I have usually made a point to arrive early to worship so that I have time to listen for God’s message for me. But then my church began playing praise music...

Every spring I anticipated the white and lilac blossoms of my wisteria bursting from the branches. I was always surprised by their beauty. But for the last two years my plants...

When I was a teenager my father died, my university admission was unsuccessful, and I barely had enough food to eat. I was overwhelmed and struggled to pray. So I wrote...

I recall how excited my husband and I were when our sons took their first faltering steps as we led them by the hand. I also recall messy mealtimes as we...

One day I was walking down the street and passed a building site full of rubble. A sign at the site announced, “Work in progress.” The builders continued working according to...

I had always wanted to travel and see other places. I got my wish when I married a meteorologist whose career took us away from our families to the San Francisco...

For several years, I’ve led a prayer group for mothers in my home. We meet in the morning, Monday through Friday. One day, a friend asked me to accompany her to...

I often recall our eldest daughter’s deep emotional pain and disappointment when a group of adolescent girls rejected her. I suspect if one girl in the group had supported her, she...

Checking items off my daily to-do list used to give me a sense of accomplishment and control over my life. But when my 28-year marriage ended, I began to realize I...

I am the youngest of four children. In the rural part of Puerto Rico where we grew up, all types of fruit abounded in the fields of the country estates. We...