Last summer my husband and I embarked on a ninety-day, 7000 mile road-trip around the western United States. The trip was a dream come true, one that we had been planning for several years. Our itinerary revolved around our shared passions of camping, rock climbing and mountain biking, which filled the months with adventure, amazing scenery and accomplishment....

It takes time to build a new community of friends and right now, I'm tired, my heart is burdened and I’m a little sad. I don't want to wait to meet new people. There are things I want to share right now, thoughts I’d like to bounce around. I feel like I don't know who I can turn to just to "be" with me. I wanted to eat lunch with a friend...

Can God and politics mix?  Is blending them a recipe for suppressing freedoms, grabbing votes, or promoting the public good? God-talk has become popular among US politicians. Leaders contemplating faith-in-action would do well to look back two centuries to William Wilberforce, the famous British parliamentarian who led a grueling but bipartisan...

  Do you want the strength to face life’s challenges? Take our free online study and learn how to stand up to your fears with strength and courage.   All my life, I’ve been told that I was beautiful - by my parents, my family, and my extended church family. Never once in my life had anyone that I loved and respected planted...

It was a late, dark night as I left the restaurant, and the parking lot was empty. As I made my way to my car I scanned around me, checking to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary.  In the corner of my eye I caught movement, and turned warily to my left.  There I saw a dark, hunched over shadow coming towards me.  His clothes were tattered...

Donned in her favorite nightgown Kimberly* slips under the covers anticipating a good night’s sleep. Patting her husband’s shoulder she says, Goodnight honey… Tentatively Ron reaches out for Kimberly and nuzzles her check giving her a tender kiss. With a familiar sick sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kimberly wriggles away from Ron,...

I grew up as a pastor’s kid. I am also adopted. My birth mom was only a teenager when she had me.  She was in an abusive marriage with an alcoholic. In order to give me a better life, my birth mother and biological dad thought it in my best interest to be given to a family who could better care for me than they could.  I was adopted by a Pastor...