When Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, our country was in the middle of the Civil War. Loved ones were being lost daily on the battlefields in America and our country was being torn apart and full of uncertainty. It seemed there was little to be thankful for. Yet Lincoln saw the need to seek God and be thankful for His mercy and provision during the hard times, and ask for our country’s healing and prosperity in the future. It was a declaration of hope and trust in God that despite the turmoil in the present, God Continue Reading
November 21, 2013 By
Jackie Kennedy and the Gift of Encouragement
“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people.” Philemon 1:7 Jackie Kennedy Onassis was known for her beauty, poise and elegance and is considered a classic style icon, much like Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel. But what stands out most about Jackie is her renown for writing the perfect thank you note. Her correspondence was so effective that it notably inspired French President Charles DeGaulle, moved Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan, and comforted Kathleen Graham Continue Reading
November 14, 2013 By
A Faith Test
I remember back to my grammar school days. (Yes, I can actually remember back that far.) Of course we studied math, science, English, and the other grade school subjects. We worked our way through homework assignments and hours of classroom instruction, reading the textbooks and absorbing information. Then at long last, there would come a day of reckoning. Test Day. That was the day we were put through our paces, our teachers eager to see how much knowledge we had retained. Our test results would help them determine if we were ready to go to Continue Reading
November 8, 2013 By
Roots and Wings and Parenting Things
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” Hodding Carter, Jr. Like every parent I know, I’ve made my share of blunders. There are times I wonder if something I said or did in one of my many moments of impatience permanently warped my children, and that’s why I’m so often tempted to throw my hands up and plunge into “passive parenting” mode. Sometimes it seems they could do a lot better than to have me as a parent, and they could do a better job on their own! But then I realize that Continue Reading
October 31, 2013 By
Every Good and Perfect Gift
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 I sometimes think life is a little like being on a long road trip. We encounter periods of smooth sailing punctuated with bumps and potholes. We see exhilarating views of nature and then, just as we begin to relax, the highway starts to twist and turn. We hold our breath, grip the wheel and then find ourselves stopped dead at a fork in the road where we’re faced with Continue Reading
Recent Comments