Topic > Christian Beliefs
A Perfect Father
My father once admitted to me, “When you were growing up, I was gone a lot.”
I don’t remember that. Besides working his full-time job, he was gone some evenings to direct choir practice at church, and he occasionally traveled for a week or two with a men’s quartet. But for all the significant (and many small) moments of my life—he was there.
For instance, when I was 8, I had a tiny part in an afternoon play at school. All the mothers came, but only one dad—mine. In many little ways, he has always let my sisters and me know that…
To Those Not Celebrating Father’s Day
I have nothing against Father’s Day. My family just never had the practice of celebrating it—along with other occasions like Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
Time Together
On the two-hour drive home from a family member’s wedding, my mom asked me for the third time what was new in my job. I once again repeated some of the details as if telling her for the first time, while wondering what might possibly make my words more memorable. My mom has Alzheimer’s, a disease that progressively destroys the memory, can adversely affect behavior, and eventually leads to the loss of speech—and more.
I grieve because of my mom’s disease but am thankful she is still here and we can spend time together—and even converse. It thrills me that whenever I…
Made Alive
As a young man, my dad was traveling with a group of friends to an out-of-town sporting event when the tires of their car slipped on the rain-soaked roads. They had an accident—a bad accident. One of his friends was paralyzed and another was killed. My dad was declared dead and taken to the morgue. His shocked and grief-stricken parents came to identify him. But my dad revived from what turned out to be a deep coma. Their mourning turned to joy.
In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul reminds us that apart from Christ we are “dead in [our] transgressions and…
Asking for help can revitalize your walk with God
Have you ever been reluctant to ask for help? Maybe you thought you’d be a burden, so you held back. But could a refusal to seek assistance actually be rooted in a self-centered pride? Today on Discover the Word, we look to the prophet Jeremiah to see how humbly asking for help can revitalize your […]
Rhythms of Grace
A friend and his wife, now in their early nineties and married for sixty-six years, wrote their family history for their children, grandchildren, and generations to come. The final chapter, “A Letter from Mom and Dad,” contains important life-lessons they’ve learned. One caused me to pause and take inventory of my own life: “If you find that Christianity exhausts you, draining you of your energy, then you are practicing religion rather than enjoying a relationship with Jesus Christ. Your walk with the Lord will not make you weary; it will invigorate you, restore your strength, and energize your life” (Matt.…
Why I Said No to Clubbing
Growing up in a Christian family, I was the typical good girl. I was obedient and submissive. When I was younger, I made all my choices and decisions based on the nodding (or shaking) of my parents’ heads. So, as you would imagine, even my fashion choices were wholly based on my mother’s style.
Consider the Clouds
One day many years ago my boys and I were lying on our backs in the yard watching the clouds drift by. “Dad,” one asked, “why do clouds float?” “Well, son,” I began, intending to give him the benefit of my vast knowledge, but then I lapsed into silence. “I don’t know,” I admitted, “but I’ll find out for you.”
The answer, I discovered, is that condensed moisture, descending by gravity, meets warmer temperatures rising from the land. That moisture then changes into vapor and ascends back into the air. That’s a natural explanation for the phenomenon.
But natural explanations are not…
“Standing at the Crossroads”
We all have to make decisions. But when you find yourself “Standing at the Crossroads” of a decision, how do you determine which way to go? Today on Discover the Word, we kick off a new series about the prophet Jeremiah and explore ancient wisdom that helped him make godly decisions. Listen to Discover the Word, today!
Job & Jesus and puzzling questions
Today on Discover the Word, the team concludes the series titled, “Job and Jesus”! And as they come to the end of Job’s story, they come across a puzzling question you may not have thought about before. It’s about his children. Join the team today for a thought-provoking discussion about “Job and Jesus,” today on […]
Less-than-perfect friends are also loved by God
Today on Discover the Word, we are back in the book of Job as we close in on the end of the series called “Job and Jesus.” And they’re talking about Job’s, well, less-than-perfect friends. But even they were part of God’s plan, and they are greatly loved by God. Listen today on Discover the Word!
Rings and Grace
When I look at my hands, I am reminded that I lost my wedding and engagement rings. I was multitasking as I packed for a trip, and I still have no idea where they ended up.
I dreaded telling my husband about my careless mistake—worried how the news would affect him. But he responded with more compassion and care for me than concern over the rings. However, there are times when I still want to do something to earn his grace! He, on the contrary, doesn’t hold this episode against me.
So many times we remember our sins and feel we must…
Do you ever feel like you’re having a one-sided conversation?
Have you ever felt like you were having a one-sided conversation with someone? That it seemed like you had to do all the talking because you couldn’t get them to speak, like it was really a monologue? Today on Discover the Word, the team looks to the story of Job to answer the question, “Are […]
God Calling
One morning my daughter gave her eleven-month-old son her cell phone for a moment to entertain him. Less than a minute later my phone rang, and as I picked it up I heard his little voice. He had somehow hit the “speed dial” to my number, and what followed was a “conversation” I will long remember. My grandson can only say a few words, but he knows my voice and responds to it. So I talked to him and told him how much I love him.
The joy I felt at the sound of my grandson’s voice was a reminder to…
Behind Happy Social Media Posts
Whenever I scroll through Facebook or microblogging site Weibo, I will always look with envy at the lovely photos of my friends’ travelling escapades, their new branded products, and delicious food that they enjoy. Based on these photos, I have to conclude that their lives must be going swimmingly.
