In the 1970s, my husband Lynn and I lived as far away from our hometown of Portland, Oregon, USA, as is possible. Portland's antipode (on the opposite side of the globe) is somewhere in the Indian Ocean, and the large island of Madagascar, … Read more
"Let it go!" These words interrupted my thoughts one day while wrestling over an issue which had begun to feel like a losing battle. My efforts to change the situation felt fruitless. With those words, "Let it go!" the light dawned: I saw … Read more
Whoo—who-who—whoo "Terry! Wake up! I hear the owl!" I had been hearing this sound every night from inside our cabin at Camp Loma de Vida, in south Texas, USA, during the winter months this year. We had never actually pin-pointed its … Read more
Eastern Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar, so as many of us Christians celebrate Easter today, we ask ourselves how on earth the Ukrainian people will be able to observe Easter next Sunday with many of their churches destroyed, … Read more
One Easter Sunday in Alaska when I was very small, we opened our front door and a wall of snow higher than the house looked back at us. There was no use digging through it. All the way out to the street would be just as deep. We'd have to … Read more
Wedding ceremonies shown in movies often feature the couple exchanging romantic vows in which they pledge to love each other forever. Similarly, a visit to a cemetery will reveal gravestones for couples with the caption, "Together … Read more
Uniforms were required in the Christian school that my boys attended. They looked smart in their navy-blue dress pants and vests, crisp white shirts, navy socks, and black shoes. School uniforms were part of their training to grow in the … Read more
This Scripture caught my attention recently. Herod and Pilate became friends! How extraordinary that Luke recorded this part of Jesus' trial. Two men who appeared to be enemies became friends to accomplish their goal: getting rid of … Read more
During the occupation of the Netherlands from 1940-1945, a lot of people listened to Radio Orange, a Dutch radio program aired by the BBC European Service on behalf of the Dutch Government in exile in London. The programs were typically … Read more
Do you ever feel like giving up on the Christian life, as if God doesn't hear your prayers, or even care? Growing up in a Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Canada, I learned a lot about prayer. I memorized the Lord's Prayer in Sunday School, … Read more