I see you, blossom of mine, in the darkness. …my companions have become darkness. Psalm 88, I Cry Out Day and Night Before You, verse 18 Our children want to die, and their companions have become darkness. We thought that if we did everything right, if we trained them in the way they should go, if we instructed their hearts in Truth, they would be safe. Such cruel untruth. I am aware at this moment of no… Read More
If you missed Part One in this series of Stories of the Redeemed, click here. Last week you heard Cecilia Sakatira’s story of how the Master Weaver gave her a new vision and purpose out of a time of darkness and suffering. She is the founder and director of Creative Hands, a ministry that empowers women on the refugee highway in Greece to find gainful employment and learn about the Messiah. This week, read with… Read More
I met Cecilia Sakatira over twenty years ago. We were both living as foreigners and Christians in a Muslim culture, she from Zimbabwe, I from the United States. We were both strong women with a desire to rescue the rejected and bring hope to those in despair. I worked with shamed families whose babies had been born with facial deformities and she worked with street children abandoned and addicted to glue. We met at… Read More
Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ’See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” Isaiah 62:10-11 Roads transform nations. I have lived in countries with little more than sandy ruts between tiny villages, and others with elaborate highway… Read More
For Celeen, a meditation on Psalm 34 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth Even as bombs destroy my home and the provision of my people. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; Let the humble hear it and be glad As the bells ring over Beirut Above the chaos of hope disappointed. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us… Read More
And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 Gold basically becomes gold in two ways: melting and crushing. Scrap gold, such as bits of old jewelry, must first be tested to assess its quality and determine how much of it is gold and how much is other elements. In this process, the gold is placed in a crucible, where… Read More
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.… Read More
You did it again! You went ahead of me. I thought I was a messenger, Sent to tell them about You. But You had already come; Prepared hearts— Expectant, Hopeful. He looked at me And said, I feel like I’ve met you before. Like I’ve known you a very long time. As we read Your Words together, Spoke of mutual pain And the comfort You give, He remembered. I felt this… Read More
To all the little boys and their families seeking refuge across the world today. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. Psalm 113: 7 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the… Read More
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 Jesus’ birth ushered in a new beginning for humanity. But with new beginnings comes the need for wisdom. Even the holy family… Read More