JJ Ollerenshaw

If someone deposited a large amount of money in your account but didn't tell you, would it be of any use to you? Only when we know that the money is there does it become a game changer: it changes our life. Every new mother says that she … Read more

When we're in a hurry, doesn't it seem that every traffic light turns red just as we approach? We wait impatiently for it to change, fingers tapping. Sometimes, we quickly decide to take a short cut, an alternate route that we think will … Read more

I'm taking a course in sign language. All ages — from young children to seniors — are in the class, and some of us are hard of hearing. We're often confused, leading to some hilarious moments. The class is a lot of fun, though I'm not … Read more

Don't you just love receiving a gift, especially one that's unexpected? Our Father in heaven is generous and enjoys bestowing gifts on His children. If we allow the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, God will surprise us. Recently this little … Read more

Do you ever find that, after thinking about a person or subject for the first time in months, the same name or word soon comes to your attention once more? I call this a God-instance rather than a coincidence. God is telling us to pay … Read more

A friend returned from a blood donor clinic sporting a red Band-Aid® with the words "I gave life". That made me think about blood and how important it is. Blood is life. By the fifth week of pregnancy — the first week that a mother … Read more

Every spring, robins built a nest under our deck above our back door. We use this door as our main entrance, and the patio is a place to relax as well as a work area. A busy spot, it seems a strange place to nest, but the birds weren't … Read more

In the past year, several opportunities or "doors" have been opened to me. One was to lead a much larger church group than I'm used to. Even when asked to take a small group, I was sure that someone else could do a better job. Now, here … Read more

Last fall, a friend gave me a flourishing dipladenia plant, a beautiful flowering vine. She was reluctant to abandon it outside, but she had no space indoors. My living room already houses several plants, but how could I refuse those … Read more

Before Christmas, my husband and I were in England when the big news was the rail strike. England enjoys a complex network of both surface and underground trains. They interconnect like a giant spider web: a maze of tunnels, escalators, … Read more