By Karen O’Connor My husband Charles nodded and smiled as he held the phone to his ear. Then a frown creased his forehead and he shook his head. What’s going on? I wondered. I was eager to hear what the telephone conversation was about. He hung up. His smile returned, and he shared with […]
Encouragement: Oxygen to the Soul
By Victor Knowles Since 1944 the slogan of the Hallmark card company has been, “When you care enough to send the very best.” The Jerusalem church was a “Hallmark” church. Because they cared for the new church in Antioch, they sent one of their very best leaders (Acts 11:22). His name was Joseph, a […]
A Safe Haven: Finding Your Personal Sanctuary
By Danny R. Von Kanel It’s been said, “In today’s world we have loneliness, but rarely solitude.” Animals hibernate, but only to survive the winter. A plant’s chemical clock reacts to the seasons, but only humans need solitude—regardless of the time of year. Even the Son of God sought time alone (see Luke 9:18, […]
A Good Read for the Journey
By David Harlen Brooks My friends and I shared an inside joke when I was growing up. “David, how far behind are you in your Bible reading?” “A few weeks . . . a few months . . . a few years . . . don’t ask!” Every year I resolved to read through […]
Monitoring a Heart for God: Lessons From the Devotional Life of David
By Dr. Douglas Redford Being a man after God’s own heart does not mean one always accepts his actions or never questions them. “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). This is how David is described when he is first mentioned in the Bible, although his […]