We couldn’t find the keys anywhere. My son, home on a college break, had driven home with them, walked in the house, and a few minutes later discovered they were missing. 

Not only was the car key lost, but along with it was a wallet key ring that included my son’s electronic student ID card, his college dorm keys and his room key.

It all totaled a hefty replacement fee of nearly one hundred dollars.

Yikes!

Now, I hate to lose things and when I find out that something is lost, I have a tendency to “tear the house apart” looking for it. No stone should be left unturned – is my motto. And I look everywhere – even in ...

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Who is God? God's not a robot. He's the creator of the universe and He knows what's best for us. Not always are our prayers answered exactly the way we think they should be, because God's got the greater picture in mind. Think you want to learn more about Him? Enjoy the "Who is God" video below: 

The soft, pitiful cries of the homesick boy reached my ears and resonated with my heart. “I miss my fam-i-ly!” he cried over and over again.

The boy had been staying with us for the weekend and even though his parents were due back the next day, it wasn’t enough. He longed for the completeness and security of what was home to him.

Deep within his small frame was a pain that was real and heart wrenching.

“I miss my fam-i-ly,” he cried again.  Ouch. My heart hurt for him.

And as I lay in bed later thinking about it, a memory came flashing back of a little curly haired girl, homesick at a Girl Scout sleepover.

We were in a large gym and many of that day’s events had come to an end. My friends and I had laid out our sleeping bags in a neat row. 

And, although I was having fun, I remember being washed with a sudden feeling of  ...

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Who is God? God is so much bigger than the here and now. He not only has today in His hands, but He also holds our futures. When we start to get "settled" into our routines, sometimes God reminds us that we're not home yet. For the Christian, this can be a joyful reminder. This life is not "it" and no, we're not home yet.

“Hey, do you want to hear a God story?” my friend Jamie said before we wrapped up our phone call the other day.

“Sure,” I said, taking a minute to listen.

Jamie went on to tell me that a friend visited her that day who needed some help.

Her friend was looking for some used clothes for her son and asked Jamie if she knew of anyone who might have some to pass down. While she was speaking, Jamie’s phone started beeping, signaling that she was getting a call.

Jamie politely let the call go to voice mail and focused on her friend.  And later after she had left, Jamie checked her message.

Listening, Jamie couldn’t believe what she heard. ...

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Holding up the 100-year-old wooden flail, our Sunday School teacher explained it was a threshing tool similar to the ones used in the days of Ruth.

We had been studying about Ruth in the Bible, and seeing the flail was like stepping back into time for me. 

Amazed, I ran my hand along the tool’s smooth, wooden surface and touched the hardened leather that joined its two pieces together. 

Ruth must have been a pretty strong woman to swing that flail over her head and beat down on the barley she gleaned from Boaz’s field. I had enough trouble a few weeks ago, trying to hold and start our gas-powered weed wacker!

 I can’t imagine beating down on the barley again and again with that flail in an attempt to separate the grain from its husks. I’m sure Ruth’s hungry stomach, and her mother-in-law Naomi’s depended on Ruth’s strength.

And, if your familiar at all with Ruth’s story, you know that she had to use that strength in many other ways as well. You see ...

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The three blue Mason jars waited in a cardboard box in my basement for nearly five years. 

Spiders had their heyday with them, but I wouldn’t touch them. 

Never mind the fact that I had a small collection of antique Mason jars and longed to bring the three up from the basement and display them with my others.

There was something about those jars that made me want to hide them away. Because I knew that if I took them out, I’d be overcome with guilt.

No, I couldn’t get the jars out. Couldn’t enjoy their sturdy, rounded shoulders, their clear sky coloring, their block “PERFECT MASON” lettering. You see, I wasn’t sure if the jars were really mine and every time I thought of them, my conscience was pricked.

The last house we lived in we rented and towering shelves of canning jars new and old were in the garage. I was new to the whole farming thing, but 29 acres and a plowed vegetable garden were pretty strong indications that I start.

And so I did. My first year was an absolute ...


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God is not a mean old ogre waiting to squash us for our mistakes. In fact, he’s more than willing to take on the burdens of our sin, if only we’d give them to him.

The truck was packed with items that would help my son’s new dorm room seem more like home.

And we approached it with a bit of dread.

With only two adults to do the unloading, the task before us was a bit daunting. 

And we knew that we were in for several trips up to his suite.

I thought about it and inwardly sighed. The work, I guessed, was par for this new college mom. We would get it done – however long it took.

“Need some help?” a voice piped up from behind.

“Can I give you a hand?” came another.

I turned to see the smiling faces of several college students descending upon us. They made friendly small talk with my son, grabbed items from the back of our truck and walked with my son inside.

I marveled at the empty vehicle as I stayed behind to lock up.

Wow, that was exactly ...

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My friend Yvonne is not a swimmer. 

She’s tried to learn, but she’s still a bit uncomfortable in the water.

Maybe that’s why I did my best to get her wet the other day when we all ended up down at the river.

            

“Come on in!” I called out to her as she safely watched us from a rock over on the riverbank.

My girls and I cheered her on as she bravely made her way into the waist-deep water. It was easy to see the rocky bottom, so I think Yvonne was okay with it – until we started to see the fish!

While we were looking, somehow two of my children thought it would be a good idea to test out the current as it rippled speedily over some rocks nearby. And I barely noticed them until my youngest cried out ...

It was a perfect night for baseball, but you wouldn’t have known it by the look on the pitcher’s face.  

The team they were facing was undefeated, and that only added to his list of troubles.

 “These guys know all my pitches,” he told his coach, “I walked too many the last time we played them.”

Knowing all the correct motivational words, his coach sized up the situation and decided to approach it from a different angle – a spiritual one.

And their conversation went something like this:

“You know, whether you do well or poorly out there doesn’t determine your worth or value as a person, right?” he said.

Starting his “pep talk” this way, the coach knew he was taking a risk. He was supposed to stick with the program, after all. He knew that, but he also knew one more thing -- when God opens a door, you’d better walk on through it.

“All that matters,” he told the pitcher ...

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By Debra Torres
I could feel the little silver cross hanging from my neck as I drove my kids up North to see some relatives last week.

I loved my little cross and I had just started wearing it regularly. To me, it represented my faith and touching it there from time to time reminded me of it and brought me comfort.

But as we drove down the road, a speaker came on the Christian radio station that challenged me to be careful of my perspective of my necklace, or any other material representation of God for that matter.

Now I know that sounds kind of weird. It’s just a cross and it means something powerful right? But what I learned from Chip Ingram of the Living on the Edge radio broadcast ministry is that ... 

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By Debra Torres
The concrete sidewalk paths that wound around our housing development were perfect for a mother with small children.

There, my young boys could ride their big wheel, go puddle jumping and walk to a small wooden bridge where we used to feed the ducks and their ducklings in the water below.

All this while staying clear of any vehicles.

There was one path, however that led to a busy side street where cars would whip around a curve unexpectantly. And it was this path that we took once a week in order to trek over to our local library’s story time.

At that time in my life, I usually had one or two in the stroller and a few walking next to me, so it was important to find just the right break in traffic where we could all get across safely.

One thing I would say to my boys as they got in formation behind me was: “Remember to be like the ducks!”

You can probably picture us crossing: Me in front pushing the stroller and two or three boys behind trying to keep a tight line.

Just like a mama duck and her brood.

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Sticking close to God can be a slippery slope if we try to go it alone. He wants you to stick close to Him. And you can do it with His help.