Three weeks into my church class on Christian disciplines, I introduced the group to fasting as an important component of prayer life. Then, I gave practical instructions so that they could...

As we were walking along a nature path, my husband, Ray, and I heard a beautiful birdsong and pulled out our binoculars. “What kind of bird could that be?” we asked....

I found my toddler on the stairs, contentedly shoving rocks into his mouth. I fished the rocks out and carried him to the table to eat dessert. He didn’t appreciate that....

I am currently serving a 15-year prison sentence. Recently I had a visit from my children, whom I had not seen in three years. What joy! I noticed that my 8-year-old...

Now and then, my friend Gerardo asks me to take care of his dog, Esna — a sweet, gentle, and energetic pug. She’s the kind of dog who doesn’t need a...

Because I have some hearing loss, I often miss or misunderstand what people say to me. Some people become irritated when I ask them to repeat things. I sometimes find myself...

My niece and her two young daughters were visiting us when the baby — about a year old — suddenly started crying. With her tiny fingers, she reached for her mother,...

As a young couple, my husband, Don, and I enjoyed riding bicycles. Later, because of my declining vision, we sold our bikes and bought a tandem bicycle. Since a “bicycle built...

My parents were great people, but when I was young they weren’t Christians. They hadn’t been raised in Christian homes, and they had a lot of questions. Even so, my mother...

In today’s reading, the battle lines were drawn. For the Israelites the stakes were high; their freedom was the prize. The Philistines stood confidently with Goliath leading them. The Israelites were...