“Rejoice greatly, O my people! Shout with joy! For look-your King is coming! He is the Righteous One, the Victor!”  (Zechariah 9:9, TLB)  Can you picture the scene? Night unfolds its veil of darkness across the light of day. Shimmering constellations fade as one bright star sets the ebony sky ablaze. Flocks lie still and serene in...

My daughter, Michelle, opened the oven – the cake was a flop!  It was supposed to be a layer cake.  She had planned a luscious filling, and either fluffy frosting or flowers created with fondant.  It would have been almost too beautiful to eat.  But an ingredient was too old, or the oven temperature was wrong, and there it was, flat and...

One of the simplest ways to reach out to your community is start with what you are already doing.  Generosity doesn’t have to be a grand sweeping gesture.  Generosity, at its core, is simple saying: This is what I have, do you need some? It’s that willingness to make it stretch, the open hand that breaks off a piece and offers it to another. When...

Pour a mug of hot chocolate and settle in with a Christmas life lesson. In the midst of this busy season, take some time to sit with God.  We have three sets of life lessons - guided Bible studies – that are a perfect way to celebrate the season. The Carols of Christmas Carols are one of the surest signs of Christmas.  When you hear them...

Regaining Control of My Life

Stress can do a lot to our bodies. Sometimes it causes physical pain. Sometimes it’s caused by emotional pain. After years of feeling rejected and abandoned by her mother, for Michelle Aguilar, food had always been her comfort. Her way of coping with pain controlled her life and made her feel guilty. It wasn’t until Michelle appeared on the reality...

Reaching for God

The word "childlike" is often associated with immaturity. But a childlike faith is one full of wonder and wisdom. Children can teach us to continue reaching for God. Bailee Madison is a young actress who is wise beyond her years. Her smile shows the peace and contentment in her heart. Bailee is going forward in her career with the knowledge that...

During November, our family often made an acrostic using the word thanksgiving. We'd list things we were thankful for, using words beginning with each letter. When our children became teenagers, words like telephone, summer, and ice cream topped the list. Now with grown children, I exchange a thanksgiving list with my pen pal each year. But...