My wife was 30 weeks pregnant when we lost our baby. She got home late from her first family baby shower and we stayed up even later going through each gift for our first daughter. But during the night, she started cramping and we drove to the hospital. I was sure that we were overreacting. Two weeks prior, the obstetrician said everything was fine. But the ultrasound at the hospital showed no heartbeat. Our baby had died.
“We’ll take care of everything,” said the doctor.
We barely heard her. We were lost in our hurt, confused by what was happening, and…
What kind of life does God desire for us?
Life has a way of shaking up our stability, and it is times like this that reveal where we place our trust. God desires for us a life of wholeness, a life of being complete. But how we get there is very important.
I Can’t Stop Sinning: What Should I Do?
I’ve just joined a squash club and I’m starting to think it was a mistake. For one, the membership, courts, new shoes, racquet, and balls are expensive. Secondly, every game reduces me to a sweaty mess—surely it must be unhealthy to sweat that much in one 40-minute window.
Pencil Battle
As I learned to write my letters, my first-grade teacher insisted that I hold my pencil in a specific way. As she watched me, I held it the way she wanted me to. But when she turned away, I obstinately reverted the pencil to the way I found more comfortable.
I thought I was the secret winner in that battle of the wills, and I still hold my pencil in my own peculiar way. Decades later, however, I realize that my wise teacher knew that my stubborn habit would grow into a bad writing practice that would result in my hand…
Ant-Man: Good Things Come in Small Packages
On paper, Marvel’s twelfth instalment, Ant-Man stands no chance against the other Marvel heavyweights. There’s nothing revolutionary about its bug suits, its advanced technology, or its shrinking powers. Yet, it manages to beat the bad guy on the big screen—by reducing its hero to a speck. Ant-Man, clearly, is no small (ahem) proof that good things come in small packages.
Obtaining peace during times of conflict
Jesus said He came that we might have abundant life. The problem for us is that sometimes we think “abundant” means “easy.” Join us for an encouraging conversation about the issue of peace during times of conflict. Incredible lessons can be learned from Jesus’ last night with His disciples.
The Checkup
It’s that time of year when I go to the doctor for my annual physical. Even though I feel well and I’m not experiencing any health problems, I know that routine checkups are important because they can uncover hidden problems that if left undiscovered can grow to be serious health issues. I know that giving permission to my doctor to find and remedy the hidden problems can lead to long-term health.
Clearly the psalmist felt that way spiritually. Pleading for God to search for hidden sin, he prayed, “Search me, O God, . . . and see if there is any…
A Devoted Heart
A successful Christian businessman shared his story with us at church. He was candid about his struggles with faith and abundant wealth. He declared, “Wealth scares me!”
He quoted Jesus’ statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25 niv). He cited Luke 16:19-31 about the rich man and Lazarus and how in this story it was the rich man who went to hell. The parable of the “rich fool” (Luke 12:16-21) disturbed him.
“But,” the businessman stated, “I’ve learned a lesson…
Walking with the Lord
A small pamphlet I received from a friend was titled “An Attempt to Share the Story of 86 Years of Relationship with the Lord.” In it, Al Ackenheil noted key people and events in his journey of faith over nearly nine decades. What seemed to be ordinary choices at the time—memorizing Bible verses, meeting for prayer with others, telling his neighbors about Jesus—became turning points that changed the direction of his life. It was fascinating to read how God’s hand guided and encouraged Al.
The psalmist wrote, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights…
The battlefield of faith in both poverty and wealth
They say that life is a matter of perspective, and it takes a strong mind to stay faithful. As you go through tough times, where do you set your thoughts?
What Carrying the Cross Really Means
As a Christian, I know it is important to attend church on Sundays, as God has commanded us in his Word: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Speak Up
When I hear stories about young people who have been bullied, I notice there are always at least two levels of hurt. The first and most obvious comes from the mean-spirited nature of those actually doing the bullying. That’s terrible on its own. But there’s another, deeper hurt that may end up being even more damaging than the first: The silence of everyone else.
It hurts the one being bullied because they’re stunned that no one will help. That often makes bullies more brazen, leading them to intensify their meanness. Worse, it heightens the embarrassment, false shame, and loneliness of the…
Is living by faith a waste of time?
A life of faith means we may not see the results right away, or even in our lifetime. Today on “Discover the Word,” our hosts and our special guest Torrey Robinson talk about faith and trials. Is it worth it? You bet it is!
Working Out An Imperfect Marriage
It should have been the perfect marriage. After all, God Himself had indicated that they were meant to be together. But even with such an auspicious beginning, the union of Isaac and Rebekah did not work out perfectly.
Miracle Material
CNN calls a derivative of graphite a “miracle material” that could revolutionize our future. Only one atom thick, graphene is being hailed as a truly two-dimensional material in a 3-D world. One hundred times stronger than steel, it is harder than diamond, conducts electricity 1,000 times better than copper, and is more flexible than rubber.
In and of themselves, such technological advances are neither moral nor evil. But we are wise to remember the limitations of anything we make for ourselves.
Isaiah spoke to a generation who found themselves carrying into captivity gods they had made with their own hands. The prophet…
