Hope

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV) When my dad passed away, it was a hard time for my whole family, but especially my mom. She lost her life partner, and they say that losing your partner is like losing part of who you are. When two become one in marriage, and when those two have Christ in their relationship, they are extra blessed. A Christian couple has that extra bond, building their lives together. But death is inevitable, and when it comes, how do we […]

“Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard . . . Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fi sh three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:15-17 (NIV) When I was young, along with fishing, my dad took me out hunting and trapping. I especially remember one time when I was 12. It began with someone giving us a boat ride, but then a lot of walking. We had two big packing dogs with us to help carry things. We walked by a pond and saw two mallard ducks […]

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15 (NKJV) We were all there as our youngest sister lay in a coma due to a brain aneurysm, a complication from her open-heart surgery the previous month. She had been in this state for a number of days already. As in every family, everyone did as much as possible, along with prayers and a hope that she would recover. Earlier in life, I had been able to share the Gospel with her, and she had accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. Long story short, […]

“For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” . . . “And I say unto you, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’” Matthew 7:8 / Luke 11:9 (NKJV) Sometimes we think we have all the answers of how life should be . . . but then life never seems to go our way. There we are again, reminded that we are not in control! But there is someone else who is in control . . […]

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NIV) It was really dark when we started out in the morning from home. We were heading out on a gospel music ministry trip to northern Ontario. About five minutes from home, we noticed a very bright light up ahead. We came over a hill and realized that the light was coming from a huge greenhouse that had just been built. There were other smaller lights on the landscape as we drove, but this one stood out! This one […]

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (ESV) I often teach and speak about our Native First Nations people and culture. There is such a vast variety of nations from the northern villages of Alaska to the jungles of South America. I always say there is one word that sums up the values of all Native First Nations people — relationships. One vital relationship we hold with great respect is our relationship with God, […]

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23-24 (NKJV) I will reluctantly confess that I’ve fallen off every horse I’ve ever been on. I would like to blame it on a “faulty” horse, or saddle, or something brilliant like that, but I will outright say that riding a horse doesn’t seem to be my area of gifting. With that being said, even though I’ve fallen off a horse numerous times, I did get back on the horse! I could live […]

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15 (NKJV) My father had a painful upbringing in his younger years. At eight years old, his parents separated, and his father found another woman. As a result, his mother and his siblings left our community, and he was given to another family to be raised by them. These painful events no doubt wounded his heart and soul and shaped his worldview in all things. Three things come to my mind: abandonment, love, […]