What a find! Imagine being the person who made this incredible discovery (credit: royalexaminer.com; July 3, 2025). It was a simple $4 purchase at a Pennsylvania flea market in 1989. A man browsing through odds and ends came across a faded country scene in an old frame. The frame looked promising, so he bought it. He had no idea he was about to uncover one of the rarest pieces of American history. Tucked behind the artwork, folded into the size of a business envelope, was wha

In his 1986 book, “Who Switched the Price Tags?”, Tony Campolo shared this true story about the value of work. Tony Campolo and his wife, Peggy, were visiting Scotland to find the specific shipyard where her grandfather had worked before immigrating to the United States. Unsure of the directions, they stopped a middle-aged woman on the street to ask the way. As it turned out, she worked at that very shipyard and invited the Campolos to walk along with her. During their walk,

Jeff Collins, director of “Love & Action” (a national, interdenominational, Christian ministry offering help and hope to men, women and children who are HIV+ or living with AIDS by sharing Jesus’ love, grace, mercy and hope through word and deed), shared the following powerful, true story. It had been a trying week at our Love & Action office. At 5:00pm on a Friday, I was looking forward to having a quiet dinner with friends. Then the phone rang. I heard a quivering voice: “J

John C. Maxwell is a former pastor plus a top global leadership expert, speaker, and bestselling author who has sold millions of books focusing on leadership and personal growth. In his 2014 book, How High Will You Climb?, he shares a fascinating link between Attitude and Altitude. Your attitude determines your altitude. Aircraft operate at maximum efficiency when flying at a higher altitude. It requires less fuel because the density of air decreases. The greater the altitude

The article, “Bloom Where You’re Planted,” is from women.lifeway.com. Lifeway Women is a “welcoming community of women who love God, love His Word, and are growing together in faith.” It’s good encouragement for all of us. I cannot count the number of conversations I’ve had with God…in which I tell Him I’ll be better if He changes my circumstances. If You gave me a bigger house, I would practice hospitality. If You make my friend less cranky, I’ll love her better. If You had

Here is some helpful background information about Paul’s letter to the Philippians from ChristianityToday.com. This ancient letter of Paul to the Philippians is unlike the letters of the day, which were brief and to the point. This letter is longer. It speaks not only to the church and individuals, but is also for the rest of the church to overhear! The letter encourages readers toward progress in their faith, all the while addressing specific issues. Historical Background Ph

Rhonda Harrington Kelley shared this dramatic, true story about forgiveness and her famous father, Evangelist Bob Harrington. Forgiveness is a significant theme in God’s Word. The Bible tells us: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will remember not your sins” (Isaiah 43:25). “He [Jesus] was delivered up because of our offenses, and ra

Be encouraged by this reminder to daily choose to love and extend Christ’s grace, patience, forgiveness, grace and mercy, to everyone – and be sure to start with your family members. One evening, after a long day at work, David came home tired and frustrated. The house was noisy, the dishes were still in the sink, and his children were arguing over a toy. He felt like walking away to be alone. As he reached for the doorknob to leave the room, he noticed a small piece of paper

One of my favorite Christian authors is Francis Chan. He and his wife Lisa are authors of the book, You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity. At desiringgod.org, Francis was asked, “‘How do you and Lisa argue like Christians?’ Some readers of the book will be surprised that he and Lisa have conflict — but of course, married couples won’t be too surprised; we all do at some point. So when it comes to verbal conflicts and disagreements, what is a core lesson you have l

Enjoy this article entitled, Freedom in Christ, that recently appeared at focusonthefamily.com. Key Points · Freedom in Christ is not the right to do what we want, but the ability to do what we ought. · Without Christ, we are slaves to sin, unable to do what is right. · Christ’s death on the Cross set us free from the penalty and power of sin What is freedom in Christ? In the “land of the free,” we often confuse the true nature of freedom. For many of us, freed

Pablo R. Diaz is Vice President of Ministries for Guideposts Outreach. In his article, The True Meaning of Love, he shares how praying together and enjoying each other’s company has connected him and his wife over the years. One of the most important relationships in my life is with my wife, Elba. We have been through a great deal together. We have raised two wonderful children and discovered the power of human love in its own unique way. And this week we celebrate 35 years o

Enjoy this devotion for Married Couples about Love and Respect from Focus on the Family (focusonthefamily.com). Bible Verse: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Devotion: To misjudge the source of something can be embarrassing — as in incorrectly guessing the sender of an anonymous love letter. It can also be painful — as in having the wrong tooth filled. Finally, it can even be dangerous — as in repairing a gas leak by soldering the pipe just shy of where the

Alton Garrison, former Assistant General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, wrote this about the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” in the June 13, 2010, edition of the Pentecostal Evangel, entitled. For nearly 50 years, coal has been used in our country to generate the lion’s share of electricity for our homes, businesses and industry. This electricity has provided us with power for lighting, heating, cooling, cooking, washing, communicating, entertaining ... well you get th

In his book, “Desiring God”, pastor and best-selling author John Piper shared this beautiful insight on marriage. (Found at https://www.desiringgod.org/solid-joys/the-mystery-of-marriage.) The Mystery of Marriage “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:31-32). In Ephesians 5:31 Paul is quoting Genesis 2:24, wh

Here is some humor about Mom in honor of this Sunday’s Mother’s Day celebration. My mother taught me LOGIC:“ If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me.” My mother taught me BIOLOGY: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.” My mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD: “If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a job.” My mother taught me HUMOR: “When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come runn