Mature Living

Sheltered in His Sovereignty When we wait humbly on God’s will, we can rest assured in His mercy and power. by LEE ECLOV WHEN I WAS A KID, the Christmas season didn’t begin the day after Thanksgiving nor with the first Sunday in Advent. The countdown to Christmas always began with the arrival of the […]

What Christmas Emblazons on Our Hearts by ROBERT J. MORGAN LAST YEAR IN ASIA, I met a young man from an oppressive communist nation. His smile was like sunshine, and we became fast friends. Tuan’s arm bore a tattoo in Asian letters, which I asked about.1 He explained he’d grown up with haunting emptiness. As […]

Folded Hands On the one hand, there is thanksgiving; on the other, there is blessing. by TINA BOESCH HE LEAVES STRUNG from twine and draped over our dining room table turn slowly to reveal words of thanks. A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I spread out colored paper in autumnal shades on the den floor […]

TRUSTING GOD WHEN LIFE IS UNCERTAIN Faith is beyond our understanding. by BARNABAS PIPER IT DOESN’T MATTER how sick I am, I don’t enjoy going to the doctor. It doesn’t matter if it’s been six months or six years since my last teeth cleaning, I don’t like going to the dentist. It doesn’t matter what […]

When God Says, “Fear Not,” What Does He Really Mean? by VICTORIA YORK FOR 50 YEARS, I was one of thousands, perhaps millions, of Christians who experienced daily anxiety. It was simply a part of life. But in 2013, the Lord quite miraculously disen­tangled me from fear during a time of fasting. In the process, […]

Adopted and Secure If you’re God’s child, you’ll always be His. by DANNY HEDGEPETH THE THOUGHT of a courtroom makes me smile. Let me explain. My only daughter adopted our first grandchild 10 years ago. When our grandson was 6 months old, he was taken to family court to be declared legally adopted. Our daughter […]