Topic > Life Struggles
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.
When Serving Brought Out the Worst in Me
Growing up in church, I was actively involved in church activities at a young age. As a youth, I served as a Sunday school teacher as well as a musician in the worship team. From a young age, I knew that God had blessed me with gifts so that I could bless others.
Good Medicine
Careless driving, rising tempers, and use of foul language among some taxi and minibus drivers are a constant source of traffic fights in our city of Accra, Ghana. But one traffic incident I witnessed took a different turn. A bus was almost hit by a careless taxi driver. I expected the bus driver to get angry and yell at the taxi driver, but he didn’t. Instead, the bus driver relaxed his stern face and smiled broadly at the guilty-looking taxi driver. And the smile worked wonders. With a raised hand, the taxi driver apologized, smiled back, and moved away, the…
Where Can We Find Safety in the Midst of Suicide Attacks?
Some weeks ago, in my hometown Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, a would-be suicide bomber charged into a church while it was holding a Sunday service and tried to detonate his vest. By God’s grace, the bomb failed to detonate, and the congregation was able to restrain him and subsequently hand him over to the police.
My Struggle With Alcohol: The Spirit That Never Satisfies
I used to drink a lot. Once, I had one too many that I stumbled about the streets and passed out outside a shopping mall in the wee hours. Some kind strangers woke me up and asked if I needed to be sent to the hospital.
What Singleness Taught Me About Love
While having lunch with a girl friend one day, we touched on our favorite topic as single girls: relationships. Contrary to what many romantic drama serials and movies portray, the life of a single professional woman (especially if she is a Christian) is far from one of romance and constant social activity.
A Letter To All First-Year Students
Hey there, You made it! You’ve survived the plane, bus, or train ride and have arrived at a new season of life. Welcome to university—your home for the next three to four years!
Why I Stopped Proving Myself At Work
I was not excited to start my journey as a working adult. People had been giving me tips on how to succeed and be more outspoken—and it wearied me. My fears materialized when I eventually started work in June this year.
After Being Told I was Promoted . . . I Quit
If the interviewers knew the type of student I was in school, they would probably have rejected my application right away. I was hyperactive, restless, and even “overly dramatic”—according to one teacher’s description in my report card.
Giants in the Land
After being encamped near Mt. Sinai for 2 years, the people of Israel were on the verge of entering Canaan—the land God had promised them. God told them to send 12 spies to assess the land and the people living there. When the spies saw the strength of the Canaanites and the size of their cities, ten of them said, “We can’t!” Two said, “We can!”
What made the difference?
When the ten compared the giants with themselves and the giants loomed large; the two—Caleb and Joshua—compared the giants with God, and the giants were cut…
Comparison Obsession
Thomas J. DeLong, a professor at Harvard Business School, has noted a disturbing trend among his students and colleagues—a “comparison obsession.” He writes: “More so than ever before, . . . business executives, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals are obsessed with comparing their own achievements against those of others. . . . This is bad for individuals and bad for companies—when you define success based on external rather than internal criteria, you diminish your satisfaction and commitment.”
Comparison obsession isn’t new. The Scriptures warn us of the dangers of comparing ourselves to others. When we do so, we…
Why We Never Get What We Want
As a child, I was a huge fan of the Donald Duck series. I enjoyed watching the silly antics of the main characters, like the greedy miser Uncle Scrooge, his rival Flintheart Glomgold, the lazy Donald Duck, and his three clever nephews.
Where is God when we lose our jobs?
As someone whose job involves helping others find employment, I have met many people who face different challenges in their job search. Some of the key ones are: constant rejection from employers, skills mismatch, and the lack of networking skills.
No Fear
Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are “Do not be afraid!” (Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 28:5; Rev. 1:17). Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in catatonic fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance on earth in a form that does not frighten. In Jesus, born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough, God finds at last a mode of approach that we need not fear. What could be less scary than a newborn baby?
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It’s Time We Stop Being “Perfect”
Perfection. It’s in a frozen smile and windswept hair. It’s in soft, brown hair or slim, toned legs. It’s when someone has everything together. We see perfection—but only when we are not looking closely enough. I used to envy other girls for their beauty and popularity.
