“In the crushing, In the pressing, You are making new wine.” (Lyrics to Brooke Ligertwood’s “New Wine”) Personally, I cringe at the thought of the crushing. Pressing hurts the fruit. So, given the choice, I prefer to avoid the process. Yet, as I ponder the operation of wine production, there is no product without a winepress. As I researched, I found …
Riding in the back of a Taiwanese ambulance is not for the faint of heart. Especially if it lasts for three hours. Only the night before, my 17-year-old daughter experienced her first ambulance ride from an accident site to the small, rural hospital in Kenting. She and her friend, Kristen, had been in a scooter incident on the streets of this village resort …
By: Kandy Persall From outward appearances, the terra cotta lump is merely a bulk of clay. Indeed the pliable mud is no better than any other, consisting only of sand, silt, water, and finely crushed minerals. This ordinary adobe bears the destiny of becoming another piece of unremarkable pottery. The only difference lies in the hand of the potter. If the artisan is skilled …
Holy Father, My motivation in wanting to know You isn’t always from pure intention. I want increase, not decrease — joy, not pain — strength, not weakness. Your comforting joy attracts me, but I’m hesitant to explore Your grieving sorrow. Yet, You are more than a good-timing God. You are both Christmas and Easter. Fellowship with You necessitates both resurrection …
By: Mark and Kandy Persall “Pour out Your Spirit, O God.” This prayer went up repeatedly as cities set aside time for revival prayer. “Come in power, Lord. By the mighty Name of Jesus, we stand against evil’s desire to steal, kill, and destroy.” How thrilling when people awaken to pray. Every day I hear of another prayer group across my city, …
I may be the worst cook in my bloodline, but it’s not because of the lack of aprons. The womenfolk of my people believe in them religiously. Every sepia picture from our past is proof of this conviction. My grandmother wore an apron for her granddaughter’s birthday photo, and my great-grandmother had one in her hand in the only surviving …
By: Kandy Persall Ever since I can remember, Ray Tinney has been in my life. He married my sister the autumn after my first birthday, and my devotion to him began. When I was eight, a little event lifted that devotion to pure infatuation. It happened one Saturday morning after my friend Scarlet spent the night with me. At that …
O Father, I come, not knowing how to pray but depending upon Your faithfulness to discern my ramblings. You knew that I would find myself faltering and stammering. So, You sent Your Spirit into my heart to resurrect my lifeless petitions and lift them on my behalf into Your Presence (Romans 8:26-27). Thank You. Because of virtual and unsupervised education, …
There is more to Christ than I wanted. In the early days of our relationship, I basked in the gentle qualities like His love, peace, and comfort (1 John 4:18; Ephesians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 1:3). He and I would go on dates where He proved to be my Joy, Hope, and Help. My quiet times with Him were like picnics …
By Kandy Persall Old Man Winter has his place. He brings us holidays, vacations and our anniversary. Blankets of snow and crystals of ice are beautiful, but after a while, we are ready for spring. There is a larger purpose for winter. It’s necessary for growth. Winter is an ugly time for most trees. They shed their leaves and reveal …
