Devotionals
2021
This Hurts Me More Than It Hurts You
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford The little boy didn’t believe his father when he said, “This hurts me more than it hurts you,” though his daddy’s eyes were filled with tears. Tommy had stolen some money at school. The principal discovered it, and...
And Then Hurricane Helene Arrived.
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Category 3 hurricane Helene was predicted. Urgent warnings of 80 mile-an-hour winds and dangerous flash floods were issued. I did my best to do everything they suggested to prepare. Bread. Milk. Bottled water. Dog...
The Human Heart Demands Justice
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford “It isn’t fair,” the young wife wailed. “He oughtn’t to get by with it.” If you knew the circumstances, you’d agree with her that the thief deserves punishment. An employee of her husband admitted he’d stolen...
Trusting Jesus Is Like—
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Everybody said the old man was stubborn and set in his ways, and there was no way he would ever become a Christian. People had certainly tried to convince him of his need. A deacon went; he said no. The pastor went;...
“Now” Is Better Than “Back Then”
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford When you are talking to me, don’t wistfully long for the “good old days.” I was born in 1927, the week Charles Lindberg flew the Atlantic alone in his fragile “Spirit of St. Louis.” I know all about the good old...
“It’s An Honor to Serve You”
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Our fifteen-year-old grandson is loving his new job at a fast-food restaurant. His Christian employers have given him his first priority: “Make your customer feel valued.” It’s easy, perhaps, to do that, if you’re...
Loving the Lord your God with All Your Strength
The Gospel of Luke chapter eleven tells us of a lawyer who was trying to discredit the Lord Jesus, so he asked, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 11:25). Jesus responded, “What is written in the law?” “You shall love the LORD your God with all...
A Wonderful—But Really True—Paradox
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Were you mystified as a child when you first heard Stephen Foster’s song, “Oh! Susanna, Don’t You Cry for Me”? Was it silly or supposed to be funny? What in the world did it really mean? “It rained all night the day...
“Swift to Hear, Slow to Speak”—Really?
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Recently a friend whom I hadn’t seen for a while dropped by to see me. Her heart seemed full, and so I mostly drank coffee and listened as she talked of many different things. But as she talked, it seemed as if...
A Vicious Cycle That Must Be Broken
A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford “It’s easy for you to be a good Christian, Libby,” a friend once said to me. “You grew up in a Christian home, and your parents were good Christians.” “You’re right, Anna. You know how grateful I am for my godly...
