(ROCKWALL, TX — January 2, 2018) He was criticized by those who believe he threw his life away. The 26-year-old American, whether foolish, faithful, or some measure of both, lost his life so that people who never heard the gospel might gain Christ. Just days before Thanksgiving, John Allen Chau died on a remote island […]
(ROCKWALL/HEATH, TX – Dec. 16, 2018) I fancied myself an actress after starring in my eighth grade play, but high school became more competitive. A girl named Mary received the lead role in our spring production while I accepted the part of collecting admission tickets for the event. When Mary graduated and left Arkansas to pursue […]
(ROCKWALL, TX — November 6, 2018) The Baptist preacher is well known in his circle and beyond. At retirement age, he’s transitioning to a new role with the North American Mission Board. You could say he has a good reputation. Or, you could say he has a most improved reputation. He was once a notorious […]
(ROCKWALL, TX — September 28, 2018) You know you have a problem when Amazon can’t find your house. But we were not surprised. Our new street address does not yet appear via GPS (Global Positioning System), so we try to guide people in by phone. “You’re getting close,” I said to one exasperated deliveryman. “Just […]
(ROCKWALL, TX – September 10, 2018) I always hoped to draw the “cozy cottage” card when playing The Game of Life. But now that I’m unpacking in a much smaller home I’m questioning my game plan. This current challenge does not compare with a life-threatening ordeal, but it sure feels like preparation for the next life. […]
“He sent forth his word and healed them…” –Psalm 107:20 (ROCKWALL, TX — June 27, 2018) I was growing discouraged about the welfare of my friend Luann. For several years I’d been playing the loyal companion “Sam” to her beleaguered “Frodo.” She had the challenging lead role of trudging up her own Mount Doom in […]
(ROCKWALL, TX — June 4, 2018) The feeling of independence was a heady thing for me on the day I drove my own car back to college for the first time. Two hours into the journey, I left both the freeway and the summer heat behind as I headed into the cooler elevation of the […]
(ROCKWALL, TX — May 1, 2018) An Albuquerque police officer found himself in an unsought limelight last fall. The story of Ryan Holets’ intervention in the lives of a homeless couple appeared on CNN, The Today Show, and many smaller media outlets. Those who missed the uplifting report may have seen the 27-year-old during the […]
The voice of the Lord is over the waters… —Psalm 29:3 (ROCKWALL, TX — April 6, 2018) An awful image flashed before me like a snapshot, waking me in the middle of the night. Immediately, I left my sleeping husband and headed to our 17-year-old’s unoccupied room. In the darkness, I climbed into the empty […]
(ROCKWALL, TX — March 5, 2018) The phone rang as I sat proof-reading articles in the office of a Christian monthly in San Antonio. I only knew the caller, Martha Fanning, as the wife of the locally well-known pastor Buckner Fanning. She wanted to ask about publishing a personal faith story she had shared at […]