I was a picture of good health until May 2001. We were vacationing at the beach when I got a call from my doctor, telling me I had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The news brought me to my knees. I was scared and shaken, wondering how this could be. Me? I took a walk alone on the beach, crying out to God. And on that long walk, I met God like I never had before. In my fear and through my cries, I got a message that this was not the end. He told me I would be alright, but He wanted me… Read More
My faith has undergone a major transformation lately. I've "known" Jesus since I was a little girl, and growing up, I usually had all the right things to say. For most of my life, I've gone to church and heard church leaders describe and interpret Jesus for me. But that is not how one develops a personal relationship with the Lord. My revelation is that I need to sit down and get to really know Him. Now my prayer every single second is, "God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father, and King, I want to know you for myself, not through someone… Read More
For years, my husband and I taught Sunday school. We were both very outgoing and loved to pour ourselves into other people. We found a great way to do this was to lead a class of married couples. At first, it was rather intimidating, having to speak in front of others, knowing that our marriage had its share of struggles. But we loved the Lord and honored Him in our marriage, and that is what we wanted to pass on to these younger couples. For over thirty years, we led various small groups of people that were usually… Read More
This winter season our family got bamboozled by 2017's epic virus infestation. It felt like we were in an underground bunker for weeks on end, surrounded by snot-infested tissues, fevers, vomit, screaming toddlers, and so little sleep. It was torture. When my kids are sick, I feel helpless, heartbroken, small and extremely tired. It's in moments like these I realize I have very little control in life, and this truly results in lots of prayer. Even though I desire control, I ultimately feel relief knowing Jesus "takes the wheel"--especially since half the time I'm just wondering where my keys are… Read More
I am originally from Italy and immigrated to the United States when I was twenty. I love it here, but the world, and this country, is a lot different than when I first became an American citizen 63 years ago. The bickering between political parties divides the country. I was reading my Bible early this year, and I was struck by what Jesus preached. We are to respect and pray for those in authority, whether we agree with them or not. They are our leaders. I felt God was leading me to do this. So I felt particularly burdened to pray for… Read More
My mom raised me to see the poor, to view life through the eyes of people who are economically at the bottom. She taught me that people living in impoverished conditions need help, and that I could serve through prayer, mission trips or volunteering. However, my perspective dramatically changed when I began working as a nanny for a wealthy family in California. Before working there, I had a mental picture of how wealthy people lived; I saw wealth as privilege without struggle. What I didn't expect to see was genuine need. These people had real struggles like everyone else, just… Read More
