Author: John Smith

By Jane Highley If you ever find me with my earbuds on, I’m either running or cleaning. (Usually the former, about 95% of the time.) And from my earbuds, I’m listening to one of two things: either the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton or a podcast. I am obsessed with both, but I love...

By Todd Hill I find that if I want to get caught up on what the world is thinking about politics and religion, I know exactly where to go!  No, not social media – the LA Fitness locker room.  It is not unusual to hear men pontificate on how to fix all of the evils...

By Melanie Kauffman Every time I sit down to write something for this blog, a big question looms over me: Should I write about my illness? If I do, what do I even say? What if people start to worry about me? But I feel that God has called me to write about this, so...

By Ward Shope I was dropping off New Life’s paper-folding machine to repair a strap that had broken. “This is a classic,” the tech said. “These things will run forever. How long have you had it?” “I’m pretty sure it’s older than the building we’ve been in, which is over 10 years now,” I responded....

By Donna Donnelly As a mother of a 26-year-old son with autism and a developmental disability, there has been both joy and pain. When my husband and I first received the news of David’s disability, there was disappointment and questions. While it is important to search out Scripture in order to have a solid theology...

By Rae Barnes It was just last week that my in-laws celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Shortly after the actual date, all of Chris’s siblings, their spouses and the two of us joined his parents for a nice dinner at a wonderful restaurant. I nearly welled up with tears looking at all of them, realizing...

By Laurel Kehl That’s how Pastor Vinny Tauriello greeted our ESL students and families at the annual Thanksgiving Feast this year. For those who have faced war, violence, shortages, and overcrowded refugee camps, this was a wonderful message! It is also a rare message in our political climate of fear and growing xenophobia. Many of...

By Charlotte Gleason Sometimes, my age surprises me. In my head, I am still in my early twenties, looking forward to “the next big thing.” But I experience daily reminders of my actual age: the takeover of white hair, a slow-moving body after a twenty-something physical feat, and referencing time in decades rather than years....

By Ward Shope Eden’s garden, Designer fashioned Fertile earth, painless birth Human freedom, love impassioned Tree of life, taste forbidden, Serpent snared, sin aware Human slavery, now guilt-ridden Futile toil, hunger ne’er sated Violent heart, God hater Human striving grows ill-fated Promise given, offspring yearning Sabbath rest, peacefulness Human longings deeper stirring Brilliant angel, good...

Christmas ads on TV Used to really annoy me With their focus on material stuff. This year, they’re only silly fluff Against brutal ads for elections. But praise to God, He reigns! His Son Jesus really came. Now, let us pray that everyone Will know the love of the Saving One, For He will bring...

By Tosha Morris During my son Gavin’s two-year battle with stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer involving the sympathetic nervous system, I had kept faith and hope stronger than ever before in my life. God carried me every single day through the trials, triumphs, decisions and defeats. Though most days while Gavin was ill were...