Timidly, I stood at the entryway, peering into the light. With a tiny seed of tremulous faith, I stepped inside while my eyes adjusted to the radiance. I paused and noticed that beside me, just inside the door, sat a large box heaped with various items. The contents caught my eye because of the value of the assorted items. From …
I stared at the empty bucket suspended over the splash pool. Fed with trickles of water through two apple-red pipes, the large pail hung slightly off-center. Underneath, adults and children clamored together like the sick by the pool of Bethesda. Above them, the water gradually filled the container, then dumped cool refreshment to anyone standing below. “This is a picture of …
Even from my balcony, I could tell that the pockets of seawater standing along the beach were shallow and placid. Stretches of sand separated these tiny, sunken pools, which dotted the shoreline in every low-lying area. These modest puddles attracted families laden with sunscreen, lounge chairs, and chubby-faced toddlers. Further out, where the Celtic Sea lapped at Combesgate Beach, the more adventurous played …
Standing at the base of the ladder, I allowed my eyes to follow its ascent upward. Taller than the giant sequoias, the uppermost reach of the rungs extended out of my eyesight. The view was spectacular, yet I remained focused on my intent. I’d come by way of invitation, and as I waited, light filtered around me. Brilliant, warm, and …
I tumbled off the school bus with a satchel full of childhood woes. An imperfect score, a classroom bully, and a lost jacket weighed heavily on my mind. In my nine years, this day had possibly been the worst. I needed my mother. Trudging onto the back porch, I swung the screen door open and my satchel to the floor. The …
I remember the cold, dark room and my yearning for the warmth of day. Black-out paper covered the doorway next to me, protecting the space against an inevitable dawn. I sat motionless in a midnight as black as pitch. I dreamt, but it felt very real. Although my surroundings offered no hope, my heart remained calm. Fear lurked in the shadows and whispered …
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, …
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, …
The friend at midnight. A simple parable where Jesus teaches us to pray. We’ve skimmed this story dozens of times and could recount it freely. The characters are few: a weary traveler, a needy host, and a sleepy friend. Likewise, the themes are straightforward: hunger, lack, and abundance. But let’s dig deeper. “Then He said to them, “Suppose one of …
2020 was a year of desperation. Despite our attempts to remain focused and calm, fear rushed upon our nation as we lost our sense of normalcy. While we quarantined, personal heartache bombarded our families with anxiety emboldened evil. The devil’s henchmen emerged from hiding, revealing his hatred of humanity through pornography, abuse, deviant sexuality, abortion, and violence. Christ’s followers struggled …
