ENCOURAGING WORDS

People still talk about a sermon illustration my Dad used many years ago. As people walked into church that Sunday morning, they saw a small table sitting beside the pulpit.…

She lived in Joppa, a coastal town on the edge of the sparkling Mediterranean.  Day after day after breakfast she picked up her needle to create coats and garments that…

For years my mother faithfully subscribed to the homemaker's Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I used to look forward to turning to the last page of each issue to read…

A mother whose name we don't know wrote the following, My little girl went out the door; I hugged and squeezed her just once more, Reminding her as oft before,…

I wonder if your past is keeping you from being your best right now, in the present. Past sins do that, you know.  David Eckman writes, Sin walks us into…

Strolling through the mall one day, I caught sight of a T-shirt with a catchy slogan that read, "The future is so bright, I need shades." I couldn't help smiling.…

Usually we think of "patience" and "waiting" as passive terms.   If you were to define waiting, you might say that waiting is "doing nothing until something happens."  And you might…

A pastor tells about the time his young son burst into his office after the morning session at the church's preschool. "Here, Dad, this is for you," he said as…

In Robert Morgan's small but very practical book called The Red Sea Rules he tells about a time when he was exceptionally worried about a situation that faced him. While…

Years ago I noticed that a preacher had chosen as his sermon topic "God's Salad Bowl."  When I saw the title, I wondered what on earth he was going to…

The scene took place in Bethany at the home of Simon—in the Bible he's called "Simon the Leper," perhaps because Jesus had healed him of that horrible disease. At any…

Sue Augustine writes, "I had to chuckle when I read what Elisabeth Elliot said about our words: 'Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut!'" Then Sue continues,…

"Is it wrong for a Christian to grieve?" Daisy Catchings asks in her book Under God’s Umbrella.  "Are tears a contradiction of faith? Or is faith supposed to eradicate tears?"[1]…

Some people say, “All roads lead to God, so it doesn’t matter which religion you follow so long as you’re seeking God.”  But a famous prophet in Old Testament times…

When we lived in Asia, one of the surprises was that when we gave someone a gift, that person might or might not say the words, "Thank you."  Since saying…

A young woman in her twenties commented to me that she really has no choice but to obey God, because when she doesn't obey Him, she is the loser. Actually,…

"A bit of juicy gossip is very satisfying," says wise King Solomon. The Living Bible puts it this way: "What dainty morsels rumors are. They are eaten with great relish!"…

When Chris Haggai's visitor arrived at the door, Chris was feeding their adult son Johnny, who had cerebral palsy because of negligence on the part of the attending doctor when…

I've told you before how much I admire my pastor friend Eric Denton, who every Sunday night takes a group to Los Angeles to feed the street people and pass…

After our grandson Christian was born, I gave his mother, Cheryl, a soft robe.  Within a few months, however, Christian had decided that her new robe was what he wanted…