One of my greatest pleasures in all the world is reading to my children. I dreamed of it often during the long months of waiting, and as soon as our Olivia arrived, I began with a passion. Before she could speak, she was listening. Strapped in the swing or bouncy seat, with nowhere to go, I would read story after story. As our family grew, we would all pile into the bed at night and explore a world of adventures together. Whether we fought side by side with the Pevensies for the glory of Aslan and the protection of Narnia, got lost in the big city at Christmas with a mischievous little monkey, or followed the yellow brick road with Dorothy and her companions—we ...Keep Reading
My aunt and I recently took my children on a hiking adventure to a place she had taken me when I was young. Though my kids were being great sports, I could tell they were a bit skeptical. After all, they had been dragged out of bed very early on a summer morning, made to shovel in their breakfast, crammed in a car, and driven an hour down the road. Why? To walk. A lot. Up a mountain. But my aunt and I knew something that they didn’t. We knew what was at the top. ...Keep Reading
John Newton said toward the end of his life, “Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” In Ephesians chapter 2 we see these two glorious truths arrayed side by side. Paul begins by making clear to all man’s true condition apart from Christ: ...Keep Reading
I sat silently by in my small place on the bleachers and listened. At first, I will admit, I was amused, but after a few minutes, my heart grew sad. Two couples stood nearby, chatting away, each one doing their best to sound more successful, appear more accomplished, and give the impression of being more put-together than the other. In truth...Keep Reading
It’s difficult to recall many of the memories I made before school age, but one stands out vividly. It was the day I learned to ride my bike. I had wavered back and forth over the previous month...Keep Reading
There are few love stories like that of my grandparents. To read the notes left behind in his senior yearbook, you get the idea that my Grandpa was something of a ladies man—handsome, athletic, funny, and more than a little mischievous. But the summer after his senior year, he met Ruth Lunsford—and everything changed. He had found his love, and he never looked back....Keep Reading
Tears rolled down his cheeks and hung on the end of his chin. I sat quietly listening and holding back tears of my own. My heart broke for him...Keep Reading
There it was again...Keep Reading
The contrast was so striking it was profound, and the impression both experiences left on me lingered for days. The first was that of a news story...Keep Reading
The words shot out of his mouth like a horse out of the starting gate. And the moment they hit the air, shock and horror filled his face at what he had just heard in his own voice. In a flash of anger, my little boy had looked at his brother and shouted, “You’re the worst brother ever!” He didn’t mean it. He knew it wasn’t true. But it was done...Keep Reading
