Month: December 2016

Thanks-Living

Wanting to mature in her spiritual life and become more thankful, Sue started what she called a Thanks-Living jar. Each evening she wrote on a small piece of paper one thing she thanked God for and dropped it in the jar. Some days she had many praises; other difficult days she struggled to find one. At the end of the year she emptied her jar and read through all of the notes. She found herself thanking God again for everything He had done. He had given simple things like a beautiful sunset or a cool evening for a walk in…

Now Is the Day

Our preschool-age granddaughter Maggie and her kindergarten-age sister Katie hauled several blankets to the backyard, where they proceeded to build a blanket tent in which to play. They had been outside a while when their mom heard Maggie call for her.

          “Mom, come here quick!” Maggie yelled. “I want to ask Jesus into my heart, and I need your help!” Apparently at that moment her need for Jesus became clear to her, and she was ready to put her faith in Him.

          Maggie’s urgent call for help in trusting Jesus brings to mind Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 6 about…

Now Is the Day

Our preschool-age granddaughter Maggie and her kindergarten-age sister Katie hauled several blankets to the backyard, where they proceeded to build a blanket tent in which to play. They had been outside a while when their mom heard Maggie call for her.

          “Mom, come here quick!” Maggie yelled. “I want to ask Jesus into my heart, and I need your help!” Apparently at that moment her need for Jesus became clear to her, and she was ready to put her faith in Him.

          Maggie’s urgent call for help in trusting Jesus brings to mind Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 6 about…

Doing good for the sake of the gospel

Today on Discover the Word, hear the conclusion of a thought provoking study on Titus chapter 2 with previous hosts Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan. It’s a special encore presentation of an unconventional Christmas series that originally aired years ago,  but one that can have a profound impact on how we live out […]

Time Alone With God

It was a busy morning in the church room where I was helping. Nearly a dozen little children were chattering and playing. There was so much activity that the room became warm and I propped the door open. One little boy saw this as his chance to escape so when he thought no one was looking, he tiptoed out the door. Hot on his trail, I wasn’t surprised that he was headed straight for his daddy’s arms.

The little boy did what we need to do when life becomes busy and overwhelming—he slipped away to be with his father. Jesus looked…

2016: When Death Is On A Roll

As if the sudden deaths of British pop singer George Michael, 53, and American actress Carrie Fisher, 60—just four days apart—weren’t shocking enough, Fisher’s mother, renowned US actress Debbie Reynolds, also passed away yesterday, just one day after her daughter’s death.

A Second Look at the Christmas Story Blew My Mind

A couple of days ago, I went to the park in a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. It was 80 degrees Fahrenheit (about 27 degrees Celsius) outside and felt absolutely nothing like Christmas. In most parts of the United States, it’s cold—maybe even snowing.

Time Alone With God

It was a busy morning in the church room where I was helping. Nearly a dozen little children were chattering and playing. There was so much activity that the room became warm and I propped the door open. One little boy saw this as his chance to escape so when he thought no one was looking, he tiptoed out the door. Hot on his trail, I wasn’t surprised that he was headed straight for his daddy’s arms.

The little boy did what we need to do when life becomes busy and overwhelming—he slipped away to be with his father. Jesus looked…

God’s grace changes the way we live

God’s gift of grace does more than give us peace about our past and hope for our future. It changes the way we live today. Today on Discover the Word, join past hosts Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan as they take a look at Titus chapter 2  and discuss the way God’s grace […]

An Accident Nearly Took My Life But Grace Saved Me

On 20 August 2011, eight days after my 26th birthday, I was nearly killed in a car accident. That Saturday morning, I was driving around the outskirts of my hometown, Ipoh, Malaysia, with a colleague.

Signet Ring

When I first made the acquaintance of a new friend from abroad, I noticed his posh English accent and that he wore a ring on his little finger. Later I learned that this wasn’t just jewelry; it revealed his family’s history through the family crest engraved on it.

It was a bit like a signet ring—perhaps like the one in Haggai. In this short Old Testament book, the prophet Haggai calls for the people of God to restart the rebuilding of the temple. They had been exiled and had now returned to their homeland and begun rebuilding, but enemy opposition to…

The greatest Gift of all!

So much of the Christmas season is about giving and receiving gifts, and when you think back over the years perhaps there’s a particular gift that comes to mind for you. Today on Discover the Word, original hosts Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan remember the greatest gift of all. It’s part of a […]

Watching All Your Friends Get Married

I go to a lot of weddings. Like, a lot—five this summer, five last summer. I hang out with a lot of couples. And I write a lot about singleness. Go figure, right? My life, humorous to many, typically brings about a lot of questions.

Locked Into Love

In June 2015, the city of Paris removed forty-five tons of padlocks from the railings of the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge. As a romantic gesture, couples would etch their initials onto a lock, attach it to the railing, click it shut, and throw the key into the River Seine.

After this ritual was repeated thousands of times, the bridge could no longer bear the weight of so much “love.” Eventually the city, fearing for the integrity of the bridge, removed the “love locks.”

            The locks were meant to symbolize everlasting love, but human love does not always last. The closest…

A Message of hope

Christmastime is filled with anticipation. As children, we could hardly wait to find those gifts beneath the tree. But as adults, there’s something even better to look forward to. This week, enjoy some classic Christmas programs with original Discover the Word hosts Haddon Robinson, Alice Mathews, and Mart DeHaan. They’ll share what the term “Advent” […]