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. […]
Former Shepherd Needs Some TLC
Jonell Permenter and her 20-year-old granddaughter were making their way through a neighborhood near downtown Atlanta. Ariana, who had just finished her shift at work, hitched a ride with her grandma and was headed home to Tucker, a northeast suburb. They chitchatted as the blocks melted into a blur. Soon, they noticed a sidewalk lined […]
In the Midst of a Dark Night of the Soul God Did a Miracle
The world was heavy with darkness and only part of it could be blamed on the night. Silvia sat there, wide awake, well before the sun would creep over the horizon. Her husband, Manny, slept next to her and their five children, ages 1 to 14, surrounded them in the cramped confines of their SUV. […]
I’ve Never Had a Bible
As a father of eight, John Bump is familiar with the happy chaos of a full house. The giddiness of a new discovery, scampering to grab the toy first, the occasional skirmish over that toy. Secrets and conspiracies. Giggles and groans. Joy and, sometimes, peace. So John was in familiar territory as he stood near […]
Little Screen, Big Message
Cassandra sat in front of the computer, her eyes fixed on the small screen. Three young children gathered at her side. It was unlike any Resurrection celebration she ever witnessed, vastly different from her childhood memories of fragrant flowers and the low slant of the spring sun casting soft light into the sanctuary. Sundays at […]
Building Confidence
Peter Villa and his colleagues, Andy, Orlando and Jairo — despite working together at a California homebuilding firm — were like planets passing each other in orbit. Adding to the distance was the hectic pace of daily life, including Peter’s role as co-pastor of Kern County Seeds of Greatness Church in Bakersfield. I didn’t really […]
Reflections From the Street
Pastor Ruben Durant was handing out turkey dinner invitations in a homeless encampment under a railroad underpass when he came face to face with his past. It was pre-COVID and the evangelistic leader was enjoying community outreach. “This guy popped up,” Pastor Ruben said. Although familiar, Robbie’s face bore evidence of a life held captive […]
A Box of Love in a Box Truck Leads to Transformation
When it comes to telling people about Jesus, Rosa Marti willingly follows wherever the Lord leads in her Sidewalk Sunday school on wheels. That’s just how she rolls. The Orlando woman, with the help of her husband, Pedro, converted a former moving van into a mobile ministry center, complete with its own stage. “I got […]