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This summer has been very different than any other summer of my life. I moved to a new province. The Lord was behind it all, so really, He was causing it all to fall into place. Something that was very important to me during this move, almost as much as my house, was having a fence built for my dog so he would be safe and have a place to run. A couple who are good friends of mine travelled five hours to build the fence for me. The plan was simple, but it was hard work! They...
Some people love exploring caves. They crawl deep inside the dark holes and maybe see things no human has ever seen before. There are 50,000 known caves in the US and probably a million no one has discovered yet. Every year dozens of people crawl into caves and over a hundred die from falling or lack of air or they drown or get lost. I'm afraid of caves. Unfortunately, our farm had a cave. I went into it a couple of times but was terrified. I told my children they could never...
In my last article, I shared information about a date palm tree, named Methuselah, (because Methuselah in Genesis lived 969 years). This palm grew from a seed found in a jar in the cliff caves near the Dead Sea. The seed was at least 2,000 years old. How does a dried-up date pit, that has sat in a cave for a couple thousand years, come to life? It is the wonder of being alive that fascinates me. This morning, I cut open a cantaloupe. There were so many seeds packed into the ce...
A four-year-old asked his mom, "What happens when you die?" She said, "You go to be with Jesus." He said, "No. I mean when you die. Do I get your stuff?" The Bible mentions money or possessions about 2000 times. In the book of 1 Timothy, the apostle Paul tells his young protégé Timothy that when it comes to money, followers of Jesus should be characterized by three things: contentment, trust, and generosity. "Godliness with contentment," he said, "is great gain." The great pre...
Question: In studying the Bible, I have not come across any passages of Scripture that speak specifically against cremation or accept it. However, there are instances in the Bible that speak about burning of a dead body. Is cremation an option for our bodies when we die? Answer: In 1 Samuel 31:11–13 we see, "Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the b...
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. —Ephesians 4:29 "I hate you!" "Why do you have be that way? You're awful." "All you'll ever be is someone who drinks too much!" "She's good for nothing." Have you ever heard such phrases coming from the mouths of people who should be loving one another? I have. And it broke my heart. At one point, I had to excuse myself from the room and go release the pain. Through...
Do to others as you would have them do to you. -Luke 6:31 It was 2:30 in the morning; our band was scheduled pretty tight, and we were pulling an all-nighter through Montana to make the 500-mile haul to that next gig. We had a 1965 MC5A (ex-Greyhound) MCI coach (with about four million miles on it!). That oil-dripping 8V-71 Detroit got up to 61 mph when you had the throttle wide open and the pedal right to the floorboard! My brother Randy was driving the graveyard shift and I...
Of course! I have spent enough time looking at the unfavorable circumstances surrounding me. It seemed that I needed the reminder to look at who God is, instead of hyper-focusing on the dark and hard circumstances my family was walking through. Since joining Indian Life Ministries, I have been intentional as I read the books that we offer. They were all new to me, and I'm an avid reader, so it made perfect sense to know more about the encouraging testimonies and books that we...
A little while ago I was on a road trip, driving through the country on a windy cold night. As I drove, I saw a figure moving towards me on the side of the road. When I got closer, I saw that it was a large animal and that it was walking slowly. Eventually, I saw that it was a great white Pyrenees! He didn't look right at me, his head was hanging low, so I pulled over on the side of the road to get a look at him. In the darkness, I saw that his whole front was covered in...
I was preaching at a local church recently, and I was reminded of the extreme contrast and comparison of light and darkness. I also remembered when I finally was old enough to stay at home by myself and have the run of the roost for a few hours. One thing I would do when walking around in the dark was to yell out to the darkness, "If anyone is there, I've called the cops already." Can you tell I was the baby of the family and watched too much television? This also reminded me...
How are you doing today? If you are reading this, you are part of a miracle group; you are alive. I know; at times, we may wish for different circumstances in our lives. Yet, to be alive really is a miracle. I have no idea how plants, animals, and people come alive-and stay alive through many challenges. During an excavation between 1963–1965, archaeologists discovered date palm seeds in clay jars from the location of Herod the Great's cliffside desert palace ruins called Masa...
Recently, a doctor friend sent me a list of actual notes made on patients' medical charts. I hope you find them as funny as I did: "Patient's medical history has been remarkable, with only a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days." "She slipped on the ice, and apparently her legs went in separate directions in early December." "The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 2003." "On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day . . . it...
God created the Earth and everything in it, and He put Adam in charge. Apparently, the millions of animals had mates, but Adam did not have a mate. In Genesis 2:18, God said, "It is not good that man should be alone, I will make him a help mate for him." And God created Eve, and we all know what happened next. God didn't mean for us to be alone, and yet, because people are living longer than ever, they end up outliving their mates by eight to ten years and spend their old age...
Question: I'm a Native American Indigenous person. I'm also a follower of Jesus. Some of my friends tell me that I'm abandoning being a Native American Indigenous person because I'm a believer in Jesus. I know that I'm still Indigenous. But I also know that I follow Jesus. I feel confused in my identity. Does God's Word say anything about this? Answer: There is no direct reference to First Nations people in the Bible, but scripture does say we are all His children. "See what g...
It was a rolling chassis 1955 Chevrolet Apache 3100 truck that my friend Austin had gifted to me. I was so excited about what I could do with this shortbed stepside pickup, making plans for a mid-sixties 327 V-8 power plant and "4 on the floor" tranny to mobilize Kene's dreammobile! I was beginning to hunt for the parts I needed, envisioning how the prismatic polyester metallic paint in the semi-gloss, charcoal finish would showcase this eventual beauty! There was no time or...
All the animals and creatures in the forest were happy. Except one. The Koga bird was the most beautiful bird that had ever existed-it was pure white; it had magnificent wings and long white feathers on its tail. When it flew overhead, all the creatures looked up at the Koga bird. It was such a pure white that tears would come to their eyes, and they would have to blink not to be overwhelmed by the magnificent bird. Koga knew he was the most magnificent creature ever made....
Have you ever watched deer enjoying refreshing streams of water? Living creatures in the animal kingdom experience a compelling yearning for water driven by their thirst. But humans, who are also part of God's creation, are also familiar with this yearning for water. Water satisfies and hits the spot. It brings life to our tired bodies and revives us. Without water, we die! Deep inside our beings, we have an emptiness that thirsts for fulfillment. Many people seek to quench th...
Do you have some bad memories? Embarrassing moments? Anything you'd like to forget? Maybe it was the time you put both contact lenses into the same eye. Or that day your twin sister forgot your birthday. No! I hate when that happens. Or you woke up from a sound sleep screaming because your braces were stuck together. And you were in the front row of church at the time? Ha! Perhaps you'd like to renenber the time you showed up for work and were greeted by Anderson Cooper of...
For years I've written about our awesome Creator, but sometimes I wonder how much truth sinks into my own heart. It seems that enjoying a tasty meal with all of its flavors or admiring a beautiful landscape is different than trusting the One who gave us all of it. I get frustrated with my own disconnect sometimes. I praise God because He is so great, but then I hesitate when He asks me to trust Him. Why is that? Do any of you have such issues? A situation from over 20 years...
Question: I have a friend who's an inmate. She accepted Jesus while being incarcerated and will be getting out soon. She's afraid that she'll fall and go back to her old life when she gets out. Any suggestions that I can pass on? Answer: First off, just let me say, "Praise God!" Your friend's story is a beautiful reminder that Jesus still saves; there isn't a concrete wall thick enough to shut out His light. I understand the emotions your friend is experiencing. Before I...
When I was walking into our local grocery store the other day, a man was approaching the entrance from the opposite direction. Seeing him look towards the parking lot, I did the same. A woman had parked in the handicapped parking stall and was exiting her vehicle. Thinking nothing of it, I looked away and continued into the store. The man however, must have thought something different, because he said, "She sure doesn't look like she needs to park there!" I wasn't sure I heard...
"The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:9 A few years ago I met Carl-we were singing at the same Gospel Jamboree. While I was packing up equipment afterward, he told me that he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. That was kind of a shocker, but I was really impressed by his attitude: "As long as I can, I'll keep...
Spring is in the air in our little home community in central Alberta. Snow is melting, and everywhere you look, signs of seasons past have left their mark. Roads are filled with the leftover signs of snow-gravel. Brown grass is now exposing the "sleep" of winter, just waiting for spring showers and signs of new life-green grass and leafy buds on trees. Children are anxious to get out their bikes and are willing to do so, donning gloves to protect their fingers against the...
I read your pamphlet and would like to say thank you for your benevolent and gregarious work by reaching out to people in need. There are a lot of souls still suffering and in need of such literature to allow personal growth and understanding. In today's society, I'm sure a lot of suicides get labelled as accidental overdoses or similar type incidents and people need to understand there is help out there. Just know your work has touched a soul. Thankfully, R. D. P.S. I like...
Mom told me a story once about T. Texas Tyler, an alcoholic country and western singer who became a believer back in 1958 (before my time). As his music morphed to country gospel, TTT began closing his contractual obligations that were part of his former life as a country and western star. Hollywood and the Grand Ole Opry weren't that hard, but one promoter wouldn't let him out of an "ironclad" contract for a series of fairs and rodeos and threatened him with a lawsuit if he...
