by Wil Clarke
When we were in college, Sylvia and I committed our lives to being missionaries in Africa. We started our work in 1967. Twelve years later, at the end of 1978, things fell apart. We were not making it financially. The world was in a double-digit inflation spiral, and...
by Natalie Brooks
During the pandemic, I was having a really tough time emotionally. I was feeling really lonely and kind of hopeless at times. One day, when I was feeling especially down, I suddenly had the idea that I should pray and read the Bible. I did, and I felt so much better....
by Iki Taimi
“I just can’t do this! But maybe I’ll go a little further next to my friends.” A few months ago, some church friends, along with my wife and I, made an emotionally impulsive decision to sign up for the LA Marathon. We were so young and naïve back then (all ten months...
by Raewyn Orlich
As a child I had a doll named Sam that was awfully cute and much beloved. He had a plastic nose that was way too big for his head, little plastic hands and feet with easy-to-grab fingers and toes, and a gigantic smile. His soft cloth body said, “Have a nice day.” One...
by Marjorie (Jorie) Ellenwood
Dear Jesus… or God… or Divine, To be honest, I’m really not sure how prayer works anymore. I’m not sure I believe in a system where I ask for something and, in response, the Divine either a) grants my wish, b) deems it necessary for me to wait [enter some...
by Kevin Straine
Dear Jesus, Thank you for Advent. To take time to think about Advent, “the coming of God,” in this moment is difficult. There are so many distractions. There is so much noise. In a time of year where “Peace on Earth” should be something we aspire to, I’ve...
