Devotionals

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Handford Yoga and meditation had become popular in the United States by the time I was a sophomore in high school. My English teacher thought we might write more freely if we learned to “meditate.” She told us to sit without...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford That the earth has gotten warmer in the last few decades is a fact, though some politicians have tried to exploit the danger for their own profit. Should we Christians be afraid of global warming? What is our...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Have you seen the smile on the face of a father when he holds his baby son? . . . the solemn, tender faces of a bride and groom as they vow to love each other “as long as we both shall live”? . . . the grieving,...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Handford I was caring for a child whose mother had suddenly abandoned her family. The father was desperately looking for ways to make sure the children were cared for, so that day I watched the 5-year-old while the two older...

A Word of encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Sweat trickled down my back as the FAA inspector said to me, “O.K., Mrs. Handford, take us back to Greenville.” I turned the little Cessna 150 southwest back toward home. My flight exam for my private pilot’s...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Handford You remember those tedious lists of names scattered through the Bible, don’t you? Somebody “begat” somebody or “was the father of” somebody, or “these of the names of those who—” did something or the other. The two...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford After my dear husband Walt graduated from high school, he worked for Boeing Aircraft in Seattle installing electronic equipment in B-17's and B-29's during the war. He was just as adept at mechanics and math and...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford Why doesn’t my child pick up his toys when I tell him to? Why does my boss seem to be dissatisfied with my work, but never tells me why? Why does the city council keep making such contrary decisions? Why does our...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford She’s an old woman now, very old, and cantankerous. She’s a Christian, but unreasonable in her demands. Querulous. Complaining. Ungrateful. Destructive. Causes conflict between family members. Her adult children...

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford “Daddy, I think God must get very tired of my having to say ‘I’m sorry’ to Him so often,” I said impulsively one summer day when our family was vacationing with my parents. You understand, I was already middle-aged,...