Topic > Life Struggles
Resting and Waiting
It was high noon. Jesus, foot-weary from His long journey, was resting beside Jacob’s well. His disciples had gone into the city of Sychar to buy bread. A woman came out of the city to draw water . . . and found her Messiah. The account tells us that she quickly went into the city and invited others to come hear “a man who told me everything I ever did” (John 4:29).
The disciples came back bringing bread. When they urged Jesus to eat, He said to them, “My food . . . is to do the will of him who…
Out of the Ruins
In the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem you’ll find Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue. Built in the 19th century, the synagogue was dynamited by commandos during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
For years the site lay in ruins. Then, in 2014, rebuilding began. As city officials set a piece of rubble as the cornerstone, one of them quoted from Lamentations: “Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old” (5:21).
Lamentations is Jeremiah’s funeral song for Jerusalem. With graphic imagery the prophet describes the impact of war on his city. Verse 21 is his heartfelt prayer for God to intervene.…
Faith, disappointment and doubt
Have you ever been the victim of a cruel joke? Well, today’s study of “The Miraculous Life of Elisha” on “Discover the Word” takes us to a woman who may have felt like the victim of a cosmically cruel joke after her young son suddenly died. Join us as we discuss how repeated disappointments in our lives can cause us to doubt, even in the midst of our faith. A revealing conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
Unconventional Tactics
In 1980, a woman hopped on a subway during the Boston Marathon. No big deal, except for one small detail. She was supposed to be running the marathon! Later, witnesses saw her jump into the race less than a mile from the finish line. She finished well ahead of all the other female runners, and oddly, she wasn’t winded or even sweating much. For a brief time she looked like the winner.
In a conflict long ago, a people who were losing a battle found a more honorable way to win. When messengers told King Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming…
How I Got Rid of Self-Pity
I have many reasons to feel sorry for myself. The biggest one is my physical disability: I was born deaf. I could not speak until I was seven years old, when my parents sent me to a special elementary school for handicapped people.
Who Am I Working For?
Henry worked 70 hours a week. He loved his job and brought home a sizeable paycheck to provide good things for his family. He always had plans to slow down but he never did. One evening he came home with great news—he had been promoted to the highest position in his company. But no one was home. Over the years, his children had grown up and moved out, his wife had found a career of her own, and now the house was empty. There was no one to share the good news with.
Solomon talked about the need to keep a…
5 Ways to Fight Procrastination
I’m a procrastinator. It’s been a battle since birth. In fact, I even delayed my birth: I refused to get into the proper position for delivery
When I Died to Myself At Work
Several weeks ago, my church mate commented about the attitude of an intern working in her organization. Whenever he did not know how to do something, she said, he would keep quiet instead of seeking help, or say that it could not be done.
When Did You Last Try to “Fix” Yourself?
It’s a bad day at work. One of the kids is acting up again. This time, he’s putting his legs up onto his chair. Regardless of how many times I tell him to put them down, he refuses. Each time I repeat myself, it sounds like I’m nagging.
Whatever You Do
God reveals Himself to us, and we are to mirror Him. He created, and at the end He said, “It was good.” So whatever it is that you do—do it well. Do it with purpose. Do it for Him. And at the end of the day, you can say, “It was good.”
The Blacksmith and the King
In 1878, when Scotsman Alexander Mackay arrived in what is now Uganda to serve as a missionary, he first set up a blacksmith forge among a tribe ruled by King Mutesa. Villagers gathered around this stranger who worked with his hands, puzzled because everyone “knew” that work was for women. At that time, men in Uganda never worked with their hands. They raided other villages to capture slaves, selling them to outsiders. Yet here was this foreign man at work forging farming tools.
Mackay’s work ethic and life resulted in relationships with the villagers and gained him an audience with the…
What’s in the Dark?
Ghosts, bogeymen, monsters, and other scary creatures were all part of my childhood (and perhaps yours too!). Somehow, it was embedded in my mind that in the dark, something scary would be lurking around the corner.
Lurking Lions
When I was young, my dad would “scare” us by hiding in the bush and growling like a lion. Even though we lived in rural Ghana in the 1960s, it was almost impossible that a lion lurked nearby. My brother and I would laugh and seek out the source of the noise, thrilled that playtime with Dad had arrived.
One day a young friend came for a visit. As we played, we heard the familiar growl. Our friend screamed and ran. My brother and I knew the sound of my father’s voice—any “danger” was merely a phantom lion—but a funny thing…
To All Single Christian Girls: There’s More to Life than Finding Your Soulmate
My dear friends, Penning this letter brings back memories and emotions of my long, eventful journey as a single woman. Although I was a believer, I felt unloved by God.
The depth of the love of God
Today on “Discover the Word,” we will talk about the depth of the love of God. Only special creatures can tolerate the deepest part of the ocean. But, the depth of God’s love? We can all revel in the fact that we’re loved that much! “The 4-D Love of God” . . . finish that discussion with the group today on “Discover the Word”!
