this depends on you and your mindset. Will you have a renewed love and purpose since God in His mercy has given you life in this new year? As I get older, I remember this quote, “aging is a privilege …
Every December, billions of dollars change hands as people buy gifts for friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors. In the United States alone, Christmas spending now exceeds $1 trillion annually, with Christmas gift-giving in gift cards, decorations, gadgets, clothing, and luxury items accounting for a significant portion of that figure. Some argue the tradition of gift-giving …
Along the Western Front in Belgium, it was a dark and bitterly cold night — Christmas Eve, 1914. Soldiers had already seen far too much blood. They were deeply traumatized, aching for their families. The distance between what they believed the war would be and what it had become felt like a gaping chasm. Then, …
Colorful lights, an eclectic mix of bought and handmade ornaments, stockings hung on the wall, and a Veggie Tales Christmas CD on repeat all month long. These are some of the sights and sounds from the Christmas’s of my childhood. The focus of the season was always directly on Jesus and the story of his …
Christmas, something many long for and others dread. It often begins before fall decor is finished being placed in stores, and most don’t wait until Thanksgiving is over before the tree wreaths and ornaments make us feel very “holidayish”. Interestingly enough, it is a holiday that is greatly commercialized, and yet no price tag can …
My Tribute by Andrae Crouch, touches my heart. It is so full of gratitude, giving of thanks, & praise. As a teenager, I remember singing this song with Dad, Mom Sylvia, & Renay as we took drives, or looked at the ocean with its waves. I will never forget those moments that drew me closer …
In Pakistan’s church liturgy, the Punjabi Zabūr (“Psalms in Punjabi”) are central. Originating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the tireless efforts of Rev. Dr. Imam-ud-Din Shahbaz (1845–1921). A Punjabi convert to Christianity who translated all 150 psalms into Punjabi poetic verse. He, then, collaborated with a music committee to set them …
Have you ever made a paper boat? They hold so much promise for about five seconds — until reality (and water) hit. I’ve made choices in life that felt the same way: beautifully folded plans that didn’t seem waterproof once the storms came. When we moved to Ukraine to help start a church, I had …
