I Am Cyrus: A Miracle of Our Time

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A Miracle of Our Time In May of 1948, as the British Empire ended their mandate and withdrew from Palestine, five Arab nations sat on the border ready to invade. At that moment, David Ben-Gurion, the leader of the Jews, stood in Tel Aviv and declared the establishment of the State of Israel—marking the rebirth of a Jewish nation in the Holy Land after 2,000 years in exile. I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel tells the amazing true story of Israel’s rebirth—promises made, promises broken, and ultimately the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy that this…

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A Time for Singing

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Winters in Michigan, where I grew up, were long, cold, and dreary. Gray skies, leafless trees, and a colorless landscape made the winter months feel endless. Occasionally, the sun would peek out in March with a patch of blue sky that gave hope to a frigid existence. Then came April. As daylight lingered a little longer and snow melted away, the sky became brighter and creation began to wake up. I love that we celebrate Easter in the spring because it’s a celebration of new life. Just as brown grass turns to green, flowers sprout from the earth, and tree…

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History Matters

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“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”—Sir Winston Churchill History still matters today, and with all the revisionist history going around our world—in the media, popular culture, and even in our educational system—we need to be wise. As Churchill wisely warned us, we need to learn from history so we don’t repeat the failures of the past. The historical parts of the Bible are important for that reason. So is our own history. We can learn so much from the people who lived before us. They shaped and were shaped by the events of their…

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Resting under God’s Wings

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  My husband and I recently visited Miami to attend a wedding. One evening while walking outside, I noticed a duck and her six ducklings navigating the parking lot to a grassy spot beside the road. I couldn’t believe that momma would risk having her babies so close to traffic. But a quick glance told me she had an expanse of water across the road as well as the spectacular bay behind the hotel. When I got close enough to snap a photo, the little mother eyed me with suspicion as if preparing to attack. She wasn’t afraid. That reminded…

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By the Letter

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And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17). I love words. So God uses them to get my attention, especially when I play word games with my friends as I sip my morning coffee. Today the letters were T-L-A-I-R …hmmm. I could spell trail or trial. The only difference in the two letters is the position of the vowels, A and I. That got my mind whirring. When things are in a mess, I want the quickest way out. I…

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Asking Why Puts Us in Good Company

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  Reading these words in Psalm 116:7 (KJV), “the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee,” reminded me of conversations with two of my strongest Christian friends. On the same day, both spoke of being mad at God. One said a relative felt angry because of what she considered the undeserved suffering that came into the life of her young child. “Why didn’t God do something?” The other friend spoke of a huge disappointment she had experienced. “Why didn’t God stop this?” Both friends felt God had not dealt bountifully with them. He hadn’t done what they asked and expected. He…

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So Hot Even the Bees Are Dropping Like Flies

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It was so hot even the bees were dropping like flies. In our desert area of Southern California, we get used to the soaring summer heat and I thought the insects would too, but we kept finding dead bees by our front door. We thought, “Can’t do anything about it and it can’t be anything too serious,” so we just ignored the strange phenomenon. Until we also noticed a dark spot on the wall near the ceiling—a wall close to the front door. We called out pest control and they checked the attic. The truth was revealed. Bees had taken…

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New Release: Stop-and-Go Devotional: 52 Devotions for Busy Families by Diane Stortz

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Stop-and-Go Devotional: 52 Devotions for Busy Families by Diane Stortz  Publisher: Tommy Nelson Release Date: February 12, 2019 ISBN#: 978-1-4003-1758-5   About the book: Stop-and-Go Devotional provides short, active devotions based on Bible stories, designed for busy families with preschoolers and primary-grade children. Each short devotion consists of an action-filled Bible story (Stop and Read), an age-appropriate devotional thought with questions and a brief prayer (Think and Talk), plus an easy and fun follow-up activity, a thought to remember, and a supporting Bible verse (Green Means Go!).   About the author:  Diane Stortz writes best-selling books for children and adults. Her…

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The Power of Discouragement

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  The enemy I battle most is Discouragement. I know better than to give that rascal a toehold in my life. But it slips in subtly, whispering hopelessness, just like long ago. Remember how the Israelites responded to Moses when he came to lead them out of bondage in Egypt. “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country…‘Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the Lord and I will…

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How Do You Spell L.O.V.E.?

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With Valentine’s Day season upon us, you might wonder how spell L.O.V.E.  In our  book, The First Five Years, we explain how to create a memorable romantic encounter for your spouse no matter how many years you are married. (And we will adapt this for those who are single and dating).  Keep this acrostic for LOVE in mind as you make plans to wow the one you love:   Listen Observe Vary Extract   Listen Your spouse will drop hints about the things he or she loves and you can use these hints to create more romance and sizzle in…

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