prayer

The Costume

by Christine Prueher February 5, 2011
Thumbnail image for The Costume

“I don’t want to be in the show if I have to wear this. It is ugly and scratchy,” Jena announced as she got into my car. She threw the black sequined outfit into the backseat. I could see red scratch marks on her neck as she flopped into the passenger seat. “Did the costume [...]

Read the full article →

Prayer Is…

by Jan Lutz February 5, 2011
Thumbnail image for Prayer Is…

A silent cry Or an uttered plea Beseeching Begging Persistently. Praising God The Father, Son, And Holy Spirit, Three in One. Confession Revealing Guilt from sin Seeking to be Restored again. Heartfelt thanks And gratitude Living life with A God-pleasing Attitude. Prayer is asking Prayer is praise Prayer is confession Prayer is thanksgiving. Hear our [...]

Read the full article →

Grandparents Who Pray

by Karen Robbins February 5, 2010

My friend, Trish Berg, author of Rattled, Surviving Your Baby’s First Year Without Losing Your Cool (Multnomah Books, 2008), says in her book that the only place she often finds to do her devotional reading and praying is the bathroom. She’s the busy mom of four young children including a teenager now. I can relate [...]

Read the full article →

Lilly and Stinky

by Christine Prueher December 3, 2009
Thumbnail image for Lilly and Stinky

On this cold Minnesota morning I see two black forms curled up with their noses tucked securely under their tails. Their favorite napping places are on the two recliners in the living room. Sometimes during the frigid early hours they wrap themselves closely together on one chair, but not today. They have their own spaces [...]

Read the full article →

Inhale the Holiness of God

by Mary C. Catterton November 15, 2009
Mary C. Catterton

Her chest convulsed as she strained to take each breath. In the course of eleven months bone cancer would take her life one insidious step at a time. I watched with tears streaming down my face, wondering if I was about to witness my mother’s last breath on earth. Her eyes looked deep into mine [...]

Read the full article →

Quiet Time—Secret to a Happy Marriage

by Paula Friedrichsen April 29, 2009

Many years ago my husband and I went through a rough patch. A betrayal on my part, and feelings of unforgiveness on his part, had left our marriage in need of restoration and healing. In addition to this, I felt my relationship with the Lord had dwindled to an ember of what it had once [...]

Read the full article →

Toeing the Line

by Christine Prueher March 6, 2009
Thumbnail image for Toeing the Line

As sixth grade girls, we just wanted to ice skate and not be bothered by the boys who circled us continually with their taunts. It had been going on all afternoon. We had moved to various places on the ice rink to avoid them, but they soon showed up to spoil our fun. If we [...]

Read the full article →

Pray Continually

by Mary C. Catterton February 8, 2009
Thumbnail image for Pray Continually

This command given to us in a letter to the church in Thessalonica, written by St. Paul with Silas and Timothy (1 Thessalonians 5:17), is a tall order. Consider a mother with a babe on her lap, cell phone in her ear, computer at her side, doorbell ringing, husband busy elsewhere, in calm devotion to [...]

Read the full article →

Little Norma’s Easter Dress

by Mariane Holbrook March 19, 2007
Thumbnail image for Little Norma’s Easter Dress

“Don’t worry, honey. I’ll think of something.” With that reassurance from Mother, my seven-year-old sister bounded upstairs to bed, danced a little jig in the hallway and finally settled down for restful sleep. Mother always “thought of something.” Mother stood alone by the curtained window. She had been unwell for months. Part of her problem [...]

Read the full article →