After Jacob wrestled with a stranger, this stranger gave him a new name. The man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God...

During the Sunday morning worship time at my last youth retreat, I asked three people from the audience to stand in the front. I then asked them to arrange themselves from...

Being the last born in my family, I had no siblings to carry or play with. In search of something to care for and to befriend, I picked out a little...

It happened again! I simply could not remember the name of a friend — someone I had known for ages. Her name had totally slipped my mind. When it finally came...

On my first trip to New York City, I was greatly impressed by the tall skyscrapers that form the Manhattan skyline. However, the exteriors of these structures conceal much more than...

I was born into a Christian family, but I married a non-believer. After 25 years of marriage, my husband was hospitalized. The doctor said that the infection in his blood would...

One of my nephews called to tell me that he had lost the bracelet I gave him for his birthday and wanted to know where I had bought it. I remembered...

As a young boy, I fantasized that my first day on the baseball team was the beginning of a major-league career. However, my father’s war injury had prevented him from teaching...

I teach creative writing to adults, including many older adults. Recently I learned that one of my students had died after a short, intense illness. It wasn’t easy sharing this news...

At the beach one Saturday, I was doing some fishing while watching the sun rise. The brilliant colors seemed to pop out. This awesome sight caused me to pause to thank...