On one of THOSE days, the alarm clock fails to rouse me. After the third slap at the snooze button, I'll roll off the bed to press my forehead on the carpet in prayer. In my fogginess, I misjudge the distance and crash a bit harder into the floor than I…
I don't venture up onto my roof often. In fact, I only brave that weak-kneed climb if no one else volunteers to help with an annual task. My core tightens as I wobble those initial steps. After I reach the center and grip onto an anchoring structure, my lungs relax for a full…
Bridges draw my eyes up and across their magnificent structures. Age and wear tug at my slumbering imagination, inspiring me to wonder at a bridge's creation and years of shouldering live burdens toward safety. The builder invested careful engineering before setting the first stone at its foundation. Intense toil erected its magnificent path. The suffering laborer…
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light…
Silas twisted on the uneven stone floor and squinted through the cell's dank shadows.The rough hewn stocks chafed at his swollen ankles. Pain raked across the raw flesh of his back as his shoulders rolled into a sticky puddle--his blood mingled with Paul's, no doubt. Sour and metallic odors weighted the air between their bodies. With trembling…
High tide waves glide ashore. The foamy caress adds a kiss of salt to the sugar sand. Water and pristine beach glimmer together in sunbathed glory. Breezes carry the fresh hint of brine, a lovely scent for visitors to carry home in their hair. As the weary sun droops, visitors retreat…
Some vow to scale a cliff, visit a world wonder, or learn five languages. Others plan to taste exotic delicacies or indulge in the arts. Aimed toward travel, achievement, or adrenaline-laced adventure, most call these goals a bucket list. This litany of tasks aspires to define the completeness of one's life. Measure the…
A tremor seized the floor. Mary tumbled onto the cool, gritty surface. She flattened her arms out to either side as the quake rattled up the walls. The ceiling heaved as if it might cave in on their heads. She hugged her knees and studied her friends' gaping faces. Wide eyes…
I opened the door to greet the brilliant morning. Fair weather clouds glistened in the sunlight. Sparrows twittered overhead. An unfamiliar odor tainted the spring breeze. As I ventured onto the porch, my sandal crunched on the welcome mat. I gasped and retracted my foot from the wingtip of a dead…
"God shines forth. Our God comes and will not be silent...He summons the heavens above,and the earth, that he may judge his people...'Sacrifice thank offerings to God,fulfill your vows to the Most High,and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.'" -…