The Story Behind an Odd Contract Demand from Rock Band Van Halen

Many of us have heard about some of the outlandish demands made by music celebrities in their contracts with concert promoters. One of the most notorious ...

Olympic Figure Skater Paul Wylie on the Christian Life

At the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in France, American figure skater Paul Wylie won the silver medal. The victory came after a disappointing tenth-place ...

Even in Midst of War, German Pastor Thankful for God's Faithfulness

German pastor Martin Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded ...

Henri Nouwen on Being Grateful for Everything

To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives—the good as well as the bad, the moments ...

Missionary Has Sense of Gratitude Rekindled

Franklin and Phileda Nelson went to Burma as missionaries in the 1940s. They served there eight and a half years before the government closed the country ...

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, ...

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)

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 ...