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As hard as besetting sin is to purge from our lives, at least it is often obviously recognized as just that: sin! The weights are a lot more subtle. They’re sometimes not even sin or wrong per se at all. Sometimes our friends can do the exact same things and not be affected in the least. But for us, it’s a stumbling block; a weight. In itself, it might not be bad and one could even find positive aspects of it. But that’s not where our perspective needs to be. Instead of focus

Anyone who moves overseas can tell you that it’s a stressful event. It is not the same as a short-term trip or vacation. You’re overwhelmed with doing life completely differently, while being homesick and lonely. It’s rough. What can make it harder is if you start a job overseas. As in our case, we arrived in the country in the afternoon and my husband was at work by 8 am the next morning. (He was only supposed to begin the following week, but one thing you learn quickly, is

The men next door were mean. We were not allowed to walk across their yard. We probably would not have done so anyway, but the neighbour girl did and one day I followed her. Boy, did I get into trouble! Respecting property did not apply to them, however, as my dad once had to stop them from standing in our driveway. They were teaching the neighbourhood kids to golf, using stones from our driveway and aiming at our front window. Another time, when I was very little, I was pla

Do you have any favourite Christmas traditions? Growing up, we would always open our stockings in the morning. My mom liked to put a fun toy at the top, peeking out enticingly. It often included candy and small toys, and, of course, an orange in the toe! When we were fairly young, my family started a tradition of going to sing Christmas carols at a local care home on Christmas Day. Many of the residents were taken to spend the day with family, others had family come to visit

“ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14  If anyone needed to forget the past, it was Paul. Before his conversion, he was a religious zealot, who committed many atrocities against the followers of his now-beloved Lord. These memories must have

I’ve been thinking a lot about this concept lately. How privileged to be the hands and feet of Christ. When people think of me, do they think of me or do they see Christ? Too often we’re preoccupied with ourselves. We want people to think well of us. We may struggle with conceit and arrogance, or we may put ourselves down and wallow in self-deprecation and worse, but it’s all pride. I’ve heard it said that we should not think less of ourselves, but rather think about ourselve

“Remember that once you dreamed of being where you are now.” Unknown  How poetic, and yet it is not my story. It just goes to show that God can do abundantly above all that we ask or think.  When I was a teenager, I was a bit of a feminist. I wanted to serve God full-time, not “just” be a wife and a mother. In fact, I did not want to be either one. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a single woman serving God wholeheartedly. But in my case, my whole attitude about it was

It can be truly difficult to understand the alienation and alignment that comes from being part of two worlds, fitting into both and neither at the same time. As some of our friends prepared to head back to the United States, they shared their mixed emotions with us…part excitement and part sadness. Having just made a similar trip recently (in reverse), I can well understand the feelings. If I returned home, part of me would always be missing. I don’t think I could be content

I am a planner. I thrive with lists and goals. The upside to this is that I can be organized, efficient and productive. The downside is that I really struggle when things are out of my control.  I remember being on the road full-time with my newborn. He was never a great sleeper and I had a rough postpartum recovery. I definitely was all in survival mode. It was often one day at a time, and we didn’t always even know where we’d be spending the night. I remember sharing some t

I’m always struck by the “same-ness” of humanity. And yet, why should I be? They’re human, after all. Somehow, we think that people in far-off countries with different cultures and customs, must be so different from us. How they think and feel must be completely opposite to how we think and feel. And in a way, that can be true. But when it comes down to it, how I feel and react mirrors much of how they feel and react. They still have basic needs. They still love their familie

In our society, it seems like running at full capacity is an accepted norm. We’re guilted into doing this or that, all good things of course. But in all our running, do we miss out on what’s truly important? It goes back to letting God plan our day. But this time, rather than detours, think about how full your schedule is. I recently heard a lady explain that every “yes” is a “no” to something else. Every time we say yes to someone, as people pleasers, we may at the same time

This is one thing that stumps me the most. I am really good at planning. I am even good with the follow-through. I usually have no problem addressing hard or unpleasant tasks with gusto, just to stroke them from my list. Detours, however, do not sit as well with me.  How frustrating it is when the toddler takes a short or non-existent nap. Delays and inconveniences grate on me, which can be a common occurrence in a country where time is relative. Why should these things bothe

How it glitters as a prize worth striving for. And yet, it is just a mirage. Consider Acts 14:18-19  “And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.” Okay, so maybe this is an extreme case, but the bottom line is that people can be fickle.  There are three ki

(Disclaimer: This was written during the height of civil unrest in the country we live in. That situation has been mostly resolved and we...

What is unforgivable? Well, when we’re strictly talking about one human being to another…nothing really. Then, why is forgiveness such a...

We tend to complicate the will of God. I know so many Christians who have simply agonized over wanting to know God’s will, myself...

We were on our way to the park, my son's favourite place, but even so, he was not in a rush. He’s never in a rush. The world is very new...

My stomach knotted. There was no resolution. There was no way this could be “made better.” A good night’s rest hadn’t made it better...