Packing for my return to the United States after living and working overseas for twenty-eight years felt impossible. Even after giving away or discarding most of my possessions, I had two...

“Hey, GiGi! Do you want to see my scar?” my five-year-old grandson asked, proudly displaying a faded line from his life-saving surgery performed on the day he was born. I love...

At age fifteen, I decided to leave home, seek work elsewhere, and live independently. I expected resistance from my father when I told him of my decision. Instead, he told me,...

Numbers 7 is perhaps the Bible chapter that I understand the least, not because I find it theologically challenging or because it presents a sensitive topic. It’s because it repeats the...

Many years ago, I belonged to a group of people who got together regularly to ride horses. We camped, rode trails, and participated in parades. On one particular ride, one of...

One day the children in our church were invited to participate in a painting contest. My ten-year-old daughter and her friend decided to participate. At home I watched them engage in...

Last summer, my wife and I went on a road trip. My wife was driving, and in the road ahead of us, she saw what she thought was a black plastic...

My sons are on the swim team, and one day we were discussing what it means to be a fast swimmer. I asked them how they plan to achieve that goal....

The smell of delicious roast chicken filled the house as my son and I sat down to eat. By our feet, our dog gazed up at us. Despite desperately wanting our...

One morning, I noticed a small sparrow perched on my window ledge. The bird seemed completely at peace despite the gathering storm clouds above. What struck me most was its quiet...