We once lived across the road from Aman Nature Park, which was wonderful—except for the raccoons. Oh sure, they’re fascinating creatures. But the masklike band of black across their eyes should have alerted us to one vital detail: Raccoons are felons in fur. And the scene of the crime was our... read more »

Last year, as I was driving to church on a Sunday morning, I was in a deep funk. For many reasons, I was experiencing an emotional and spiritual valley. I prayed, trying to tell God where I was emotionally and spiritually, but the words didn’t come easy. As I struggled, the song “Word of God... read more »

Soon after a tornado disaster in the US, I saw aerial photographs of its path. Entire neighborhoods were flattened. From the high angle of the photographer’s shot, all of the wood and debris looked like scattered, splintered toothpicks, tossed violently over a wide swath of city blocks.... read more »

A sequel is typically a book or film that continues the story of some previous work. Last year was the year of movie sequels. According to Newsweek Magazine, in 2011, Hollywood released a record 27 sequels. The total encompasses the highest number of part 2 (or 3 or 4 or . . .) films ever, including... read more »

Q: Should everyone speak in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit?  —Femi A: Because the gift of tongues was one of the miracles that occurred as the Holy Spirit ushered in the age of the church at Pentecost, and because tongues-speaking was prominent in the Corinthian... read more »

With steam covering the bathroom mirror, the outline of a group of words became apparent. Trying to clear the view so I could finish getting ready for work, I had been initially surprised when the image appeared. But I smiled as I remembered why it was there. Far from a supernatural occurrence, the... read more »

In February of 2011, Andrew Wilson, an Australian fisherman was fishing off the coast of New South Wales when he was thrown from his boat by a large wave. Without a life jacket, but filled with adrenaline and tenacity, Wilson braved the shark-infested waters and simply kept swimming. “I wasn’t... read more »

Are you feeling weary, discouraged, weak, or disillusioned in serving God? Well, you’re not alone. That’s where Timothy is when we read 2 Timothy:1-4 and that’s where all of us are some of the time and where some of us are most of the time. When one is involved in the noble fight for the souls... read more »

A father was trying to explain to his 5-year-old daughter how she could see and speak with her mother using a smartphone. He tried his best to explain how technology had put her mother inside the phone but to no avail. Sensing his exasperation, the daughter said, “Daddy, I don’t need to know how... read more »

A recent article in National Geographic Magazine published remarkable images of climbers as they scaled the sheer rock face of Yosemite’s 2,916- ft. (889 meters) El Capitan. Astonishingly, some of the climbers make portions of the ascent without safety ropes in a death-taunting exercise known as... read more »