“Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!” (Psalm 81:13 KJV) The more I am around children, the more I use the word “listen.” When I teach: Please listen. Listen carefully. Listen to the instructions. Look at me and listen. I have learned…
I listened to my friend speak these words of faith, “Giving to God is a no-risk zone. We may think we are giving so much that it feels like a risk, but it never is.” I agreed heartily, and thought, “Yes, amen!” That day I didn’t have any worries. With…
Did you hear about the Great North American Eclipse in August 2017? I know it sounds simple – the moon crossed in front of the sun – but it was a very exciting day. I avoided the tourists by staying home to experience 99% of a total eclipse. I had…
When Howard Rutledge was a little boy in Sunday School, he never imagined that the memory verses he learned would one day be vital to his survival. He grew up and became a military pilot, married, and had a family. He never renounced God, but he began to enjoy life…
I heard of a man who became incredibly strong not by lifting weights or exercising, but by standing still. I thought that sounded impossible, but my classmates who met him during a research project assured me that he was real. He practiced a unique form of a martial art, with…
When I was a teenager, I had a terrible habit of comparing myself to the people around me. It seemed every girl had better skin, a nicer nose, and smoother hair. Many young people had more friends, were better singers, and all were better at sports. As a Bible Quizzer,…
The Bible talks about tasting the Word of God and compares language to the vivid experience of a strong flavor (Psalm 119:103, Hebrews 6:5). I will never forget when an elder lady from a neighboring church hugged me and whispered an encouragement in my ear. I would have been embarrassed…
Every spring our yard bursts with beautiful flowers planted by the previous homeowner – roses, peonies, irises, daffodils, foxglove, and more. Of course, we have weeds too. We didn’t plant the blackberry vines, dandelions or thistles, yet they thrive wildly if we neglect them. Sometimes when I pull weeds, I…
Do you ever wonder what it was like to talk to Jesus one-on-one? John 4 gives details of His conversation with a Samaritan woman. He asked her for a drink, and her response put up the guard of the cultural barrier between them. “Jews have no dealings with me.” Most…