A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good man produces good out …
Finding a ‘Family’ when You’re Far Away
I just returned home for two weeks working with missionaries in Africa. There are four families and a single intern who are serving in this area. One of the things that stood out to me during my visit is how these missionaries have bonded together …
When Mother Bear Rises Up
We’ve heard it called the “mother bear syndrome.” Many things are tolerable, but when it comes to the welfare of our children, watch out! This has been the heart of mothers since the beginning of time. The widow at Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:7 is …
Family @ Full Strength in Christ
Leo Tolstoy wrote, “All happy families resemble one another; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” We rarely read stories about happy families in the newspaper, but sometimes the stories of unhappy families are so unusual they are picked up by national news …
12 Ideas for Observing the National Day of Prayer
I have participated in a variety of NDP events over the years. One prayer gathering in 1996 remains a particularly vivid memory. A few couples joined us in our Seattle home to pray for our nation, leaders, and families. As we finished praying, we felt …
Book Review: The Insanity of God
* This post contains affiliate links. Have you ever read a book that made such a deep impact on your life that you could not stop thinking about it or telling people about it? It has been several weeks now since I read The Insanity of …
Free Classics: Andrew Murray
* This post contains affiliate links. “May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God’s presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for Him to fill full of His …
Confessions of a Christian Idolater
I never considered myself an idol worshiper. I love Jesus Christ, He resides in my heart, and I’ve asked Him to be Lord over every part of my life. Yet, as I prayed for a closer walk with Him, He graciously showed me that I …
Christ Arose
When my cousin Joan first heard the hymn “Christ Arose” sung by her two-year-old daughter Lena, the words didn’t quite make sense. When she asked Lena about them, she explained, “Daddy taught me the song.” Then she belted out another chorus of “UP from the …
Healer in the Garden
* This post contains affiliate links. Tim had a reason to be focused on the servant’s bloodied ear and the gentle Jesus. Tim was born with a miniature deformed ear with no hole. With medical advances in hearing repair, my brother and his wife opted …