Have you ever wondered why Jesus taught His followers to eat His “body” and drink His “blood” during the Lord’s Supper? The Jews misunderstood the idea (John 6:52), and the early Christians were even accused of “cannibalism.” Couldn’t Jesus have described this special meal with less... read more »

The metro was packed with rush-hour travelers, and my family and I stood on the station platform waiting for the doors to open so we could board. Tired after a long day of sightseeing, we were already anticipating the refuge of our hotel room. I took my son’s hand and entered through the open... read more »

The cradle is means a great deal to me as I consider Christmas. God chose to have Jesus come to earth as a baby, born in a simple place, laid in a cradle. This says to me that God wants us to see Jesus as a real, sweet, wonderful, baby in a cradle . . . drinking milk, eating cereal, learning to sit... read more »

Early in 2011, a US baseball coach made the best call of his career. Tom Walter, the coach of the Wake Forest University baseball team, chose to give up one of his kidneys so that one of his players could live. A freshman player, Kevin Jordan, had been stricken with a disease that attacked his... read more »

Having read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in her class, my daughter decided to re-enact Jesus’ birth. Casting herself as an angel—complete with wings, dress, and sparkling shoes—she made her brother, her lone recruit, a shepherd. Firstborn to the core, she gave Micah his directions and began... read more »

Shirley Dygert wanted to celebrate her 54th birthday with flair. So she signed up to skydive from nearly 21⁄2 miles above the terra firma. In tandem with Dave Hartsock, her instructor, they leaped from the plane. They pulled the ripcord, but the parachute became tangled and only partially opened.... read more »

Last January, flash floods hammered Australia. Many people lost their lives. One was a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Rice. Jordan, his mother, and 10-year-old brother Blake were trapped in their car as the water rose. Jordan’s dad recounted how “all these people were just standing around until an... read more »

Matt 5:43-48: “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He... read more »

Having grown up in a musical home, I started writing songs at an early age. Some have taken months—even years—to compose. Others have come together in minutes, as the lyrics leaped onto the page. One day, after contemplating what God truly desires from us in worship, I experienced one of those... read more »

Over the past few months, I’ve encouraged my husband to create a small fire pit in our backyard. As someone who enjoys camping, I love sitting on a cool night in front of a blazing campfire with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Tonight as we sat with family near the crackling flames (in the... read more »