I once asked the Lord about His army. He answered me on a sunny day in October, 1997 in Washington, DC. When He spoke, I was standing by the Washington Monument looking back toward the Lincoln Memorial. The National Mall was filled to overflowing with more than a million men, both young and old. None [...]
If life is a COUNTDOWN, then death must be an EXPIRATION DATE. The clock is ticking. To folks who think this way, getting old is not a blessing but a fearful thing as it means they are "over the hill" and on their way out. Even Paul admits the bucket-list mentality makes some sense [...]
Have you considered what essential message you would like to leave with your dear ones? Unlike Jesus, few of us know the time and place of our departure. It seems wise to prepare our last words, our essential message, the equivalent to Jesus' upper room discourse, now. In Jerusalem, our Lord purposely gathered his disciples [...]
In 1946, twenty Japanese soldiers were living on the island of Corregidor near Manila Bay in an underground tunnel. Cut off from all communications, they focused on survival. One snuck out for water and happened upon a newspaper. He learned Japan had surrendered September 2, 1945. WWII was over! Such knowledge changed everything. He and [...]
By Ginny Rodriguez As many do, my husband Larry returned from a mission trip to El Salvador with stomach aches. How surprised we were to learn his ailment was not Montezuma’s revenge, but stage 4 colon cancer. My 70-year-old husband took the news with courage and made difficult decisions. LARRY'S 1ST DIFFICULT DECISION He asked [...]
JESUS KNEW he was going to die as revealed by Luke 9:51-53. When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people [...]
It was only three years after the 1988 fire when we visited the charred forest of Yellowstone National Park. The stripped and blackened trees were already a vivid contrast to the new life growing at their base. The profuse yellow flowers were not delicate wildflowers only to be discovered by a keen observer. These [...]
Eleven family members sat quietly awaiting the arrival of the funeral director. We were quiet, but tense. My father-in-law had been ill for some time, yet his death was sudden and caught us unprepared. His six capable, adult children suspended grief in their efforts to be responsible, helpful to their mother, and honoring to their [...]
