Moving at the Speed of Life

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.—James 4:14 ESV

I was 14 when I first experienced the death of someone in my circle. It was a 16-year-old tuba player in our high school band—a boy who had delivered our newspapers and on whom I had a serious crush. Just a few (more…)

The Road to Death

There is a way that appears to be right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.—Proverbs 14:12

Every now and then, you hear news reports about people who have been killed in head-on crashes because they drive into oncoming traffic. Sometimes people are impaired. Other times, they don’t realize they’ve gone the wrong way until it’s too late. (more…)

Giving Thanks in All Circumstances

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

We think of Thanksgiving as a time to give thanks for our blessings, but sometimes the holidays don’t bring to mind thoughts of abundance. They instead remind us of loss and want.

The empty chair that just a year ago was filled. That familiar (more…)

I Was Young Once

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.—Proverbs 16:31

I have spent a lot of time around the elderly—in our family, at our church, and at the nursing home where I once did pet therapy and evangelism. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine them young and vigorous and at their peak.

But we are seeing these old (more…)

Conceived in Love

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.—Psalm 139:13-14

My mother used to tell me I was conceived to save my parents’ marriage. Considering my father left when I was 6 weeks old, (more…)