Dealing with the Cow-pie-ridden Fields of Marriage

In his book This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence, pastor and author John Piper offers a memorable analogy for dealing with the highs and lows ...

God Never Wastes His Children's Pain

Amy Carmichael (1867–1951) was a missionary to India who suffered enormously in her life. She once wrote these words:

I have noticed that when one ...

Little Boy Just Wants to Go Home

First grade teacher, Linda, shares an interaction she had with one of her students on the first day of school. Accustomed to going home at noon in kindergarten, ...

Retired Japanese Detective Devotes Himself to Helping Suicidal Men and Women

In a 2009 article in Time magazine, writer Coco Masters shared a startling statistic: one in five Japanese men and women have seriously considered taking ...

The Value of Affliction

Affliction is both a medicine if we sin, and a preservative that we sin not.

—Richard Hooker, Anglican priest and theologian (1554-1600)

Choosing the Easy Route When Battling Temptation

Jack Handey, known for his odd sense of humor frequently expressed in an old Saturday Night Live segment titled "Deep Thoughts," wrote an equally ...

Colleagues Help Grieving Professor Overcome Doubt

In his book Stories for the Journey, William R. White shares the story of Hans, a European seminary professor devastated by the death of his wife, Enid. ...

The Necessity of Adversity

In an on-line article for Leadership journal, John Ortberg discusses how adverse situations are necessary for our spiritual growth. He writes:

Psychologist ...

Pastor's Wife Forgives Gunman

Fred Winters, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois, was shot and killed during a Sunday service on March 8, 2009, by a troubled young ...

Prop Illustration for Good Friday Service

Texts: Assorted texts from the Passion accounts of the Gospels and Isaiah 52:13–53:12

Principle: The weight of the sins we have committed and the ...