Many years ago, we moved to a small instant town on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was situated in a beautiful valley with majestic mountains all around. Everything was new, the people, houses, and streets — a true town, carved right out of the wilderness — so we had to make a conscious decision to enjoy our new life in this community.

To be an encourager was important. Sometimes, a word or smile can change another person's outlook if they are feeling lonesome and blue. As I came to live in this new area, I decided to be a "Barnabas" (which means "Son of Encouragement" – Acts 4:36).

We could see God's handiwork everywhere. Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein." (NKJV) But there were no flowers to brighten the town. It takes a few years for gardens to get established, so I decided to help God along. I went to the closest town (which was fifty miles away) and bought artificial flowers to plant.

Our house was on a hill, and so was difficult to see up close. As people walked by below, they were astonished how we had tulips, daffodils, etc. coming up. Unbeknownst to them, I arose early every week and pulled them up a few inches, so they looked as though they were actually growing.

As my flowers thrived, so did friendships. Even though I ran ahead, God was able to share His love. Before the year was out, with the help of other ladies, we started a Sunday School for the children in town, to share God's faithfulness in everything.

Isaiah 55:12 – For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (NKJV)

Prayer: Our Father God, thank You for all the different experiences You give each one of us. May we be faithful and obedient when You speak, so others can see You every day as we allow You to control our actions and thinking. Amen.

When we are young, we can't seem to wait to grow up and be adults. On looking back, though, we see that life goes by so fast. As youths, we were not wise enough to recognize just how short life is and how it is that God can call us home at any time.

Some years ago, there was an advertisement for a certain coffee company, which showed people in the east rushing — by walking, jogging, biking, travelling by train and aeroplane, and just generally rushing — across the country, just to get that certain coffee they claimed to be "the best in the west". I could not help but compare it to our lives and how we should be rushing toward a "life with Christ" in the same way.

We sometimes live as though our lives will go on forever, but in reality, our days are numbered, and only God knows when our lives will end. A poem by an unknown author has touched me deeply, especially at funerals. The poem asks, "How did you live your dash?" — referring to the dash between one's birth and death seen on nearly all tombstones. The poem asks how we lived that time when we were touching the lives around us.

We must all use our time wisely and not waste it, but show Christ's love each day, so that others will want what we have, and rush toward Him — and not just to get the coffee.

It is not the material things that are important, but what we have done for Christ by showing love and respect to all.

Psalm 103:15-16 – As for us, our life is like grass. We grow and flourish like a wild flower; then the wind blows on it, and it is gone — no one sees it again. (GNB)

Prayer: Father, help us to live in Your love from day to day, so that others will seek You and only You. May all material things fade into the background, that we may be faithful to You alone. Amen.

When we were young, we couldn't wait to grow up and be adults. On looking back, we now see that life goes by so fast. At the time, though, we were not wise enough to recognize just how short life is, and that God could call us home at any time.

Many years ago, I went to a theatre to see a movie, "Life is Beautiful". It is a film of laughter, tears, unhappy events, and power. The main character, Guido, made life beautiful in all circumstances, even in prison camp. When tragedy comes, it makes us realize how precious life is.

We sometimes live as though our lives will go on forever, but in reality, our days are numbered, and only God knows when our life will end. A poem by Linda Ellis, called "The Dash", which has touched me deeply, says, "What matters is how we lived and loved and how we spend our dash," referring to the dash on all tombstones — the time between our birth and death — and how we lived that time when we were touching the lives around us.

Each one of us must use our time wisely and not waste it. We are called to show Christ's love each day, so that others will want what we have. It is not the material things that are important, but what we have done for Christ by showing integrity and respect to all, no matter what they believe or are seeking. God has us in the place He wants, and we must be aware of the people He brings around us each day. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we decide to do for Him.

Psalm 103:15-16a – As for us, our life is like grass. We grow and flourish like a wild flower; then the wind blows on it, and it is gone. (GNB)

Prayer: Father, help us to live in Your love from day to day, so that others will seek You and only You. Let all material things fade into the background, and may we be faithful to You alone. Amen.

God expects us to make good decisions, but we must be watchful, slow down, and think things through in this fast-paced world.

I remember that the very first time my sister and I went to England on a holiday, we did a very foolish thing. On arriving in London, we were in awe of the traffic and wondered how we could cross the road at Marble Arch. Without thinking it through thoroughly, we finally held hands and ran across — with the cars honking all around us.

On arriving on the other side of this busy thoroughfare, a gentleman said to us, "That's taking your life in your hands. Why did you not go underneath the road — in the tunnel — and be safe?"

Sometimes we go through life not thinking ahead of the danger we are putting ourselves in and yet still expecting God to protect us. There are also times we can get careless in our spiritual life — not realizing it — but we end up trying to do things on our own instead of asking, "What would You have me to do, Lord?"

God calls us to obedience; He gives us standards to live by. Yet He does not force us to conform. He gives us a choice as to whether we will do the right thing and follow His will, or go off on a tangent of our own.

Luke 11:28 – Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. (NIV)

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for looking after us when we seem to take the control of our lives away from You and try to do things on our own. You have given us an example to live by, and as we try to live each day in Your will, may we be aware of Your leading and faithfulness. Amen.

As a little girl, my parents took me to church. Yet before long, they stopped going. At first I missed it, but then they took me for long walks through a beautiful park-like cemetery, so I spent a lot of quality time with them. Looking at the graves and surroundings, I had a lot of questions about death — but they had no answers for me. Consequently I began to have a fear of dying and being put in the ground. I was too young to understand, but now I realize that death is a fact and it comes to all. It is the beginning of a new life and nothing to be afraid of.

I did not go to church again until I was a teenager, and then joined some friends going to a Sunday School nearby. We had a wonderful teacher who showed so much love to us girls and boys that today each one who passed through her class is living a Christian life. I know God had a hand on my life even though I was going for the wrong reasons and was excited to be going just for friendships.

Romans 3:23 states, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (NIV). I had never made that verse personal — as I had done none of the things that I considered sin. I soon found out, though, that lack of obedience to God's Word was wrong, and that He loves me so much He was willing to die for me — even if I were the only person on earth. My Christian walk has been a slow-growing experience, but one day I heard a pastor say, "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" That made me see that I would have been out of jail in no time, and I had better start changing my habits.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that the Bible is inspired by God, teaches the truth, makes us realize what is wrong in our lives, and helps us to do what is right. Sometimes we are tempted to go ahead with our own plans, but they usually end up in disappointment or disaster. We must always be aware to put Him first: lifting Christ up and humbling ourselves.

It is easy to praise when we are living a comfortable life, but we must remember to praise Him when He says, "Wait" or maybe even, "No." He knows the future that we cannot see.

Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

Prayer: Lord, thank You for keeping us in Your hands even when we are tempted to go our own way. We want to be obedient to Your guidance and depend entirely on You. Thank You for Your love and strength to keep living the life You have planned for us. Amen.

God wants us to listen to His words and be obedient in everything. There have been many times over the years I have not been obedient, but when I have been, blessings beyond measure have come.

One instance took place while I was living on Vancouver Island. There was a great need for a Sunday School, and as it was a brand-new town, we could see that God was speaking to me and a few other ladies — indicating that we should go ahead and pray about it. Three of us got together and decided to meet again in a week's time. While praying about the situation, the Lord gave each one of us the same verse: "Call unto me and I will shew you great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV)

The next week, we approached the school in town. We asked for one room to use on Sunday afternoons for our children and their friends to have a Bible class. When we met, there were 25 who attended. The second Sunday there were 62, and by the end of the month, there were 125 in attendance, and we had to move to the Community Centre so we could accommodate all those who wished to attend.

The Lord faithfully provided us with six new graduates from a Christian college on the Prairies — all of whom were musical and full of enthusiasm — to take over this work and lead the children into exciting lessons that only they could provide.

Some years later, after moving away to Saskatchewan, I was invited back to that town for the opening of the church that had been formed, with services for all parents and children. The building had been bought and paid for, and was complete with a stained glass window. Today there is a full-time pastor. The theme of that weekend was "To God be the glory; great things He hath done", and indeed, we could see His work in bringing the Word to that little town.

There have been many paths and places God took me in my life that I did not particularly want to go, but on looking back I can indeed see His hand in everything.

Philippians 2:12-13 – My dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (NIV)

Wherever we are in life is the place to learn. We must realize that God is preparing us for something special. Bit by bit, He shows us things we never dreamed we could do — but with His help we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

Prayer: Lord, may we always live expectantly, believing that what You say is true. Help us to wait patiently for Your answers to every situation. May we be aware of the doors You open and the ones You close. When we listen to You and not run ahead of Your plan, we will have peace in every situation. Amen.

Many people have asked me how I cope with the death of a loved one. Well, it is overwhelming — there is an emptiness and numbness that is impossible to describe. Every death is different, and we react differently to each one.

When our five-month-old Robbie died, his three-year-old sister brought a message from the Lord to us. God is so good to use even a little child. We had sent her next door to play with a friend while we went to the funeral parlour. Just before we got in the car, she came running over with a big beautiful crocus, saying, "Here, mommy, daddy — I'm just going for a little while. I'll be seeing you." When we arrived to see our beautiful baby, he also was holding an identical crocus in his hand, and we could just hear him saying, "Here, mommy, daddy — I'm just going for a little while. I'll be seeing you."

Acts 2:39 – The promise is for you and your children. (NIV)

There are deaths where we didn't have time to say our good-byes. Our loved ones are gone, and our world seems to be falling apart, but God is still in control. We must keep everything in an open hand, knowing that everything belongs to God in the first place.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we want to praise You for putting together broken dreams. In each thing that we say and do, we want You to be glorified, and others to know that we can do nothing in our own strength but that You give the peace and comfort to all who will ask in Your name. Amen.