Before he became famous, the Mongolian warlord Genghis Khan (c. 1162-1227) killed his own half-brother to advance his position in the family. As he solidified his power, he began to build an empire more expansive than Alexander the Great’s, stret…

Archaeologist Jodi Magness and her team have been excavating a synagogue in the ancient village of Huqoq in Lower Galilee where they’ve found an incredible collection of mosaics, paintings, and carvings. Particularly rare, however, is a mosaic te…

“What makes you smile when you think about your son?” That was my question for Clarence—a younger man I was mentoring. The proud father proceeded to share some of his bright four-year-old’s accomplishments. One particular respon…

When commercial fisherman Scott Thompson fell out of his boat one moonless night in the Santa Barbara Channel off the California coast, he didn’t know if he’d survive. He swam hard after the boat, but the motor was running and he couldn&rsq…

Kazuto and his wife Migiwa waited with trepidation for the ultrasound exam results. Migiwa’s liver had been failing for more than nine months, and she urgently needed a liver transplant. Kazuto could donate a portion of his liver to his wife, but…

An Uber driver named Esbon Kamau picked up a sixteen-year-old rider who was on his way to purchase a motorcycle—a gift from his father. After Kamau dropped the passenger off, he noticed the teen had left a bag in the back seat. There was $8,000 i…

Michele experienced a mixture of emotions as her father neared the end of his life. She grieved when he said, “Honey, I won’t be here to walk you down the aisle.” But she assured him of her love, clinging to the hope she found in Hebr…

Though she enjoyed befriending and helping folks in her church’s seniors ministry, Carol found herself being picked on by its domineering leader. She felt so bothered by it that she had to seek counseling. She was advised to quit the ministry, bu…

Heartwood is the central supporting pillar of certain trees. Although dead, it won’t decay or lose strength while the outer, living layers are intact. Composed of fibers bound together by a chemical glue called lignin, heartwood can be as strong …

A scientific study revealed that watching TV programs featuring mean characters can actually lead people to be mean. Various forms of aggression—whether outright fighting or subtle gossip—primes viewers’ brains for similar behavior. T…