Got Electricity? Try the Room Key

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When Larry and I arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, our missionary hosts directed us to our hotel room and left us to freshen up. Larry plugged in his shaver but it didn’t turn on even though we used the adaptor we brought. I tried to plug in the coffee maker provided in the room and still no electricity! “The room’s electricity must be broken,” I said and quickly dialed the front desk to tell them of the problem. They said a repairman would be right up and within minutes, we heard a knock on the door. The man looked into the…

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A Strong Dose of Charity

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  Excerpt from Christmas Charity by Susan G Mathis “I heard you were newlyweds from Canada. From Wolfe Island? It’s a mighty lot to adjust to, that’s for sure. But how’s you doing, dearie?” Susan bit her lip and studied Mabel. Could she trust her, this stranger? Susan needed to talk with someone, especially since her mama wasn’t here. “It’s … all so sudden. Patrick is a good and kind man, but …” She looked toward the door and sighed. “I’m sure I’ll adjust … with time.” Mabel took Susan’s hand in her tiny, wrinkled ones. “Change ain’t easy, I’ll…

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Out Love One Another

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Jesus was a good son.  Bill and I recognize a good son, we enjoy having three good sons. A good son carries out the will of his father. A good son represents his family well and moves the family legacy forward. Good daughters would do the same.  We meet people each week and many of them are those who value the heritage that have been handed to them and they build upon that strong foundation. While writing our newest devotional book, A Couple’s Journey with God, we had the opportunity to stay on a beautiful farm. Within minutes of meeting…

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The Conductor Was Sore Afraid

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Our annual church Christmas pageant gave me the impression the humble barn where Jesus was born was a quiet setting. The Nativity scene was the crowning moment of each extravaganza. Dressed in bed sheets and their fathers’ bathrobes, the children sang Silent Night. Then I moved to the country, got a barn, and had my own birth in the stable. Drought forced a farmer to sell a soft-eyed, pregnant mare.
 “She’s like Mary,” my teens implored. “She needs a place to have her baby.” So this innkeeper found room in our stable. A baby monitor let us hear what happened…

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Holiday Relationship Tips

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While simplifying your holiday season, take time for relationships to thrive, not just survive the holidays.  Keep those relationships balanced with your holiday planning. People ARE more important than things at this time of year.  Here are some relationship principles using one of the familiar words of the holiday as an easy to apply acrostic:   C enter your heart on the true, deeper meaning of the holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Year’s.) This will help everyone become easier to get along with because the heart of the holiday will remain intact. H ear what your friends and family are…

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A Chat with Author Nancy Mehl

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! Today I have the joy of interviewing Nancy Mehl, a multi-published novelist. Her latest romantic suspense novel was just released December 4, the first book in her Kaely Quinn Profiler series. Nancy, please tell us about your latest book, Mind Games. FBI Behavioral Analyst Kaely Quinn’s methods may be unorthodox, but her talent is undeniable. She’s established a new life after being demoted and transferred to St. Louis when a reporter revealed she’s the daughter of an infamous serial killer. But when that same reporter claims to have received an anonymous poem predicting a…

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The Child Who Gave His All

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  “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10 NIV). I can’t imagine losing one of my children. A friend recently lost her adult child and to see her grieve ripped my heart out of my chest. Christmas should be a time of joy. After all, God sent His son that He might save us, and for the most part the season is joyful. Still, when I turn my Christmas tree on at night, and listen to the sweet sound of the nativity music box play Silent Night, I find my heart…

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Good News of Great Joy!

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  I often give Christmas messages for women’s ministries, and one is entitled “Christmas Joy”. Joy is the beautiful result of Christ coming at Christmas. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (Luke 2:10) In my book, LOL with God,  (co-authored Dawn Wilson) we chronicle just a few of the over 350 verses that speak to joy: 1 Chronicles 16:27—“Strength and joy [are] in his dwelling place.” (Dwell with God and find joy!) Job 33:26—“He prays to God and finds favor with…

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Deck the Soul with Boughs of Forgiveness

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CHRISTMAS!  The word evokes many feelings, depending on our experiences. For some, Christmas is a happy time, filled with beautiful memories and joyful expectations. For others, Christmas is a depressing time, a season one wants “to get over with” as quickly as possible because of bad memories associated with this time of year. Having ministered to people for many years, I have come to the conclusion that depressing memories at Christmas time are most often related to problems of unforgiveness. Hurts from the past become more pronounced during the Christmas season, but the reason those hurts still affect us is that…

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