While researching county records, I found a memoir by a family of pioneers who homesteaded in the same region where my family lived in the 1800s. I was thrilled to discover...

One of my earliest memories from church was singing hymns while standing next to my father. As we sang, he would point to the words, which gave me confidence to sing...

When we push our bodies to work without adequate rest or nutrition, we get sick. The same is true of our spiritual lives. During challenging times we may become pessimistic, indifferent...

Just before Christmas, a woman with whom I was falling in love informed me that she was dating someone else. I was crushed and shed many tears. At some point, however,...

During a particularly dark moment, after nearly two years of chronic depression I decided to take my own life. I could not find a reason to move forward. I had lost...

The old birch tree that used to grow in front of my bedroom window had a huge crown of branches and leaves. I loved watching it as the seasons changed each...

I remember playing church as a child. Neighborhood children, school friends, family members, dolls, stuffed animals, and occasionally one of our family pets made up the congregation. We took turns preaching,...

Recently, my wife and I set out on a trip to visit one of our daughters for parents’ weekend at her university. Thirty minutes into the trip the brake indicator light...

Last summer, my younger grandson and I went for a weeklong holiday to my country’s beautiful Rila Mountains. The weather was changing all the time there. In one day, we experienced...

One very hot day, my lawn mower was not cooperating, so I went into the house to rest. My two young daughters were visiting grandparents, and I was lonely and grieving...