Ghost stories at midnight

June 17, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah It’s one o’clock in the morning and I’m sitting in my living room surrounded by very loud teenage boys. We started telling ghost stories a half an hour ago and now everyone’s afraid to go to bed. Except me. I’d love to go to bed, but I can’t until I know everyone’s […]

Home Sweet Home

May 18, 2016.Reading time 2 minutes.

I started packing up our house for renovation in late October and now – six months later – it’s almost finished. I moved back in two weeks ago and have been buried under boxes ever since. Sometimes we’re placed in situations that make normal rhythms of life grind to a halt. Everything gets tossed into […]

The one word standing between you and your dreams.

January 20, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:4-6 Years ago when […]

Every day is a blessing from God

January 14, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah “Every day I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful.” Prince 2015 was a hard year for me – filled with physical, mental and emotional challenges. I can’t remember how it began but it’s fresh enough to remember how it ended. November […]

Faith and impatience: A new view of Sarah

December 1, 2015.Reading time 5 minutes.

Once a year (usually in early fall) I read the Bible straight through. I try to finish before the year is over, but since I’m behind in everything I got started late. Even still, each time I do this I understand more about Christianity and the history from which it springs. Have you ever read […]

Thanksgiving: What would Jesus do?

November 19, 2015.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons, but mostly because it reminds me of my dad. He was an amazing cook and at each celebration he tried to outdo his efforts from the previous year. In addition to the traditional turkey with stuffing, his artfully set table was laden with food […]

Persistence in the midst of resistance

November 17, 2015.Reading time 1 minute.

By Erika Rizkallah Well, so much for blogging every day. In a recent post I wrote about resistance and it got the better of me last week. I’m in the midst of a bad fibro flare and though I wanted to write, I couldn’t. The skin on my head was so excruciating even my hair […]

Now is the time for joy

November 10, 2015.Reading time 4 minutes.

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Matthew 11:4-5 One morning I read about what it meant to be “blind” […]

Good advice for the angry

November 9, 2015.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah During my bridal shower – twenty years ago – my mother passed around a journal and asked the ladies to jot a note or write some marital advice. Among the blessings and prayers was the popular suggestion to “never go to bed angry.” Many people are surprised to learn this principle comes […]

Walking in obedience to God’s leading

November 8, 2015.Reading time 2 minutes.

By Erika Rizkallah More wisdom from old books for this Saturday night. The short excerpt is from Daily Strength for Daily Needs by Mary W. Tileston which I found at an estate sale. I just love old books filled with nuggets of truth — especially when they cost fifty cents! We mustn’t be in a […]