International migration is on the rise, and its scope, complexity, and impact continue to grow. Traveling to a new place can come with anxiety and fear of the unknown. The Israelites...

Throughout the Gospels Jesus tells his followers not to fear. Yet when I look at the notes I’ve written in the margins of my Bible, I find many concerns and worries....

Driving through a lush, green forest, I rounded a curve to see hundreds of white cylinders studding a bare hillside. The scene resembled a cemetery marked with rows of tombstones. Then...

A number of years ago I went for a walk in the woods with Bob, a friend from church who was a professor of forestry. As we were enjoying the natural...

My daily walk goes by a lake that has cypress trees along the banks. One day I stopped to look more closely at one of these trees and its large, entangled...

I let a friend of mine borrow my horse, Norman. He stayed with her for almost a year. When it was summer again I realized how lonely I was without him....

In our HIV/AIDS clinic, we maintain a rose garden to honor the patients we serve. We grow red roses as a sign of love and solidarity, and white roses in memory...

For several years, wild violets have grown in part of my herb garden. Then it finally occurred to me that violets are weeds. They may be beautiful, but I was allowing...

One of my favorite places to study the Bible and to spend my devotional time is in the room adjoining our kitchen, near a fireplace and lots of windows. In this...

My husband, Dan, and I have been birdwatching together for 20 years. Recognizing bird songs helps us to know which bird is near so that we can more easily spot it....