Topic > Christian Living
Don’t let your pain distort the goodness of God
At one time or another, we’ve all felt hurt, wounded or angry. And in the midst of our pain, it’s easy for our viewpoint to get distorted and lose sight of the goodness and greatness of God. Today on Discover the Word, the group along with guest Torrey Robinson explore Naomi’s lament, using her lack of […]
This Gift
A number of years ago I wrote an essay about my collection of canes, staffs, and walking sticks and mused that I might someday graduate to a walker. Well, the day has come. A combination of back issues and peripheral neuropathy has left me pushing a three-wheel walker. I can’t hike; I can’t fish; I can’t do many of the things that used to bring me great joy.
I’m trying to learn, however, that my limitation, whatever it may be, is a gift from God, and it is with this gift that I am to serve Him. This gift and not another.…
Boaz, the husband of Ruth and ancestor of Jesus
Ever wished you could sit down with one of your favorite Bible characters to learn what makes them tick? Today on Discover the Word, we welcome Boaz to the table—the husband of Ruth and ancestor of Jesus. Torrey Robinson, son of longtime Discover the Word group member Haddon Robinson, plays the part of Boaz in […]
Does My Worship Please God?
I am easily distracted by just about anything. In some cases, the distraction is temporary and does not really affect whatever I am doing.
I Am With You
When I served as an intern for a Christian magazine, I wrote a story about a person who had become a Christian. In a dramatic change, he said goodbye to his former life and embraced his new Master: Jesus. A few days after the magazine hit the street, an anonymous caller threatened, “Be careful, Darmani. We are watching you! Your life is in danger in this country if you write such stories.”
That was not the only time I have been threatened for pointing people to Christ. On one occasion a man told me to vanish with the tract I was…
POEM: What is Life?
What is life but
Strolling, trotting, jogging, racing,
Talking, laughing, sighing, crying,
Schooling, working, loving, bearing,
Caring, tearing, daring, sharing,
Your Journey
I grew up in the rebellious 1960s and turned my back on religion. I had attended church all my life but didn’t come to faith until my early twenties after a terrible accident. Since that time, I have spent my adult years telling others of Jesus’ love for us. It has been a journey.
Certainly “a journey” fittingly describes life in this broken world. On the way we encounter mountains and valleys, rivers and plains, crowded highways and lonely roads—highs and lows, joys and sorrows, conflict and loss, heartache and solitude. We can’t see the road ahead, so we must take…
I’m No Superwoman and It’s Perfectly Okay
In English novelist Jane Austen’s classic, Pride and Prejudice, there is a particular discussion on the attributes of an “accomplished woman”.
Desert Solitaire
Desert Solitaire is Edward Abbey’s personal history of his summers as a park ranger in what is now called Arches National Park in Utah. The book is worth reading if only for Abbey’s bright language and vivid descriptions of the US Southwest.
But Abbey, for all his artistry, was an atheist who could see nothing beyond the surface of the beauty he enjoyed. How sad! He lived his entire life in praise of beauty and missed the point of it all.
Most ancient peoples had theories of origins enshrouded in legend, myth, and song. But Israel’s story of creation was unique: It told of…
When I Realized Working Hard Isn’t Everything
A colleague of mine recently retired after working for the same organization for 35 years. He was one of those who worked 24/7 and gave his heart and soul to the job at hand.
Am I Giving Enough For God?
Living a faithful, godly life in the area of finances is something I am desperately trying to do. I give generously, but I still feel like I am doing it all wrong. About five times a year, I decide I am going to give away all of my money to the poor.
Do We Have To?
Joie started the children’s program with prayer, then sang with the kids. Six-year-old Emmanuel squirmed in his seat when she prayed again after introducing Aaron, the teacher. Then Aaron began and ended his talk with prayer. Emmanuel complained: “That’s four prayers! I can’t sit still that long!”
If you think Emmanuel’s challenge is difficult, look at 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray continually” or always be in a spirit of prayer. Even some of us adults can find prayer to be boring. Maybe that’s because we don’t know what to say or don’t understand that prayer is a conversation with our Father.
Back in the…
Keep Up the Good Work
My son loves to read. If he reads more books than what is required at school, he receives an award certificate. That bit of encouragement motivates him to keep up the good work.
When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians he motivated them not with an award but with words of encouragement. He said, “Brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more” (1 Thess. 4:1). These Christians were pleasing God through their lives,…
A Fan for Life
Cade Pope, a 12-year-old boy from Oklahoma, mailed out 32 handwritten letters—one to each executive in charge of a National Football League (NFL) team in the US. Cade wrote, “My family and I love football. We play fantasy football and watch [the] games every weekend. . . . I am ready to pick an NFL team to cheer on for a lifetime!”
Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers football team, responded with a handwritten note of his own. The first line read: “We would be honored if our [team] became your team. We would make you proud.” Richardson went on…
Joining the conversation
Are you a loyal listener who’s always wanted to join the conversation asking, “Why doesn’t somebody say this?” Well, today on Discover the Word, we give 4th chair contest winner Greg Brown the chance to be that “somebody.” He’s in the studio and part of the conclusion of their series about “Carrying Our Friends to Christ”! […]
