Devotionals

There's a section in Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, where the soaring sopranos sing a couple of notes of "He shall reign forever and ever," then the altos and tenors chime in with their variations on the theme, then the basses add their strong voices, "He shall reign...

Remember those excruciatingly wavy, funny mirrors at carnivals? Remember how they distorted your eyes into bug eyes, your legs into matchsticks, and your tummy into a swollen watermelon? We laughed because it was absurd. It wasn't reality. But too many people,...

For fifteen years, though I didn't realize it, I put my trust in the Equitable Life Assurance Company of the United States of America to take care of me and my family. You understand, I would have told you that of course I trusted God to take care of us. But if some...

Yes, you can see that this exquisite Aynsley English tea cup has a broken handle. It's broken, so why don't I throw it away? After all, I have a cupboard full of unbroken cups. Why not trash it and use a good cup? I keep it because it is precious to me. My pastor's...

Last night- I finished reading a book by a man that argues Christians sin when they claim to be certain about what the Bible teaches. He says doubt, not certainty, is the mark of a real Christian. The writer is absolutely certain that certainty is a sin. He's certain...

Sure, a billionaire can arrange an unprecedented flight into space. But some things his money can't buy, like health, or loyal friends. True, the government can hand out stimulus checks to help the economy but it can't stop the ravages of heat and drought or COVID....

I Shoulda, Coulda. Woulda A Word of Comfort from Elizabeth Rice Handford My baby girl announced, after being in first grade for one week, "I'm not going to bother to learn to read. It's too hard." My first thought was. "Oh, dear! She's only six, and I've already...

Can I Help How I Feel? A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford "I feel like I've been through a terrible storm," a woman said to me. A year ago she found out her husband had had an affair. He was truly repentant, and his actions through the year had...

Have You Heard God Loves You? A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford He was old, and tired, and bent with an affliction he'd suffered all his life, and he was a friend of mine. (I'll call him Joe to protect his identity.) He'd had a very successful...

If I Would Lead, I Must Serve A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Years ago, the company I worked for hired a new office manager. Our CEO was aging; he hoped this new man would eventually take his place. Our CEO planned a beautiful day's retreat for...