The Gift of Trials

The two men conquered human flight, but the Wright brothers’ journey to success was never easy. Despite countless failures, ridicule, money woes, and serious injury to one of them, the brothers weren’t stopped by the trials they faced. As O…

read more

Let My People Go

The acclaimed painting Let My People Go by Aaron Douglas uses vibrant colors of lavender, green, and gold, along with traditional African imagery, to tell the biblical story of Moses and connect it with Black Americans’ struggle for freedom and j…

read more

Still Fruitful for God

There’s an old folktale about a woman who carried water home every day from a river using two buckets at either end of a long pole—one bucket new and solid, the other much older and cracked. When the woman got home, the new bucket was still…

read more

Made Right with Jesus

“We’re ready to board our flight to Montego Bay,” came the announcement. I was traveling as a speaker for and leader of a high school group on a missions trip to Jamaica. I reached into my backpack for my boarding pass and passport&md…

read more

Don’t Lose Heart

Weary. That’s how Satya felt after nine months in his new job. As a believer in Jesus, he’d sought to follow God’s principles in the way he solved problems and directed the work. But people-related problems persisted, and little organ…

read more

Easy and Hard

Mark was a promising young pastor. Then one morning his son, Owen, collapsed and died while kicking a ball with him. Mark was devastated and still grieves the loss. But through his pain he’s become a more compassionate pastor. I’ve mourned …

read more

A New Beginning with God

“Did your sin also put Jesus on the cross?” That’s the question Dutch painter Rembrandt seems to be asking in his 1633 masterpiece, The Raising of the Cross. Jesus appears in the center of the picture as His cross is lifted and put in…

read more

Walking with God

For years, fitness experts have stressed the importance of running for cardiovascular health. But recent scientific studies have demonstrated that daily walking also has a range of health benefits. According to the US National Institute of Health, &ldq…

read more

Scouting for Truth

Reflecting on why people tend to be entirely convinced they’re right—even when they’re not—author Julia Galef suggests that it has to do with a “soldier mindset.” When we approach the world with that mindset, we&rsqu…

read more

God Will Act

A hardworking clerk, Erin always did her job well. But after she was accused of dishonesty, Erin was put on leave while being investigated. She felt like quitting in protest but was advised to wait it out. “Leaving suggests you’re guilty,&r…

read more