



The trail started out very clearly trodden, even though blanketed with a recent layer of leaves. Every so often a white, spray-painted mark on a tree would confirm that we were still on track, even after climbing over tree trunks that lay across the path and sloshing through pools of mud (some subtly concealed until…
My favorite movie is “Princess Bride.” [Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen the movie, skip this paragraph!] Westley, the humble farm boy becomes the valiant rescuer of Buttercup, all in the name of “true love.” Even after being brutally killed by the corrupt prince, at least to the point of being “mostly dead” (according to…

Devotional Day 16 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”…

Devotional Day 8 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by…
I recently returned from visiting multiple countries in the Middle East, where I heard stories from individuals, visited refugee/IDP camps, and met with leaders of various ministries, NGOs, and camps in Northern Iraq. Churches and organizations in Lebanon and Jordan also find themselves overwhelmed with the needs of refugees from Syria and Iraq, but have…
It was my fifth time in Nigeria. The electricity was out, as usual. A water heater had been installed, but its reliance on electricity made the availability of a hot shower unpredictable. Fortunately, in July there were plenty of monsoons to fill up the water tanks, so most of the time I could at least…
There is no suffering that He himself did not endure, we are told in scripture again and again. The apostle Paul reminds us in Hebrews 2:14-18, that Jesus shared in our humanity and chose to share our experiences of life, so that he could break the power of the Devil and provide a way of salvation. That Jesus became one of us so that he could identify with us and help us, is the heart of the gospel message. Thanks, Emily, for reminding us that love is expressed in many and varied ways, with none more poignant than the love Jesus displayed when he died on the cross.