In my classroom, I used to have five glass bowls — one for each group I taught. When the students obeyed the rules, I added a pebble to the bowl for...

A few years ago, though I lacked for nothing, I could not find joy in being the mother of two lovely children and the spouse of a good man. Given these...

As the owner of a new puppy, I enrolled us in a training class. Along with “sit” and “stay,” we learned something new to me: the “check-in.” The dog is supposed...

We were about to begin pouring concrete. Everything was arranged, the scaffolding had already been set up at a great expense, and the contractor and workers were ready. But before we...

There have been times when I’ve felt inadequate to fulfill God’s plan for my life. The weight of others’ expectations has been apparent, and I have sometimes felt rejected because I...

I recently visited my older brother who lives far from me. He and his family welcomed me with food and fun. While sitting at his dining room table, I noticed a...

After completing a degree in mathematics, I decided to continue my education in the same discipline. However, when it was time for the course exams, I was underprepared. I didn’t know...

As a healthcare provider, I had many responsibilities in caring for patients in the hospital. One time I was asked to take over a colleague’s work while she was on vacation....

We were working on our landscaping one Saturday, and our four-year-old grandson was helping us. Benjamin worked diligently, moving bricks and picking up rocks. He talked nonstop, and his presence lightened...

From an early age, I wanted to be a lawyer. My inspiration came from watching a TV show about a brilliant attorney who represented wrongly accused clients. I trained as a...