Are We Living the Normal Christian Life?
If you were to define the basics of the Christian life and what makes a person a follower of Christ, what would you say? What attitudes and actions would characterize the lifestyle of a faithful disciple of Jesus? Most of us would focus and agree on trusting Christ for forgiveness of sins and gaining eternal […]
Serving Out of Their Poverty
Ana’s pain was like a cloak that strangled her hope and joy and gave no shelter from the chilly nights that assaulted her bones as she tried to sleep on a small parcel of pavement that was her home. But it was the loss of her children in a custody battle that pierced her soul. […]
Saving on a Rainy Day
Tomas curled up under a tree in Patriots Park, a regional recreational hub where drought has carved out dusty patches in its green carpet. Dust is a way of life in Bakersfield, a central valley where, on average, there are 272 sunny days annually — two and a half months more than the national average. […]
Second-Mile Living
Miss Margaret and her team converged near the homeless encampment, hidden in the shadow of the Dallas-area bridge. Despite the tepid warmth of the sun, the sharp wind swept the biting cold into the flimsy makeshift shelters. As founder and director of the Metropolitan Dream Center, Margaret James devoted herself to providing clothes and food […]
Walking a Mile in His Shoes
Rochelle Epps arrived early for Sunday service at New Fellowship Church of God when she spotted a man sitting on the front steps, his red cart just a few feet away. It was an unusual sight but not unexpected. She and her husband, John, founders of Fellowship Outreach Ministries, prayed for this day for weeks […]
Bottled-up Memories
It was one of those summer days in Milwaukee, the kind where the unusually mild temperature was enough to lure you outside for hours. It was so beautiful that the pastor’s wife, Dr. Joycelyn Henderson, joined volunteers in moving an indoor back-to-school outreach to the church’s parking lot, adjacent to the alley, separating it from […]
Jazzed Up for Jesus
While most 13-year-old girls like to share texts on the latest posts involving celebrities, fashion and entertainment, Jazlene Cherry gets excited about sharing the love of Jesus, a passion she shares with her father, a minister. Jazlene, who goes by the name Jazzy, is fascinated by how her dad doesn’t let things bother him and […]
Tearing Down Strongholds, Part 2: “Conquering Evil With Good”
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on Tearing Down Strongholds. In the first installment, Michelle Melchor examined strongholds that perpetuate injustice. Today, in Part 2, we explore ideas on how believers can create a more just society. Ericka was desperate for answers. Her special needs second-grader was struggling in the midst […]
Turning the Corner
David Wolfe had eight kids to feed, though sometimes his choices undercut that goal. Selling cigarettes and drugs on local street corners may have put dinner on the table, but it also frequently landed him in jail, a pattern since age 15. Every time metal bars separated him from freedom, David vowed he would not […]
Schooled in Love
A special needs second-grader who can’t cope with online learning plus a fatigued father who spends long hours working away from home plus an overwhelmed mom trying to navigate the needs of her boys in their newly adopted homeland equals a formula for despair. One green backpack filled with school supplies is a catalyst for hope for the first-generation Guatemalan immigrants. […]