Topic > Christian Living
4 Ways to Cope with Pain and Loss
One afternoon last December, I received a text message from my former youth pastor asking me to pray for his wife, who was facing complications during delivery. When he called me later to explain the situation in detail, I could sense the tension in his voice.
Hidden Treasure
My husband and I read in different ways. Since English is a second language for Tom, he has a tendency to read slowly, word-for-word. I often speed-read by skimming. But Tom retains more than I do. He can easily quote something he read a week ago, while my retention can evaporate seconds after I turn away from the screen or book.
Skimming is also a problem when I’m reading the Bible—and not just the genealogies. I’m tempted to skim familiar passages, stories I’ve heard since I was a child, or a psalm that is part of a familiar chorus.
Proverbs 2 encourages…
Leave a Legacy
When a road-construction foreman was killed in an accident, the love of this man for his family, co-workers, and community resulted in an overwhelming sense of loss. His country church couldn’t accommodate all the mourners, so planners moved the service to a much larger building. Friends and family packed the auditorium! The message was clear: Tim touched many lives in a way uniquely his. So many would miss his kindness, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for life.
As I returned from the funeral, I thought about the life of King Jehoram. What a contrast! His brief reign of terror is traced…
Search me and know me
King David messed up royally, yet he was not afraid to have his heart searched by God. Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin the discussion called “Search Me.” For some, the words, “You have searched me and known me” in Psalm 139 produce fear and foreboding, making them want to hide. For others it brings comfort. But why the disparity?
Always Pray and Don’t Give Up
Are you going through one of those times when it seems every attempt to resolve a problem is met with a new difficulty? You thank the Lord at night that it’s taken care of but awake to find that something else has gone wrong and the problem remains.
During an experience like that, I was reading the gospel of Luke and was astounded by the opening words of chapter 18: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (v. 1). I had read the story of the persistent widow many…
How do we best pray for others
Today, we’ll pose the question, “How do we pray for others when we don’t know what’s best for them?” In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul gives us a model on how to do that, so we can pray, even when we don’t know what to pray for. That’s today on “Discover the Word.”
3 Lessons I’ve Learned From Writing a Letter to Myself
On the last day of 2014, while my church friends and I were gorging on a humongous meal, my dear husband gave us the idea of “writing a letter to your future self”. It intrigued me so much that I decided to give it a go.
Her Father’s Zoo
June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation.
Solomon had a similar interest in all creatures great and small. In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East, he imported exotic animals like apes and monkeys…
Praying for others is risky business
The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I have you in my heart.” As a model for how we are to pray for others, those words may be the most powerful ever spoken. Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll talk about how just as faith takes risk so does love. Find out why loving others and praying for them is risky business on “Discover the Word”!
Before the Phone
As a mom of young children I’m sometimes susceptible to panic. My first reaction is to call my mom on the phone and ask her what to do with my son’s allergy or my daughter’s sudden cough.
Mom is a great resource, but when I read the Psalms, I’m reminded of how often we need the kind of help that no mortal can give. In Psalm 18 David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord.
David could say, “I love you, Lord” because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a…
True confidence comes in Christ alone
In the film, “The Sound of Music,” Maria von Trapp sings, “I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain.” But nature can’t help you when you need answers to prayer. The apostle Paul modeled true confidence. His trust was in Christ alone and the power of prayer to transform people into His image. Don’t miss this important conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
What Is It?
My mother taught Sunday school for decades. One week she wanted to explain how God supplied food for the Israelites in the wilderness. To make the story come alive, she created something to represent “manna” for the kids in her class. She cut bread into small pieces and topped them with honey. Her recipe was inspired by the Bible’s description of manna that says it “tasted like wafers made with honey” (Ex. 16:31).
When the Israelites first encountered God’s bread from heaven, it appeared on the ground outside their tents like frost. “When [they] saw it, they said to each other,…
Praying with joy
In today’s busy world, does the thought of having to pray consistently for someone seem burdensome? Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll discuss how Paul is our example when it comes to praying with joy. It’s all about relationship. Don’t miss the discussion, today on “Discover the Word”!
Are You Satisfied With Your Life?
My growing up years were tough. When my parents got divorced, my brothers and I stayed with my dad, and we had to share a bedroom in a friend’s house for some time.
Bearing each other’s burdens
One sign of a healthy church is bearing each other’s burdens in prayer. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss what it means to be “Praying for Others” with the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians, “I thank God every time I remember you.” Paul had forged a strong bond with the people there. But since Paul was only in Philippi for a few weeks, how was that possible? Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
