Stories of Hope

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! – Psalm 133:1   We live in an increasingly polarized and divided world in which different voices clamour to be heard. Too often conversations cease to be productive, and I wonder whether in our desire to be heard we have forgotten how to listen.

Reflections on Prayer   “Read your Bible, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow!” I remember singing those words as a kid. I even remember the actions that went with the song! From an early age I’ve known that prayer is powerful. However, if I’m honest, my prayer life has its ups and downs.

Waiting in Hope   I still remember counting the number of sleeps until Christmas as a child. Christmas meant time with family and friends, delicious food, and the excitement of getting to see what was in those strangely shaped packages under the tree.

  Why is that when life gets busy one of the first things to suffer is my prayer life? As the schedule fills, time slips away. I may distractedly still go through the motions of reading my Bible, but my mind is already preoccupied with all that needs to be done for the day. Before long I realize an entire day has gone by and I’ve said little more than “Hey God – Hi, bye!”

  It’s Sunday morning. Greeters warmly welcome people as they arrive to worship. Ushers help people find a seat. The praise team begins the opening song, leading us in worship. Together we praise our God, ask him questions, bring him our concerns, and listen for what he has to say to us.

  Before graduating from seminary, I told God I needed a spouse. I didn’t want to do ministry alone. The thought of moving somewhere away from my home community and living by myself – being a household of one – was overwhelming.